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[lightbox link=”http://davidould.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gay_marriage_81102178_620x350.jpg” thumb=”http://davidould.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gay_marriage_81102178_620x350-290×290.jpg” width=”290″ align=”right” title=”gay_marriage_81102178_620x350″ frame=”true” icon=”image”]The United States of America crafted a gold statue called Aphrodite. They stamped it in their books, discussed it in their universities, and showed it on their screens.
The U.S. sent word to assemble the politicians, pastors, culture-makers, critics, businesspeople, judges, and law enforcers, and all the influencers of the different spheres of culture to attend the dedication of the statue that society had set up.
So the politicians, pastors, culture-makers, critics, businesspeople, judges, law enforcers, and all the influencers of the different spheres of culture assembled for the dedication of the statue.
The news media and courts loudly proclaimed:
“People of every state and region, race and religion, you are commanded: When you see anyone bowing down to Aphrodite – no matter where or when or how or whether or not you agree, you are to clap your hands and celebrate the gold statue that the United States of America has set up. But whoever does not clap their hands and celebrate will immediately be marginalized, cast aside, and silenced.”
Therefore, when all the people saw anyone bowing down to Aphrodite, people of every state and region, race and religion, clapped their hands and celebrated the gold statue that the U.S. had set up.
Some took this occasion to come forward and maliciously accuse the Christians. They said to American citizens:
Long live your country! Our society has issued a decree that everyone who sees anyone bowing down to Aphrodite, must clap their hands and celebrate the gold statue. Whoever does not clap their hands and celebrate will be marginalized, cast aside, and silenced. There are some Christians however, who manage businesses, hospitals, pharmacies, and adoption agencies. They are bakers, photographers, and florists. These people have ignored you, America. They do not serve your gods or celebrate the gold statue you have set up.”
Then in a furious rage the U.S. citizenry gave orders to bring in the offenders. So these people were brought before the cultural gatekeepers. Society asked them:
“Is it true that you don’t serve our gods or celebrate the gold statue we have set up? Now if you’re ready, when you see anyone bowing down to Aphrodite, clap your hands and celebrate the statue we’ve created. But if you don’t celebrate it, you will immediately be marginalized, cast aside, and silenced — and who will be able to rescue you from our penalties and fines?”
The Christians replied to their fellow citizens,
“Beloved countrymen, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. If the God we serve exists, then He can sustain us in the event we are being marginalized, cast aside, and silenced, and He can rescue us from craving approval from the rest of our society. But even if He does not protect us from your penalties and fines, we want you as a society to know that we will not serve your gods or celebrate the gold statue you set up.”
And this is not far fetched or far from the horizon