An unpopular opinion has been a topic of contention for filmmakers, Carl and Angel Larson. The couple challenged the recently enacted Minnesota law that would require their small business to celebrate same-sex marriage if they even entered into the marriage videography business at all. What’s more is that if they did decide to enter into marriage videography and did not celebrate all forms of marriage, they can face fines and possible jail time for not following the rule.
“We are all on a journey with our convictions. I wish I could invite you into our home and discuss it over one of my daughter’s amazing homemade lemon tarts. But until that can happen, no matter where you are on that path or what you believe about marriage, we should all be able to agree that living peacefully according to our deepest convictions without the fear of government punishment is best for everyone.” – Angel Larsen
Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Making peace is a requirement for the Christian and an important trademark of our journey. Carl and Angel Larsen exemplified that. Their position has always been one of love and understanding. Their goal is not to condemn, its to inform. Information, in and of itself is not discriminatory; its liberating. The more informed we are about injustice, the better we’re able to combat it. However, ignorance is like poison. It plants seeds of deception and the subsequent fruit yielded is not a pretty sight.
The overwhelming backlash of hate shown towards this couple is inconceivable. They did not lash out in anger against the LGBTQ community. They did not ridicule, bash, insult or disrespect any leader, individual or company who supports the LGBTQ community. The only thing the Larsen’s did was question the motive and tangibility of the law. And yet, they’ve been demonized, insulted, ridiculed, bashed and de-humanized; just for standing up for their beliefs. This is a clear example of the aforementioned fruit that ignorance yields.
Is this what our society has been reduced to? Being so uneducated about a situation that we assume, rather than try to learn the reason(s) behind their motives? The large majority of the comments about this case are grossly ignorant of the true definition of discrimination, which makes this situation even more heartbreaking. Discrimination, defined by Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, is the act, practice, or instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually. The Larsen’s did no such thing. But, that is exactly what this law did. And that’s what the Larsen’s were trying to combat against with hearts full of peace, love and sound doctrine. However, this particular group of LGBTQ supporters did exactly what they were accusing the Larsen’s of. They strategically discriminated against the entire Christian community by identifying them as a “hate group” and “big fat bigots” for standing up against choices and actions such as this Minnesota law.
This unfortunate reality speaks to the power of a self-fulfilling prophesy; which, to put it in simple terms, means that you become what you say others are. We must be careful about how we address things and what kind of understanding we have about things before we respond. Failure to do so results in misunderstanding, miscommunication, and misinterpretation of each other and our intentions. The Bible speaks clearly to those who are careless with their words and uses their tongue for destruction. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue. And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21
If your opinion is riddled with more hate than love, it’s no longer an opinion; its a crime. And, last time I checked, crime doesn’t bode well for the offender.
ViZion United, LLC 