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Preacher, keep your mouth shut

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As our culture continues to push and strive toward a completely secular lifestyle with no restraints or rules, the people of Japan are quickly turning from secular thinking to spiritual. When disaster strikes we hunt for the address of the church, or the phone number of the local pastor. Until that time comes, however, we want the church and all its old fogey ideas to stay the heck out of our lives and let us make our own decisions as to what we will do, where we will go, and what we will ingest into our bodies. The thinking of what happens in Las Vegas (known as sin city), stays in Las Vegas has made its way into mainstream thinking today and is certainly alive and well in Georgia.

This week, I listened to the debate on the Senate floor before the vote on the bill that calls for local communities to hold elections for the selling of alcohol during specific times on Sunday. Georgia is pretty much a wet state allowing for alcohol sales to be licensed by the state and regulated by their laws. More than that however, Georgia is also pretty much a state that is known for being liberal on social issues. I was enlightened as I listened to our senators confess about their childhood, their personal drinking habits, their involvement in church and community issues, and their concern that the citizens of this great state need to be allowed to make their personal choice to buy booze when and where they want to purchase it.

The Pontius Pilate syndrome kicked in with some of the senators who personally oppose alcohol anywhere, anytime (so they said), but “the people must be allowed to decide.” “Local control” was the clear message from the lips of those who announced their opposition to alcohol, but they supported and voted for Sunday sales. So, local control trumps everything else and is the basis of all their decisions, is the message that rang forth from the hallowed halls of the Gold Dome from the senate chamber.

The goal seems, to this writer, to be that one day in the future, alcohol purchases can be made 24/7, 365 days a year at every outlet possible. Knowing that ultimate goal is not yet reachable, those who advocate for local control and choice cry out to be able to make their personal decision about when and where they will purchase alcohol. All the upstanding professional business types joined in the chorus to further push our state into a fully secular society with their endorsement of this matter. The smug arrogant attitude of those who advocate for this further slide down into the secular quagmire, is applauded by the willing media who try to give the impression that they are just reporting the news rather than helping to promote the issue.

Facts, with much documented evidence from public knowledge about the negative impact that alcohol has upon individuals and society, never seem to get in the way of those who have their minds set on this issue. There is no reasoning or reasonable argument that is ever allowed to be used in the debate. When any would dare to stand in opposition, threats and name calling spew from the advocates for the drug of alcohol to be made available to any and all who want it any time they want it.

Georgia is already a wet state and a secular society; don’t plan to get in the way of that train as it whistles down the track to cover this state in booze. “Preachers and church folks, when the train wrecks we will call you, but until then just stand over to the side and keep your mouth shut,” is the message we have received loud and clear.

Ray Newman All Rights Reserved

Comments

  1. Bryan NowakMarch 18, 2011 at 5:57 PM

    Ray... I applaud you for being the voice of conservative Christianity under the gold dome -- whether you opinions are welcomed or not. Keep sharing Biblical values with the secular minded.

    ReplyDelete

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