Would Jesus Do This?
Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland seems to believe that Jesus would respond to courtesy with violence:
On a Sunday when Tarico was present, Hutcherson was preaching on gender roles. During his sermon, Hutcherson stated, “God hates soft men” and “God hates effeminate men.” Hutcherson went on to say, “If I was in a drugstore and some guy opened the door for me, I’d rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end.”
“That was a joke,” Hutcherson said Friday, when I asked him about the comment. But it’s not really funny, is it?
This doesn’t seem like an appropriate, Christ-like statement to me, even as a joke. I think it’s important that men realize they can be Christian and be men at the same time. But we don’t need a concept of masculinity that calls for inappropriate violence.
When I read that I thought of the many times I have opened the door for a man. Sometimes I do so because the man is elderly. Sometimes I do it because he is carrying a heavy load. Sometimes I do it just because it’s convenient. I don’t think it makes me any less masculine.
It’s time we reject definitions of masculine that involve senseless violence. Defending my home, yes. Defending my country, yes. Running around attacking people because I don’t like their personality or the way they portray themselves, absolutely not. I can’t even see how it can be a question.
Bill Engvall talks about handing out “Stupid” signs. Perhaps we need a “violent bigot” sign. Then I could be sure never to open the door for such a person.
(HT: Dispatches.)