The Salty Peanut Gallery

Dr. Kenneth L. Hutcherson is on the war path and for good reason. Dr. Hutcherson is the founder and Senior Pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Washington. Recently Pastor “Hutch” had the opportunity to speak in an assembly at his daughter’s high school in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. He was there to share his own personal experiences in overcoming racism in America thanks in part to the legacy of Dr. King. Unfortunately, instead of the polite welcome one would normally expect mature, adult faculty members to extend to an invited guest, at least two of the teaching staff thought it necessary to heckle the speaker, presumably in the name of free speech or diversity or some other idiotic liberal reasoning whose logic completely escapes me.

As Hutcherson stood to walk to the microphone he was immediately greeted by a chorus of boos from one of the teachers, George Potratz, and apparently some others. Ignoring the interruption, Hutcherson went on with his lecture as planned. At the conclusion of his remarks another teacher, Kit McCormick, sponsor of the Gay Straight Alliance, interrupted the assembly to challenge Hutcherson further. According to Hutcherson she yelled out, “I know that I am not on the program, but why is this man here when he doesn’t believe in equal rights for everybody?”

Afterward McCormick explained, “…I felt like I couldn’t sit and not say anything. I felt like this was a moment that I had to stand up and say something. He is not about equality for everyone. He’s about equality for some people.” Well hoorah for you Ms. McCormick. And thanks so much for demonstrating before your students the proper example of respect and decorum in a public assembly. Thank you for behaving like a grownup.

School officials have since issued an apology and both teachers have reportedly received letters of reprimand for the incident, letters they plan to appeal of course. But Hutcherson is not at all satisfied that justice has been served. He doesn’t plan on taking this lying down. Hutcherson contends that this kind of behavior would never have been tolerated if the teachers had been pro-family activists criticizing a pro-homosexual speaker. “They would not only not have a job, they would never have another opportunity to teach — and that’s what makes it so bad. And that’s why I told the school board that I am waiting to see what you do with those teachers and what you do with those teachers is going to dictate what I am going to do with the school.” Stay tuned. This should get interesting.

This whole incident brings up an important issue that’s becoming more and more prevalent in American culture today. There is a growing double standard that seems especially evident in our learning intuitions. It’s what I would call “intolerant tolerance” and it’s specifically directed toward Christianity and those who seek to live their lives according the truth of God’s Word. On the one hand we hear the cry for diversity and acceptance of every kind of alternative lifestyle under the sun. But on the other hand those individuals who demonstrate a devotion to Jesus Christ, biblical morality, and traditional family values are somehow undeserving of the same level of respect. It particularly offends us because we like to think we are a “nation under God” granted religious liberty under the First Amendment. But let’s face it. An ardent campaign to silence Christianity has been going on for 2000 years now. This is nothing new.

So what are Christians to do? Without question, we are engaged in a battle. But let’s be clear about who it is we are fighting. The apostle Paul reminds us that the battle isn’t against “flesh and blood”. The enemy is the forces of darkness whose battlefield is the spiritual realm. We can’t forget that. There is a tendency for us to get caught up in fighting a “cultural war” and lose sight of the real objective, the life changing message of the gospel. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not against responding to injustice, but we can’t allow ourselves to get sidetracked fighting battles on the wrong front. Being “salt” and “light” has got to be more than just fighting to free America from immorality. Wanna rid the world of evil? Then let’s give ‘em Jesus. People need the Lord now more than ever.