By Douglas V. Gibbs
The Westboro Baptists (who aren't Baptists at all, but are Calvinists whose doctrine tends to be anti-Israel, in support of Replacement Theology, and denies the Trinity), are known to have protested at military funerals, as well as participating in other despicable activities. A case against the group made it all the way to the Supreme Court. The high court determined that the Westboro group that protests and pickets military funerals are protected by the First Amendment's free-speech guarantee. This ruling gives the Westboro group's rights a priority over the mourners' right to privacy.
The decision was 8-1, upholding a lower court decision. The ruling was a defeat for the father of a Marine killed in Iraq in 2006, whose funeral at a Catholic church in Westminster, Md., was picketed by the Westboro group.
Did the Court’s ruling wrongly elevate the right of free speech over the right to the free exercise of religion? Is the ruling denying the family of the fallen the opportunity to peacefully and privately say good-bye to their loved one before committing their soul to God?
Interestingly, while vile people who claim to be Christian receive the right to do as they please with their disgusting protests at military funerals, good Christians in Britain are being told they are unfit to be foster parents because of their views on homosexuality.
It seems we live in a topsy-turvy world where right has become wrong, and wrong has become right.
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent and shrewd in their own sight! —Isaiah 5:20, 21
Pluralism (Accomodation Theory) fits well with the description in Isaiah 5. Those who adhere to pluralism believe that there is no absolute truth or moral standard. The truth is up to an individual or a group of individuals to decide. This attitude leads to relativism, or the belief that truth is relative to the situation at hand. In today's society, these philosophies are being applied by postmoderns to everything including issues of right and wrong, literally blurring the line between right and wrong, and fulfilling Isaiah 5.
What we are seeing also runs in line with what Apostle Paul forecast would happen during the end times: "Some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach, through the hypocrisy and pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared (cauterized)" (1 Timothy 4:1, 2).
When our conscience, which is the faculty of the human spirit that allows us to judge right and wrong, is seared, the power of darkness is given the opportunity to reign in the soul. When this happens, wrong will proudly be declared as right, immorality will be justified into a twisted declaration of morality, and wrongdoing will be declared to be healthy, and the new norm.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
Justices Rule for Protesters at Military Funerals - New York Times
'Supreme Court Got it Wrong' on Westboro Baptist Church Ruling - Freedom Alliance
Foster parent ban: 'no place' in the law for Christianity, High Court rules
There is no place in British law for Christian Beliefs - The Telegraph
2 comments:
Lot of folks might disagree, but I think the Supreme Court got it right on this.
The Constitution does defend even offensive speech. At the same time, the Supreme Court seems wrong when they allow commercial speech to fall under criminal laws when it is offensive. The Supreme Court has an uneven interpretation of the Constitution, where whether or not pay is involved seems to be the defining principle whether offensive speech is either subject to fines or criminal actions.
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