Kendra Thomas’ children are unable to greet the speaker of the Tennessee house of representatives Dec. 19, but chat with her official, Hayden Pendergrass on Interposition Day in Nashville. Homeschoolers were among the 200 people who thronged the assembly to promote marriage by the doctrine of interposition of the lesser magistrate.
An overflow crowd listens to debate over a pro-marriage bill facing a hostile House subcommittee in Nashville on Dec. 20. (Photo Facebook)
By Matt Trewhella
Watching a nation burn itself to the ground is a hard thing. Watching the cowardice of men while it is happening is even harder.
I always tell people that – “If you give politicians something less to do than what is needed and necessary – they’ll take it every time.” Such was the case in Tennessee.
David Fowler, Christian activist and attorney, believes in appeals to judges to overturn Obergefell’s gay opinion.
The largest pro-family group in the state, Family Action Council of Tennessee (FACT), put all its time, energy and money into defeating the bill of interposition introduced by Rep. Mark Pody – a bill that would have interposed against the lawless Obergefell opinion by SCOTUS. The bill had 22 co-sponsors.
FACT stated it planned to bring a lawsuit to oppose the Obergefell decision. It stated that if the bill of interposition passed it would ruin what organizers were planning to accomplish through the lawsuit. The Republican legislators — or more properly stated the GOP leadership — loved what FACT was saying in opposition to the bill and had the bill killed on Wednesday, Jan. 20, in the Republican-controlled committee before it could ever come before the full legislature.
Pointless lawsuit
The lawsuit is actually a bad idea as it has virtually no chance of success in the courts – as the courts have been the agents to promote the homosexual agenda nationwide. But more importantly, the lawsuit allows the evil of homosexual marriage to seep down into every fabric of Tennessee society, culture, law, and policy during the time it is being adjudicated.
This is why the homosexuals who gathered at the hearing on the bill of interposition were all nodding their heads in agreement with the leader of FACT while he spoke against the bill and lauded FACT’s proposed lawsuit. It was a telling sight watching the leader of a statewide organization that exists to defend marriage speak against a bill that would defend marriage – and watch all the homosexuals love what he was saying. They too understood that this would give time to “normalize” the perversion of homosex marriage in the culture.
But this is what has become to be known as the status quo. The status quo is the cozy arrangement the statewide pro-family/pro-life organizations and the GOP have created for themselves across America. They cover each others’ backs and legitimize each others’ existence. It is a cabal that needs to be broken.
Convenience of minimalism
One thing the organizations do is conveniently provide that something less than what is needed and necessary for the GOP politicians so that they quell any outburst from their constituents who might think their action – well – is far less than what is needed.
The cowardice was rank as they spoke about how people might be harmed by the federal government if they resisted – loss of jobs; seizure of property, maybe even jail. It is amazing how we love to extol the virtues of those who went before us – sacrificing so that we could enjoy liberty, good law, and sound government. But we ourselves are not willing to sacrifice. We are stingy sots holding on to our goods and ease.
As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn stated regarding the cowardice of his countrymen: “Every man always has handy a dozen glib little reasons why he is right not to sacrifice himself.”
The faithful preacher from the last generation – Leonard Ravenhill – put it this way:
Preachers make pulpits famous; prophets make prisons famous. The preacher will be heralded; the prophet hounded. We love the old saints, missionaries, martyrs, reformers: our Luthers, Bunyans, Wesleys, Asburys, etc. We will write their biographies, reverence their memories, frame their epitaphs, and build their monuments. We will do anything except imitate them. We cherish the last drop of their blood, but watch carefully the first drop of our own!
Material comforts keep status quo
Americans indifference to injustice and immorality in their nation is rooted in their love for materialism and ease.
Why do men not want to sacrifice? Why do men always go for less than what is needed and necessary? Because there are little white balls to hit; there are beaches to sit on; there are lattes and martinis to be sipped.
Americans and Christians will one day realize that they do not have the convenience of behaving indifferently to the unjust and immoral actions of their government.
Pastor Samuel Davies thundered over 200 years ago:
“Let our country, let religion, liberty and property, and all be lost, yet still they have their diversions. Luxury spreads her feast and unmans her effeminate guests.”
May the Lord teach us otherwise. May the Lord teach us faithfulness.
In closing – though some would like to kick us off the field (and we may have at times thought of walking off the field) – we do have more to come in Tennessee. Please continue to pray and act for the effort there.
Matt Trewhella, author of Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate, speaks around the U.S. on this powerful biblical concept and writes at Lessermagistrate.com.
I realize how abortion has become a ping pong ball over the past 40 years or so. For me this whole HB1412 issue has been a huge political lesson in controlled opposition.
If razor sharp analysis and eloquence alone could win the fight I believe Brother Matt could do it single handed! I am thinking about swapping my identity as a Baptist and becoming a “Trewhellaite!” Matt for President!!