Christians Should Take Control (Book Notes: Civil Wars: A Battle for Gay Marriage)

Many in the Christian Right argue that Christians should be the ones to control society - not just politics, but all of the culture. Few of those who believe this, though, are willing to admit it openly. Most seem to realize how offensive and bigoted this is, but there are those who just don't get it.

In Civil Wars: A Battle for Gay Marriage, David Moats writes about the legislative debate in Vermont over the creation of civil unions instead of gay marriage:

[Nancy] Sheltra [Republican House member from Derby said] “I think it’s time to turn Vermont around,” she told the crowd. “Claim Vermont for godly purposes... One hundred years ago, the Christian community, the moral people, they were the ones that controlled the media, controlled the government, and they controlled the schools. Hey, we were a great nation then, folks, weren’t we? What’s happening now?”

Let’s see, one hundred years ago women couldn’t vote, the law kept most minorities from being equal with whites, and there were far fewer protections for basic liberties like free speech. Today, women can vote, minorities are guaranteed by law to have equal rights and opportunities, and protections for basic liberties may be at one of their highest points ever. Why does Nancy Sheltra hate America by saying that we aren’t a “great nation” now?

Well, it only seems to be the case that America isn’t “great” if we assume that unless conservative Christians control everything, set the rules, and are privileged over all other religions, then there is something wrong. What’s happening now? Well, what’s happening now is the same thing that’s been happening for the past hundred years: groups which have traditionally been privileged are losing their privileges. Men have been losing their privileges over women. Whites have been losing their privileges over other races. Christians have been losing their privileges over other religions.

People like Nancy Sheltra don’t approve of such developments — that’s why they want the “Christian community” to control everything. That’s why they think that only the “Christian community” and no other community (not atheists, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, or anyone else) can be “moral people.” When uppity minorities demand equal rights, those in charge always like to say that this would undermine the will of God for society. For some reason, God always seems to be on the side of those who have power and privilege while those who want equality are guilty of various sins.

 

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