If the Discrimination fits, Wear It

“Discrimination” has become one of the great taboos of our culture. Dropping this word upon someone is the ultimate insult that is expected to make a person fall over themselves in apologies.

Historically, discrimination was the go-to word for prejudices perpetuated against ethnic minorities. More recently, the LGBT community has had almost total success in getting this sentiment applied to themselves as well. But the singular use of this word “discrimination” defined as taboo won’t last long because the word itself is not solely defined in the negative. There are good and necessary reasons to discriminate. You must discriminate when you hire a babysitter or chose a spouse. Safety, health, and education all demand that discriminating choices be made.

Now that the moral revolution has become more established, we are going to see a change in the notion of discrimination when the revolutionaries respond to any pushback that remains.

I saw a perfect example of this yesterday. There is a bill in the state of Texas that would make it illegal for transgender people to use the bathroom of their choice instead of the bathroom of their biology. The NFL said that if such a bill was passed, it may negatively influence the decision regarding future Super Bowls held in Texas. The governor of Texas said the NFL should stay out of politics. A sports blogger named Frank Schwab, commented on this here by saying “The NFL has a right to take its business anywhere, and it has no obligation to give Texas any more Super Bowls.” Now, look at that response carefully. That exact statement would have been called “discrimination” if the tables were turned. If the NFL refused to have the Super Bowl in Massachusetts because they don’t have transgender bathroom laws, people would be scream “discrimination” till your ears bleed. But it is not discrimination in this situation because now bathroom choice is “a right.” So if discrimination doesn’t fit your agenda, make ‘em pay. But it if does fit, wear it. Find a nice concrete wall and cue the head-banging.

We are living in a moral revolution that is well past its infancy. We call this a revolution because a revolution involves every sector of life including the economy with all its countless mechanisms. Now in this moral revolution, we have heard the howls of protest when certain businesses will not play along with the revolution’s demands. Since the revolution centers upon sexuality and marriage, businesses that provide cakes, flowers, and photography for weddings have been at the center of these scuffles. There is a reason for this. These business provide products for the celebrative nature of weddings. Birthday cakes for gay people have not been a problem. Gay people have birthdays because they were born and there is nothing about that which violates Christian conscience. But when gay people want to get married, businesses that do not believe anyone other than a man and woman can be married cannot give their celebratory artistic expressions for something they cannot celebrate.

This is when you hear the accusations of discrimination. Well, of course it’s discrimination. It’s the same discrimination that is happening when Frank Schwab says “The NFL has a right to take its business anywhere, and it has no obligation to give Texas any more Super Bowls.” What is amazing is that such a person cannot see the contradiction in allowing it for the NFL but not allowing it for cake bakers and florists. Let’s also not forget that the cake bakers and florists are doing this for reasons of religious conviction, which is explicitly protected under the constitution.

What we are seeing is the realization by the moral revolutionaries that discrimination is not all that bad. It was completely bad when they were on the other side of cultural acceptance. But now that they are in the driver’s seat, it is now morally necessary to discriminate against states who pass certain bills, and governmental administrations who press policies that are unacceptable to them. Withholding business, such as Bruce Springsteen not performing in N.C. and designers not providing a wardrobe for the Trumps, is discrimination, and the act of discriminating is not wrong. The basis of the discriminating choice might be, but everyone is going to discriminate. Free people must be free to make choices based upon their own standards. What is hard to bear is the inconsistency; businesses were wrong for not baking cakes for gay weddings, but the NFL should be allowed to do business with who it pleases.

This is what is like to live in a fallen world. Language gets used to promote the idol of the day. If inconsistencies arise, no matter, just fall in line and everything will be ok. But we follow Christ. We call for repentance, we point out contradictions, we show the suppression of the truth, and we brace for impact. We will use language to spread the gospel and speak truth that is consistent with what is right and good for people according to God’s Word.