Thots On "The Moral High Ground"

It continues to amaze me how tenacious the unbelieving can be as they hold on to their faithless positions in life.  Take any issue of the day: abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, etc., etc.  When all of their arguments are over and have been defeated even by the illogical thought processes, they then seek to silence their opposition.  They have no love of truth or decency.

I read a commentary by Gary Schneeburger, editor of “CitizenLink” – a semi-daily news update of headlines affecting US Families.  The commentary was entitled, “’Brokeback’ Conviction.”  His main point was that Christians need to humbly recognize that they are sinners as much as homosexuals, and not “holier than thou.”  I agree with that viewpoint – to an extent.  We don’t need to APPEAR to be looking down our noses at sinners.  Jesus didn’t do that to us.  However, we do need to LIVE a holier life, and be prepared to answer why (“be instant in season and out of season”).  In that sense, we should be “holier than thou.”  (Please don’t misunderstand my point, here).   But I stray.

Schneeburger was articulating a particularly disturbing scene (and the crowd’s response) in the movie “Brokeback Mountain” about a couple of homosexual cowboys.  Let me share with you his description of the scene:

The lead characters reunite several years after their initial tryst atop the mountain of the movie's title. Ennis (Heath Ledger) runs to greet Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal), and is so overcome that he pulls him into a stairwell and kisses him passionately. Even though the duo thinks they're out of eyeshot, Ennis' wife catches a glimpse of their embrace -- and director Ang Lee's camera lingers on her devastated reaction.
     That reaction, in the Denver theater in which I saw the film, was greeted with a mix of laughter and applause from the largely-gay audience that shared the auditorium with me (and I've heard and/or read similar reports from across the country).

His analysis is right on target, and should make us sit up and take notice of the direction of these tenacious evil-doers:

     How on earth, I've wondered, could anybody find that scene funny or -- worse -- something to cheer? Is adultery, and the punch in the gut it delivers to the one being cheated on, perfectly acceptable so long as the adulterer is "being true to himself"? Is fulfilling their own selfish desires, no matter who gets hurt, the only thing homosexuals care about? I mean, gay, straight, sideways, diagonal, convex -- I don't care what your orientation is, if you respond to a scene like this in a manner like that, you've forfeited your claim to the moral high ground in any cultural argument. Ever.

This is truly evil, and those who participate in it truly DO forfeit the moral high ground.  However, it is not moral high ground they want.  Schneeburger made it clear – it is “fulfilling their own selfish desires, no matter who gets hurt.”  That is the goal of liberals of every issue.  And those who would stand in the way of them getting those desires fulfilled are to be silenced at all costs, if you ask them.

Truly, this is an ideological battle, and that makes the Scriptures very relevant today when it says in Ephesians 6:11-13  “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”  We truly are facing a spiritual warfare that reaches to the highest places in government as well as the lowest places of our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?)

Therefore, we who trust in Christ to change our deceitful and wicked hearts should pray that when the spiritual battle comes near, we don’t cave in to the tenacious and subtle approaches of the unbelieving, forfeiting OUR moral high ground and remember that we have been promised the victory (Matthew 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.)  We are on the offensive in this war (for gates are defensive by nature).

With all that in mind, the tenacity of the unbelieving might hold out for a while, but the victory belongs to Christ, and He will prevail.  Therefore, keep up the fight, take the moral high ground, and press on, Brothers and Sisters in Christ!  Fear not.  Victory is just around the corner!