Go Phil Robertson!

By Cheryl Weldon

I never post anything on a blog.  For one thing I am never on the internet long enough to finish the list of things to do when I finally get to a library or someplace with wi-fi.

        Today however, seems to call for a response.  

     So A&E decides to suspend Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty.  Why are we so suprised?  They are well within their rights to do so.  After all it is their network.

    Now I hope that the future goes well for Duck Dynasty and God continues to bless them.  I have to admit I enjoy their christmas cd and all the shows I have seen on dvd.  Maybe someone else could pick it up or maybe they have done well enough they can market independently.  My family will continue to support them.  

      Are we really suprised this happened?  a&e (no mistake) never said they were a Christian network.  Duck Dynasty promotes a christian lifestyle and some times says it plainly.  There were bound to be issues.  

       Issues.  The real issue is that as a nation we have raised generations of "Christians" who have no morality.  We have tv evangelists who can never keep their pants zipped.  We have pastors and pastors wives who think getting divorced is no big deal as their kids are devastated.  Monogomy.  I am willing to bet the average person does not know the meaning of the word.  

     Issues. Adultery. One of the biggest.  Today there is little differnce between Christians and non Christians and the saddest part of that is seen in marriage.

     Christ gave us marriage between a husband and wife as a picture of the church. Christ is the bride. We,as christians, are the church.  What did christ do for is bride?  He gave up his life for her. HE GAVE UP HIS LIFE FOR HER.  Did you hear me yet? I will say it one more time. He gave up his life for her.  for some reason people go into marriage and think it is no big deal.  When you get married, it is for life.  You are willing to give up your life for your spouse and later for your children.

     Issues.  I will give you issues:  drunkenness, gluttany, murder, child abuse,lying, cheating, laziness, sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, the list could go on and on.

      Issues.  The real issue is that christians want to hold up someonelse's sin so they do not see their own.  The real issue is that most of us christians are living lives in a way so that other people cannot see Christ.  We have the nerve to see sin in someonelse.  God forgive us.

     Phil Robertson never said anything hateful.  Phil Robertson said homosexuality was a sin.  He's right, it is a sin.  It is.  Not because I say so.  Not because Phil said so.  Homosexuality is a sin because God said so.  The Bible says so.  Homosexuality is a sin because God says it is.  He say so plainly in several different places.

     Duck Dynasty isn't perfect but they do not show "Christian perfection."  They show a multi generational family struggling in daily life with decisions of family and business.  Making mistakes and memories to learn from and live by.  I have found it amazing to see the things they forgive each other for.  I wonder if I am so forgiving?

      So how do you respond to a situation like Duck Dynasty and a&e?  are you mad that Phil said it is a sin?  It is. Get over it, or even better go read your bible all the way through. Realize that God saves sinners. He gave up his life for me and I am a sinner saved by Grace.  Praise God that on my worst days I am a sinner saved by the grace of an almighty God.  And  praise God that on my best days I am a sinner saved by the grace of an alimighty God, everlasting father,the prince of peace.  Or are you out there thinking how dare a&e do that to Duck Dynasty, homosexuality is a horrible sin.  Are you going to rant and rave?  People are watching you.  how do you treat others?  how do you treat your pastor, your church, your family?  How did you treat the waitress in the restaraunt when she served you?  How will you respond in long lines in the season of Christ's birth?

    God hates all sin.  All sin is wrong .  The bible also reminds us that no sin is greater than another and ........ Best of all Christ came to seek and to save those who are lost.  That included me when I was 9 years old.  But you can ask my husband and kids and they will tell you that I am still a sinner.  Guess what? So are you.  Thank the Lord that his sacrifice was big enough to cover all of my sin and yours too. 

     Go home and watch Duck Dynasty and then pray for them and me and you because we are not perfect and fail miserably daily.  And yet God in his perfection chose us the imperfect to show and tell of Christ and His salvation for a dying world.

One last note:  I really love how so many episodes of Duck Dynasty show Jase doing something awful to his brother Will and yet at the end of the show instead of a brotherly brawl they have made a family memory.  I want to learn to live like that and to forgive like that.

 So long all y'all.  Merry Christmas!