The Duck Dynasty debacle

I’m going to get serious here for a moment and address something that you may have heard on the news. Unless you live under a rock, even if you have no television, you somehow probably learned about an event surrounding Phil Robertson of the Duck Dynasty clan.

He was asked questions, what some consider controversial questions, and he answered them the only way he knows how. With some down south humor and honesty, with a sprinklin’ of bible mixed in. A down south Christian gumbo of an answer, if you will. And I just did.

Well, those answers weren’t met well from certain groups and they immediately were offended, possibly like some of you may be as I progress in my writing (shhhh, I shouldn’t give that away so early, you may not continue reading).

Well, forget I said that and I’ll move on.

If you haven’t heard the interview, I’m going to share it. Well, I’m going to paraphrase it a little because I don’t actually have permission to share the interview, but I think it will make things crystal clear. Here are some of the top quotes from the article (I’m warning you in advance I will be taking a little bit of artistic license with this):

Phil on the sin of gluttony:

“Guys, look in the mirror, you are hitting the buffets too much – way too much. Your lady doesn’t want your belly hanging out all over the place. Why are these romance novels, and sex books, like that “50 shades of sex” and things like that so popular? Because you men are too darn huge. It’s like the men in the church are all in the Dunlap family. All their bellies dunlapped over their belts. Too much Mickey Ds, too many donuts, it’s even in my family, people are gluttons, too darn big. And the women? It seems like, to me, a little bit of junk in the trunk —as a man—would be more desirable than a gigantic huge saggy badonkadonk. I know Balaam had a fat ass, but ladies, we aren’t talkin’ donkeys here, we’re talking about your derriere. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s too much there! She’s got way too much lumpy lumps back there. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? The women in the church are eating way too much. They are gluttons. But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

Phil on what is sinful:

“Start with gluttony, it’s one of the big 7, and just morph out from there”, he says. Then he paraphrases Proverbs 23:201-2: “Don’t hang out with those that eat too much, for gluttons like them become poor and Proverbs 28:7: He who keeps the law is a discerning son, but someone who hangs out with gluttons disgraces his daddy and Proverbs 23:2: Slit your own throat if you are a glutton and Philippians 3:19: Their god is their big ole belly and they glory in shame and Deuteronomy 21:20: Here’s my stubborn son, he doesn’t obey, he’s a glutton and Galatians 6:7-8: God won’t be mocked, you reap what you sow, if you sow to your flesh and are a glutton, you’re gonna reap corruption and Matthew 4:4: It’s written, man shall not live by bread alone and Hebrews 12:16 look here man, no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, not even the homosexuals, cause he sold his birthright for a single meal, that boy was a glutton, had to eat all the time and Ezekial 16:49-50 This was what Sodom was guilty of, she and her daughters were prideful and had too much food, see, man, they were gluttons, and they overate and didn’t give some to the poor and needy. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

Phil on letting God do the judging:

“We never, ever judge someone on who’s going to heaven, hell. That’s the Almighty’s job. We just love ’em, give ’em the good news about Jesus—whether they’re huge lard filled gluttons, gossipers, didn’t get water baptized, liars, swindlers, drunks, don’t have love for one another, unforgiving, terrorists, hateful towards their brothers. We let God sort ’em out later, you see what I’m saying?”
Well, as you can see, the interview was really no big deal, maybe a little crass, but it was all biblical truth. He was simply saying what’s in the bible. But that didn’t sit well with certain groups.
 Immediately A&E the television station that his show Duck Dynasty is shown on received calls, hate mail, angry e-mails, etc. Different groups were upset that he shamed their body image. They called him a fat shamer among many other things and A&E couldn’t just sit idly by and take the chance of losing advertisers.

A&E issued the following response:

"We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty. His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the overweight or obese community."

In response to that there was backlash from Christians and non Christians alike sharing things like the following actual quotes:

"Yes, I am a Christian. I believe the Bible. I do not support gluttons or “gluttonous marriages.” Yes, I still love you. Yes, we are still friends. No, I am not judging you. No, I am not condemning you to hell. No, I will not let anyone bully you. But realize that name-calling and stereotyping those of us who stand for what we believe is exactly what you don’t want don’t to you. We have a right to speak what we believe, same as you have a right to speak what you believe."

"Yeehaw. I don’t agree with gluttony and no liberal is gonna change my mind"

"Just a little overboard for my taste…love all my fat friends & my thin ones too. But Dammit!!!! Can’t we all just get along without y’all shoving all ur liberal bs down out throats! #speakup #standout #merica "

"God created Adam and Eve not Dan and Roseanne"

"Amen. The Bible has bee stated here an its true an no we are not to judge. That's for God to do. But we have the right to our beliefs an the Bible an God. No wrong by the word of God. I hope this will pass an you will be back on if not there loss. A&E I mean. Its not like you said A&E dislikes Fat people or anything like that it was just your belief as it is for a lot of us in Jesus name Amen. Phil Robertson an your family to for standing by your roots an God."

