Nothing Like a Good Old Fashion Book Burning: The Double Standard In The Culture

Since the announcement of Governor Sarah Palin as Senator John McCain's running mate for the Vice-Presidency, there has been a lot of hoopla over the question of whether or not she tried to ban certain books at the library in her hometown when serving as mayor. I am not interested in looking at that issue here, but what is interesting is how much "controversy" and media time and effort has been looked into the situation.

Regardless of whether or not it is true, the media continues to drive the story. Interesting enough, one library really is banning books and our culture, especially the media, couldn't care less. Why? Because the school system has banned books that teach a Christian worldview on the issue of homosexuality because gays might feel "inferior."

And the media yawns.

This double standard is getting out of control. In response to the schools decision to ban the books, Christian groups such as Focus on the Family and others are doing everything they can to get the books back on the shelves in an effort called "True Tolerance." So far, they have not been successful, but they continue the fight.

In a culture of "I have the right not to be offended," we have come to expect such actions to the Christian worldview. I find the double standard appalling. It is ok to offend Christians but not homosexuals. That is hypocrisy and our culture knows it, they just don't care. Our culture's cry to tolerance and fairness has nothing to do with tolerance and fairness. It has everything to do with liberation from traditional morality.

Such actions are nothing less than the silencing of free speech. Democracy cannot thrive on such actions and limited voices. Without the freedom of speech we have no freedom. Democracy cannot thrive on such oppression. But then again, secularism doesn't want freedom and democracy. It wants control and power. Secularism cannot thrive with freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Therefore, those who disagree with their ideologies must be controlled and limited. Sounds like the sort of thing Hitler did.

One more interesting point about this double standard. Christians are oftentimes ridiculed for their book burnings in the past. For the most part, the Church has neglected such practices. Isn't it interesting that now, the "tole rent," and the "open-minded," are now committing the same crimes. When will it be that people call them out on this double standard? Probably never, but that's why they have the media and the cultural elites on their side.

This double standard is more than just hypocrisy, it is an investment into the murder of freedom and the establishment of secularism. Secularism is not about freedom, but about control. As Christians we should not be surprised by such antics. The Bible is clear that the world hates us. They hate us, however, because they first hated Christ. So what we face everyday in our culture is nothing compared to what He faced in His. Like Christ, we must expect such bigotry and rise above it. Our faith is the strongest whenever the world begins to hate us more.