The Fayette Citizen-Religion Page
Wednesday, October 7, 1998
Intolerance, in the

name of tolerance

Religion Columnist

The Rev.

Chuck Griffith

Call me intolerant, but I am tired of Bible-believing Christians being the only group not tolerated.

I hope the following quote shocks you as much as it did me. It is from an interview with Attorney General Janet Reno on 60 Minutes, June 26, 1994.

"A cultist is one who has a strong belief in the Bible and the Second Coming of Christ; who frequently attends Bible studies; who has a high level of financial giving to a Christian cause; who home schools their children; who has a strong belief in the Second Amendment; and who distrust big government. Any of these may qualify (a person as a cultist) but certainly more than one (of these) would cause us to look at this person as a threat, and his family as being in a risk situation that qualified for government interference."

According to this statement, the only way to avoid being looked at as a threat by the government is to be an ungodly liberal Democrat who bows to the whims of the present administration. Now that I have got that off my chest, let us look at this statement closely.

First, it sounds like an effort to intimidate Bible-believing Christians. Was she saying that if you practice any one (or more) of these things the government sees you as a threat and may have to come in and take your children from you? It seems to me that generally Christians are the most loving family-oriented people in our society.

Second, what constitutes the "risk" factor that she thinks the government would need to protect a Christian's family from? Is it a strong belief in the Bible as an absolute standard rather than the philosophy of humanism and hedonism?

Is it a belief that Jesus Christ, the one who has transformed people's lives throughout history, is going to return and judge both believers and unbelievers, rather than believing that politicians are going to create Utopia?

Is it the practice of faithfully attending church and Bible study instead of spending time in bars and brothels (or making one's own house resemble them)?

Is it a Christian's tithing to his local church to help make a difference in the community, rather than supporting liberal political agendas (what does she expect we are not talking about Buddhist monks here).

Is it the idea that parents would want the age-old option of personally directing the education of their children rather than completely forfeiting that right? Is it a person exercising his constitutional right to bear arms rather than infringing upon that right for all?

Is it a person not trusting in a government that has as its main aim amassing, increasing and perpetuating power rather than completely trusting such government to take care of them in every way possible?

Many of the media and political elite in our society promote the greatest virtue as tolerance and the greatest sin as intolerance. Attorney General Janet Reno demonstrated she was no different as she made her statements about what she would consider those "intolerant Bible-believing Christians." The irony is that her comments sound more intolerant than those of any Christian I know.

Well, if you do not see my column next week you will know that they determined I was an intolerant "threat" and they had to take me away to protect my family and society.

Back to the Top of the PageBack to the Religion Home Page