The issue is children — not 'religious liberty'

Dear Editor,

“For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?” – Mark 8:36.

Each time the fight over traditional marriage comes to the fore, the first thing conservatives act to defend is “Religious Liberty” and “rights of conscience.” This is misguided and ineffective. The correct focus must first be the rights of the child. Children have an absolute right to a mother and father, as provided exclusively within the framework of traditional marriage: one man, united with one woman, in a life-long commitment, for the purpose of procreating and raising children, according to God’s plan. Giving dominance to religious liberty and rights of conscience serves only to place the child’s welfare on a level beneath transient self-centered interests.

Again, “it’s about the child!” Conservatives must repeatedly shout this truth from the mountain tops, making the theme an indelible impression within the minds of our political leaders. This will galvanize public opinion against same-sex “marriage” more than any appeal to religious liberty or rights of conscience.

The protection of children always deserves our first consideration. However, conservative thought has detoured from this principle, the upholding of which ensures society’s continued existence. Rather, conservative leaders have worked to protect the conscience of the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker. Conservatives confuse the argument by attempting to shield personal rights of conscience, rather than protect that which truly matters. In placing individual rights of conscience above of the natural rights of the child, conservatives have surrendered the moral high ground to a cabal of reprobates who champion an indefensible biological pretense.

By failing to make the child the dominant argument, we provide the enemy an opening through which to drive an endless train of absurdities, such that marriage can be redefined by the personal whims of individuals or by state fiat. How ironic, given that God created both church and state – the former to bring God’s revelation to man, the latter to defend the moral order God created. We have forgotten the proper arrangement of things: God’s order trumps whatever man may conceive – including religious liberty. Christ spoke scathingly against those who would corrupt a child: “It were better for him, that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, then that he should scandalize one of these little ones.” – Luke 17:2. Perhaps then, rather than our own rights of conscience, the protection of children is where our focus be best directed?

Which brings me to consider the perverse and intellectually dishonest “Restoration of Marriage Act” – a direct attack on the nuclear family, and against God’s design for the procreation and raising of children.

Rather than taking a hard stand to defend the institution of marriage, and protect the children who come through its union, conservative organizations have chosen to negotiate carve-outs, in a futile attempt to “amend” that which is incorrigible.

They have chosen this course for the sake of protecting religious liberty; but this is the path of cowardice. Religious liberty and rights of conscience are not what Christ called us to defend. We are called to defend GOD’s order, and to stand up for HIS Law – even to the point of imprisonment, torture, and death.

The first Christians willingly faced being devoured by lions in the Colosseum, rather than bend to the demands of the emperor, giving a pinch of incense to honor the Roman “gods.”

Courage in the face of adversity is the model Christians must follow, if we are to win hearts and minds in the battle to restore all things to Christ. Fortitude and perseverance are the virtues we must practice, if we are to return traditional marriage to its rightful place, bring right order to society, and truly preserve the blessings of liberty.

Until we cease compromising with the devil, steel our spines for battle, and speak God’s Truth in charity, we will continue to lose. Our “rights of conscience” will amount to dust in the wind, if we fail to be good stewards of God’s gifts … And what could be more precious a gift than children?

It is for them we must fight, not for ourselves – less we lose our souls.

Bruce Desautels,

Stratton, Nebraska