"I just want to know, why is it as Christians, if we say anything or speak our true feelings or beliefs, we're haters, not politically correct, etc.. Personally, I believe men and women should be thin too. But that's MY belief. I have friends that are fat too. That's THEIR choice. My issue is all have the same right to speak their mind and have their beliefs. He was asked a question, he gave his opinion and that's his right as a American. If you're feelings got hurt, get over it. If it was a fat person that had said something about thin people I bet AE would've never have looked at it at all. Let alone kicked that person off a show. Why does a overweight or obese group have power over a one mans belief. Better yet, why does this one mans belief have so much power over that group to want him gone!"

So as you can see many people are upset and they came out in droves to support Phil Robertson, it’s still going on, signatures on petitions, boycotts, it’s all over.

You can’t miss it.

To continue, let’s be honest for a minute. The real reason there is controversy and there is so much support is one very simple reason.

Homosexuality.

If the interview was as I wrote and Phil was suspended from the show, I don’t think very many Christians or non Christians would be in such an uproar. Be real for a minute and take a moment to think about that.

I know that some while reading this will accuse me of being soft on sin or something because I’m not vilifying homosexuals or homosexuality. Well, let me finish and explain.
Homosexuality isn’t some magical sin, there are many false teachers that share toxic sermons equating homosexuality to some type of sin that is beyond any other sin, but it is not true. If we are going to look at the mentioning of sins in the bible, there are many sins spoken of more in the bible than the comments translated as homosexuality, such as the aforementioned gluttony. If you want to address this topic, fine, but if we are going to go on witch hunts again (look up what the church did to those they suspected of being a witch) then let us be equal opportunity witch hunters and go after ALL the sins.

Was GLAAD or the other groups right in what they did? Not really. Was A&E right in what they did? Not really. Are Christians right in their response? Not really. That’s my opinion but I’m supporting my opinion on something I am about to share. Do all have the freedom to react to this in their own way? Absolutely. But here’s the million dollar question:

What would Jesus do?

When we are facing backlash for our beliefs if we then lash out and are behaving EXACTLY like the ones coming after us for our beliefs, do you really think that is Christ-like? I thought Jesus acted different than the world. Offered a peace, understanding, patience, empathy. Do you remember what happened when Jesus saw the multitude?

He was moved with hate.

No!

He was moved with COMPASSION.

Homosexuals aren’t some kind of unclean, stone them, ewww gross, stay away, don’t go near you’ll get cooties type of people. They are just people. Hurt people. Lonely people. Disenfranchised feeling people. People looking for love and security. Sort of like you. You may of drowned your sorrows, in fact, in over eating, or in alcohol, or TV or movie watching, or material things, women, drugs, the list goes on and on. It's quite probable that you still do. Well, that’s who you’re dealing with, normal damaged from this messed up world people.

Homosexuals were in fact “persecuted” in this country and in many countries. You can’t argue that. They to this day are bullied and mocked and made fun of. It’s not fun for them. I used to have a different outlook due to some toxic teaching, the same teachings that have poisoned most in the modern church. I used to see them as just a "sin" and I didn't see the person. I said some things that I regret and am ashamed of to those who I felt were caught up in a vicious cycle of bondage, when I was the one in bondage, in bondage to hate.
They have what looks like power now. What do they say about children of abusers? They end up abusing. You getting it yet? The church may not have the full responsibility for their abuse, but the church has done a lot of the abuse, and still do. Also, the church hasn’t stood up to stop much of the abuse from outside the church.

I don’t think my little post will change people hearts or minds. Only God through His Holy Spirit can do that. But when you get off of this “love the sinner, hate the sin” nonsense which you can read my thoughts about here, http://theocentricmusings.blogspot.com/2013/08/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it_26.html, you finally stop seeing people as a bunch of red check marks and you see them with, what’s that emotion that moved Jesus, compassion.

The church for so long has told people, clean up your act and then come to God. That is NOT biblical. And who is defining what is clean and not clean is? Conveniently it's people that seem to see the sins in others, but see themselves as white washed. Jesus brought people to God as dirty as can be and He makes them white as snow. I don’t know many homosexuals that are completely comfortable going to church. The church has spoken like it’s so easy. Just stop being gay. Even those that now claim to be heterosexual will tell you it’s not that simple. If they give in to their true feelings, feelings many were born with, do you know the backlash they would get in their congregations? If an alcoholic has a relapse the church would band together to help them. If a homosexual has a same sex encounter, they’d be kicked to the curb, judged, gossiped about and hurt. Hurt once again by a group that’s supposed to be known by their love.

Like I said, I don’t think this will change anyone’s mind. People have a lifetime of biases clogging up those brain waves. But I hope you’ll think about this. I also hope if you do encounter a homosexual person, and I hate that I’ve been having to “label” a person, but I hope you see them as a person. Let God deal with any issues they have. You will not stay the same after an encounter with Jesus. Trust the Holy Spirit to do work. You cannot change a heart, anyone’s heart. It’s impossible. Only God can. But you can break people’s hearts and the church has done too good of a job at breaking people’s hearts. That’s why many refuse to enter a church ever again or even talk to Jesus, because His “followers” have misrepresented Him to such a high degree.

I hope you respect what I wrote, I respect your opinions. You don’t have to agree, you don’t have to like what I said, just think about it. Shalom.