The other day I noted that there have been a total of nine attempts to manipulate various tax-supported entities in order to harass us and our ministries. Now make that ten. Rose Huskey and Saundra have recently (June 10) sent a letter to folks at the UI trying to cause problems for our upcoming Trinity Fest.
In that letter we see the precise nature of their commitment to tolerance and free speech. “We have exchanged several emails with you and President White on the advisability of the UI hosting such a community divisive conference. While we appreciate the importance of free speech, particularly on a university campus, we asked that the UI continue to provide public access in free speech areas so that essential right is not curtailed rather that (sic) rent university facilities for such purposes.”
Translation: These ladies believe that free speech is very important, particularly on a university campus, and so they want the UI to back out of its rental agreement with Trinity Festival because of what the people at the conference might say. In other words, their commitment to free speech is highly rarified and theoretical. But, by the way, our festival is renting from the UI — the UI is not “hosting” or sponsoring this conference.
The Intoleristas’ grand and sweeping vision of free speech is to be fulfilled by urging the UI to provide “public access” (what? a sidewalk?) to “free speech areas.” By the time the Intoleristas are done, our “free speech area” will no doubt be a broom closet in the Administration building, or a cordoned off 5 by 10 piece of dirt in the Arboretum. “What’s your complaint? Say what you want.”
In this whole controversy, I have had occasion to use the phrase “utter, frozen limit” more than once. And you might think that the reasoning above might have provoked me to this sentiment once again. But no, I reserve it for what follows.
Our ladies are actually temperance crusaders, and proof positive that secularism is actually a very thinly disguised wowserism. “While we have no interest in bring specific religious beliefs and practices into this discussion, the fact remains that Christ Church’s religious practice (minors, including very young children, are permitted to drink wine during communion) is at odds with State law in this regard.” If we have our worship service there, our ladies are interested that steps be taken to “ensure no alcohol will be provided to minors.”
Translation: “While we have no interest in bring specific religious beliefs and practices into this discussion, we are going to anyway.” Because so many people from out of town are going to be here for Trinity Fest, we scheduled our worship service that Sunday in the Kibbie Dome, where the conference is being held. All the necessary arrangements for this were made with the necessary people. But this protest is breathtaking in its fussy extremism. They don’t want us to have our conference, but if we do, they don’t want us to be able to have a worship service there, but if we do, they don’t want wine served in communion, but if this is allowed, they want to be sure the kids don’t get any. That at least would be some consolation for them.
Jesus, on the other hand, rebuked His disciples when they were fussing about in a similar self-important kind of way. The Lord said that the little children were to be permitted to come to Him. When we worship God, our kids come too. When we sing, our children sing too. When we say the Apostles Creed, the kids say it too. When we take communion, as we do every week, our children worship with us. I would like to invite all secularists who are watching these events unfold — behold your tolerance.