Have you heard the latest about what causes autism? Apparently there is a high-ranking woman Republican down in Texas (I can't remember her name) who is going around saying that autism and tornadoes are God's punishment on the United States for embracing gay rights. Honestly. I am beginning to think that people like her are God's punishment on the Republican party for embracing stupidity rather than reason.
Actually, her "logic" makes a certain kind of sense if one is willing to do all the mental contortions necessary to understand it. The Bible is very clear in several different places that God is in control of the weather (as she claims) and can send destructive storms at will. The Bible is also clear that diseases and other conditions are caused by sin, or to show God's power, or because people disrespected the communion table. Satan also plays a starring role, especially when it comes to mental conditions. This is the mindset that this woman is coming from. It's frightening. It ignores all of modern science and seeks to bring us back to the Dark Ages, and the scariest part of it all is that she is not some crank standing on a street corner. She is in a position of influence. It's really not a laughing matter at all.
Let's just say for the sake of argument that her position is true and that every one of us here is on the spectrum because of gay marriage (I'm not sure where the tornadoes come in). Let's see, I am nearly 60 which means I was born LONG before gays came out of the closet in any number. So does God inflict these punishments on people in advance? That a child born in the 1950's is autistic because of a cause that did not exist then? What kind of God is that anyway? And why isn't this God specifically targeting gays and leaving the rest of us alone if this is such a big issue? Why drag the innocent into it?
Because this is a way of bringing everyone to our knees so that we will recognize His true sovereignty over our lives. The God these people worship practices a form of divine terrorism. It's for our own good. At least Al Qaida didn't go that far when claiming responsibility for its acts of terrorism.
The saddest thing of all is that if I went to my Evangelical friends and acquaintances and said, look here, she is speaking this rot in YOUR name, they would probably not even know who she was or if they did they would not understand why I was making such a fuss about it. Just like they didn't understand when I pointed out that religious exemption for bullying was not giving conservative Christians a good name. They think that they are immune to being judged by the words and actions of a few cranks. They are so wrong! Their silence makes it possible for said cranks to flourish.
This woman makes me cringe, as a pro-lifer, a woman and a conservative.
Actually, her "logic" makes a certain kind of sense if one is willing to do all the mental contortions necessary to understand it. The Bible is very clear in several different places that God is in control of the weather (as she claims) and can send destructive storms at will. The Bible is also clear that diseases and other conditions are caused by sin, or to show God's power, or because people disrespected the communion table. Satan also plays a starring role, especially when it comes to mental conditions. This is the mindset that this woman is coming from. It's frightening. It ignores all of modern science and seeks to bring us back to the Dark Ages, and the scariest part of it all is that she is not some crank standing on a street corner. She is in a position of influence. It's really not a laughing matter at all.
Let's just say for the sake of argument that her position is true and that every one of us here is on the spectrum because of gay marriage (I'm not sure where the tornadoes come in). Let's see, I am nearly 60 which means I was born LONG before gays came out of the closet in any number. So does God inflict these punishments on people in advance? That a child born in the 1950's is autistic because of a cause that did not exist then? What kind of God is that anyway? And why isn't this God specifically targeting gays and leaving the rest of us alone if this is such a big issue? Why drag the innocent into it?
Because this is a way of bringing everyone to our knees so that we will recognize His true sovereignty over our lives. The God these people worship practices a form of divine terrorism. It's for our own good. At least Al Qaida didn't go that far when claiming responsibility for its acts of terrorism.
The saddest thing of all is that if I went to my Evangelical friends and acquaintances and said, look here, she is speaking this rot in YOUR name, they would probably not even know who she was or if they did they would not understand why I was making such a fuss about it. Just like they didn't understand when I pointed out that religious exemption for bullying was not giving conservative Christians a good name. They think that they are immune to being judged by the words and actions of a few cranks. They are so wrong! Their silence makes it possible for said cranks to flourish.
This woman makes me cringe, as a pro-lifer, a woman and a conservative.
