The Jesus-hate is strong in this one. Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern took to the internets in the wake of the Mets loss to the Royals in the World Series to not only saddle the Metropolitans outspoken Christian player Daniel Murphy with blame for the loss, but to actually rejoice in it as well.
“The Kansas City Royals defeated the New York Mets 7–2 on Sunday night, winning the World Series in just five games. I am agnostic as to which team deserved to take the crown. But I’m thrilled that Mets (former) fan favorite and fomenter of homophobia Daniel Murphy played a crucial role in bringing his team to an embarrassing defeat.”
He seems nice, doesn’t he? After lying about respecting Murphy’s right to hold his religious beliefs, Murphy goes on to say that Murphy essentially has no rights:
“Of course, Murphy has every right to hold these beliefs, which earned him praise from such luminaries as the Westboro Baptist Church. He does not have a right to expand on them without discipline. Had an MLB player said something bigoted about a black or Jewish player, the league would have reprimanded him. Instead, it took no serious action against Murphy, effectively ratifying his views as reasonable and harmless.”
True, had an MLB player said something bigoted about a black or Jewish player, the league would have reprimanded that player. And had an MLB player said something bigoted against gays, they would have reprimanded him as well. The only problem? Murphy said nothing bigoted.
Reminder, here’s what Daniel Murphy said about his views on homosexuality after MLB Inclusion advocate Billy Bean visited the team:
“I disagree with his lifestyle. I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual. That doesn’t mean I can’t still invest in him and get to know him. I don’t think the fact that someone is a homosexual should completely shut the door on investing in them in a relational aspect. Getting to know him. That, I would say, you can still accept them but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100 percent.
Maybe, as a Christian, that we haven’t been as articulate enough in describing what our actual stance is on homosexuality. We love the people. We disagree the lifestyle. That’s the way I would describe it for me. It’s the same way that there are aspects of my life that I’m trying to surrender to Christ in my own life. There’s a great deal of many things, like my pride.”
“Segregation now, segregation forever” that is not. It’s not bigoted at all. But for militant gay activists like Stern, whose mission in life is to brand any thought critical of homosexuality as “hate speech,” he must engage in heavy pearl-clutching in order to silence the dissent. Lest, everyone who feels like Murphy does, which is probably most people, will no longer fear speaking up and that is simply not allowed.
“…Every year, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of gay and bisexual kids kill themselves precisely because they are pummeled with homophobic ideas like these. Some overdose on their parents’ pills; some slit their wrists; some hang themselves or put bullets in their brain. LGB kids are between two and four times more likely to try to kill themselves than straight kids. Every episode of LGB victimization, including verbal harassment, increases the likelihood of self-harm 2.5 times on average, according to the CDC.”
Funny how those who profess to be so sensitive to the bullying and intimidation that can come from “verbal harassment” are never nearly as concerned about the effects of that harassment when they’re the ones dishing it out.
What about the “verbal harassment” of delighting in the on-the-field failures of Christian players, while mocking their beliefs and blaming them for their team’s loss? Couldn’t that also have the same effect of sending a person into a tail-spin of emotion that might result in harm?
Yet, because he is such an immense toolshed, Stern is completely unconcerned about the effects of his words. Because in reality, he’s the one engaging in true bigotry and harassment. Stern simply projects the inner-darkness and contempt he possesses for Christians on Murphy, making it appear as though it is Murphy who is being intolerant.
And why is Stern this vindictive and dark? Because he, along with other LGBT activists, has allowed the decision of who someone sleeps with to define their entire existence. I disagree with homosexuality, and probably disagree with Slate’s entire staff on a myriad of different issues. As most who read this site do.
Yet, somehow, many of us were able to cheer for lesbian soccer player Abby Wambach when she and her teammates were out there winning the women’s World Cup. And we were able to pull for gay diver Greg Louganis when he was in the Olympics. And we didn’t rejoice in Wambach’s failure to win the World Cup against Japan because she happened to be a lesbian.
Why? Because unlike Slate, we don’t define and base everything we are on who we, or who someone else sleeps with. Or doesn’t sleep with. It’s an amazing thing. Slate should really try it out.
