MATERS OF THE HEARTH
(Threats Against The Family)
In primitive times the patriarch and his clan would gather
around a camp fire to cook, eat and discuss issues of the day.
The warmth of the fire also provided security for the
members of the family. The glow of the fire no doubt kept
wolves and predators at bay through out the long cold night.
The camp fire of the nomadic family would be replaced by
the hearth, or fireplace. The family dinner table would also
serve as the focal point for family gatherings.
I believe the hearth or focal point for the family should be
God. It is our relationship with Christ and each other that
make a true family and matters of the hearth deal with this
relationship.
The hearth and dinner table seem to be relics of the past in
contemporary society. It seem most families only come
together now when there is a death or emergency.
We have an emergency situation. The wolves and predators
are still out there and we no longer have the fire to keep
them at bay. Serious threats face every family today. I just
want to cover five threats that we must understand if we are
to survive.
Ever wonder why the American Family Association and this
Church encourage you to boycott McDonald’s? Is it because
we hate homosexuals? No. One of my own sons is a
homosexual and I love him and his partner. Is it because we
want to control what two consenting adults do in the privacy
of their own home? No. This is a free country and I have
better things to be concerned about than someone’s sexual
preference. I do have an obligation to preach against sin and
offer the hope of the gospel to all who will repent and be
baptized in Jesus name so that might receive the promise of
eternal life with Christ. The number one reason we boycott
McDonalds is because of their steadfast support of the
homosexual agenda.
The first of our five threats against the family unit is the Gay
Agenda.
I. THE GAY AGENDA: Otherwise known as the “Gay
Liberation Movement” can be traced to London, England in
1971 where a group of homosexuals organized under the
name of “The Gay Liberation Front.” Their manifesto, which
was later revised in 1978, clearly reveals they consider the
family to be their greatest enemy. Consequently, their
ultimate aim is to abolish the family unit as the basic unit of
society. As proof of this, I offer the following quotes taken
from this manifesto.
A. The oppression of gay people starts in the most basic
unit of society, the family. consisting of the man in charge, a
slave as his wife, and their children on whom they force
themselves as the ideal models. The very form of the family
works against homosexuality.
B. Freedom for gay people will never be permanently won
until everyone is freed from sexist role-playing and the
straightjacket of sexist rules about our sexuality. And we will
not be freed from these so long as each succeeding
generation is brought up in the same old sexist way in the
Patriarchal family.
C. The long-term goal of Gay Liberation, which inevitably
brings us into conflict with the institutionalized sexism of
this society, is to rid society of the gender-role system which
is at the root of our oppression.
D. One might expect gays to be for the institution of
marriage since they are actively seeking to get marriage for
homosexuals legalized. However, according to their
manifesto they are against the institution of marriage.
We do not deny that it is as possible for gay couples as for
some straight couples to live happily and constructively
together. We question however as an ideal, the finding and
settling down eternally with one 'right' partner.
E. Aim of the Gay Agenda: Although this struggle will be
hard, and our victories not easily won, we are not in fact
being idealistic to aim at abolishing the family and the
cultural distinctions between men and women. True, these
have been with us throughout history, yet humanity is at last
in a position where we can progress beyond this.
II. COMMUNISM: Communism is not dead. In fact, the
homosexual agenda seems to have borrowed heavily from
the Marxist playbook. According to Congressional Records
dated January 10th, 1963, Communists have forty-five goals.
Among them:
40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage
promiscuity and easy divorce.
41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the
negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental
blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of
parents.
State run schools indoctrinated children in the tenets of
Marxism and discouraged family unity and religion.
III. FEMINISM: The feminist movement while claiming
to represent woman’s rights basically have the same agenda
as the Communists and Homosexuals. Just notice how well
Sara Palan is being received by the feminist movement. The
real litmus test of feminism is anti family and pro abortion.
A. Feminist author Vivian Gornick made the
observation that, 'Being a housewife is an illegitimate
profession... The choice to serve and be protected and plan
towards being a family maker is a choice that shouldn't be.
The heart of radical feminism is to change that.'
B. Linda Gordon, a radical feminist writer, attempted to
rally her sisters by announcing, 'The nuclear family must
be destroyed, and people must find better ways of living
together.
C. MaryJo Bane, a professor of education at Wesley
College made the statement that, 'In order to raise children
with equality, we must take them away from families and
communally raise them.
IV. MISINFORMATION Another way of saying lies.
A. Lester Velie, a noted author and researcher, says the
real danger confronting the family is believing the myth that
the family unit is vanishing.
B. Myths have a great power for mischief. Hitler used
the myth of the “master race” to power his war against the
west. Similarly, the myth of the vanishing family is used to
power the war against the family.
C. The family is here to stay. Why do I believe that?
(1) The family is instituted by God.
Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father
and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain
shall be one flesh
Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put
asunder.
(2) Let no man put asunder.
(3) Gill Commentary
The sense is, that the bond of marriage being made by God
himself, is so sacred and inviolable, as that it ought not to be
dissolved by any man; not by the husband himself, or any
other for him; nor by any state or government, by any prince
or potentate, by any legislator whatever; no, not by Moses
himself, who is, at least, included, if not chiefly designed
here, though not named, to avoid offence: and God and man
being opposed in this passage, shows, that marriage is an
institution and appointment of God, and therefore not to be
changed and altered by man at his pleasure; this not merely
a civil, but a sacred affair, in which God is concerned.
In response to this they asked:
Why did Moses then command to give a writing of
divorcement, and to put her away
He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your
hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the
beginning it was not so (Mat 19:7-8)
There may be circumstances that may warrant a civil divorce,
but in God’s eyes, he is not well pleased. This brings me to
my last threat to the family, the enemy within V. DIVORCE: 41% of all marriages end in divorce. This
has done more to damage the family than any of the efforts
of the Gay or Feminist movements or even communism and
misinformation. Families may fight, but when attacked by
common enemies, they usually put aside their differences
and stand together against all who would do them harm.
1. Divorce should be avoided at all costs. Ultimately, our
goal in this series is to minimize the divorce rate.
2. But it is also to give you the information that might
help marriages to grow strong. Strong marriages make
strong families. And, strong families make strong nations.