Jesus pondering what Mr. DeBlasio thinks about Christian Doctrine
Now that coronavirus is our regular life now, and the shock of staying inside and the anxiety about death shines with the lustrous boredom of normality. There’s plenty of time to worry about more important things. As the apocalypse wends its weary way along, here are three things for your Thursday.
The First Thing
Well how about that, Samaritan’s Purse is setting up a tent hospital in Central Park and Bill DeBlasio is super anxious:
Hizzoner told the New York Post that he found it “very troubling” when he heard that Samaritan’s Purse would open a pop-up hospital in the park to help during the coronavirus crisis. de Blasio views the charity with suspicion because its president and CEO, Franklin Graham, has championed the Bible’s stance on sexuality.
“I said immediately to my team that we had to find out exactly what was happening,” de Blasio told the Post. It seems he was concerned that Samaritan’s Purse would “discriminate” against those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). “Was there going to be an approach that was truly consistent with the values and the laws in New York City, that everyone would be served and served equally?”
So, all politics aside (I know, I know, that is absolutely impossible) Christians on all sides have lots of thoughts and feelz about Franklin Graham etc etc., but it is very telling that ordinary New Yorkers don’t even know what Christian theology around sexuality even is.
The first rule in good communication is always, to the best of your ability, to say the position of the other person as fairly and clearly as possible—so that they themselves would have to agree with what you have said. If you can’t do that (and no one can) you can’t have “real” discourse. If anyone would engage in the public realm, he ought to take up his intelligence and do his best to fairly represent his opponent.
But here, apparently, Mr. DeBlasio is anxious that as sick people are rolled up to the entrance of a tent, the medical professionals there abiding will stop everything to determine the sexual proclivities and identities of the infirm. Tragically, for many, this is the most important information that can be known about anyone, more important than the functioning of their lungs, the progress of the disease through their mortal frames, or what other kinds of medications they might be taking. A great confusion is rising up like a mist. Oh no! If it’s just about saving my life, and not about my sexual identity, should I even bother to live?
So, I just wanna ‘splain something. Having a “traditional view of human sexuality” does not constitute “hatred” or “bigotry.” What we are actually disagreeing about is the nature of love. Christians who affirm traditional marriage actually do love people—all people—and they do not want those people to be destroyed either in this world or the next. They think that it is God who determines good, and not we ourselves. God designed the body, he created it to house a peculiar and precious soul, God loves and cares for it, and because it is his, he knows best how it should be used, and, when the body and soul trusts in him, he makes it his own home. So anyway, sexuality is the least interesting identifying factor, in terms of humanity, and while it does factor in, and isn’t by any means nothing, it is also absolutely not everything.
Samaritan’s Purse is not going to ask people about this when they are rolled in through the door. They are not going to “discriminate.” Just like, if you were to walk into a church, and sit down in a pew, you would be welcome to do that, and people would great you and be interested in you and kind to you no matter who you are. And because Christians love people, the people in that church would tell you about Jesus and how much loves you and how he died for your sins and invite you to believe and trust in him. That’s how it’s supposed to work. Doesn’t always, of course, because Christians are sinners themselves who need Jesus, but very often it does.
So Don’t Worry, Mr. DeBlasio—your defining characteristic, being mayor of NYC, and confused about many things—in no way prevents me from praying for you and asking God to do good things for you.
The Second Thing
Gosh, speaking of prayer, I am going to pray for this poor person. I cannot imagine trying to live this down:
The driver and his dog were not seriously injured, but the truck did catch fire, burning thousands of toilet paper rolls along with it. All lanes of I-20 westbound were closed while crews cleaned up and towed the truck away. The loss of the toilet paper comes at a time when the bath tissue is hard to come by, because people are stocking up on it during the coronavirus pandemic.
That’s the best understatement of all time. The loss of toilet paper really is a tragedy. Of all the anxieties swirling at the moment, this is the one that occupies my mind the most. Someone like Samaritan’s Purse or My Pillow should set up a tent factory to produce this—for Jesus–I’m serious, I was praying, and I received a word.*
The Third Thing
As you know, I am constantly going on an on about the Great Litany and how great it is. Well, The Amateur Anglican has very helpfully put it on his blog. You should check it out, and also his podcast about the catechism. Very thoughtful and helpful. I say this, of course, because if you are anxious, the best thing you can do is pray. Praying is such a useful activity, not tried enough by any of us. I’m going to do it today as a little treat for myself, besides just cleaning my house again, because, since we can never leave, it is always a wreck.
Well, that’s all for today! You Stay Classy America!
*HAHAHAHAHAHA (April fool’s for everyone)
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