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No Time to Call Fowl

I went to the GQ magazine online and read the interview that has stirred up bloggers, news outlets and social media. You can read the Phil Robertson interview in GD Magazine here. My takeaway from the article is that Phil Robertson is Phil Robertson. He, just like millions of other people, had his life changed by Jesus. Phil now seeks ways to share Jesus with others. The quotes from the GQ article should be viewed in that light. Phil is not stating anything new, making some major theological statement nor do I think he is connecting homosexuality to bestiality.
The reaction to all of this has been, in my opinion, immature.
·         Some Christians are calling on other Christians to “stand by Phil” via social media. Perhaps we should all “stand by Phil” via social media while standing in line at Chick-fil-A. Maybe Phil might take a cue from Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy and invite a member of the LGBT community to a sit down meal at the Robertson’s home.

·         A&E totally over reacted. Phil was being Phil. They knew who Phil was and what he is about. They knew that he was a Jesus follower, read his Bible and closed his prayers in Jesus name. The only thing new here is that the carefully edited and scripted “Duck Dynasty” Phil went off script.

·         The LGBT community could have simply said – “We disagree”. Instead they desire to paint Phil as a stereotypical Christian-Bible-Believer who is homophobic, closed minded and simply hates people who don’t share his beliefs.

No Time to Cry Fowl

It seems that some Christians would like to view this entire tussle over Phil’s statement as a form of persecution. Phil called sin a sin. Since when have we humans reacted positively to being told – you’re wrong? Before we rush to decry our more-victimized-than-thou status perhaps we might recall 2 Peter 3:14 “So then dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” This is a passage not addressed to those outside the church but inside. All we can control is our reaction. What if as Christians we react in a way that shows grace and peace? I have never meet Phil Robertson. Yet, if he is anything like I have seen in the media than I think he would simply say to all of this – Happy, Happy, Happy - and go about lovingly serving others in the name of Jesus.

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