June 16, 2015 5:36 AM

In which hyper-religious bigots find out that self-righteousness has consequences

Calling it a “flippant, fit-of-pique publicity stunt,” an Australian woman brutally disinvited a Christian couple from her own non-gay wedding, after they claimed they would get divorced if gays were allowed to wed. Writing at NewsAU.com, Annie Hagar wrote that she and her fiance have known for Nick Jensen and his wife Sarah for over ten years, attending their wedding although with different partners at the time. While she had previously invited the Christian couple to her upcoming wedding, his “publicity stunt” announcement caused her to change her mind…. After wavering a bit, Hagar and her partner decided to teach their high school friend a lesson, with Hagar writing, “My fiance and I have decided the best thing to do is to make sure Nick understands how little he and his twisted world view matters. Couples all over the world of mixed race, mixed religion and now, at least in some countries, the same sex, enjoy a married life their forebears could not have dreamt would one day happen — and Nick and Sarah’s sham divorce will have zero impact on their lives. None.”

In a free society- in Australia as in the U.S.- people have the right to hold what opinions and beliefs they will. Unfortunately for those who tend to lean judgmental, intolerant, and/or hyper-religious, their opinions may not necessarily be met with open arms and universal acclaim. Eventually, these folks discover to their horror and discomfort that while they’re certainly free to their beliefs and opinions, others are also free to call “bullshit” on them.

The story of Nick and Sarah Jensen- which I previously wrote about here- is as sad and self-serving as it is pointless. After claiming they’d divorce if same-sex marriage were to be legalized (What? Did they think the wheels of history would stop turning because of their whims and prejudices?), the Jensens have been the recipient of considerable well-deserved blowback. That most of the response is of the “Who gives a $#&@ what you do with your marriage?” is almost enough to re-animate my dormant faith in humanity. Almost.

When you reveal yourself to be a haughty, intolerant bigot who justifies your twisted, distasteful world-view on religious grounds, you can’t claim to be surprised when people react negatively. Perhaps Nick Jensen thought he was being the brave one, taking a stand for morality and “traditional” marriage. Perhaps he thought he was drawing a moral line in the sand against the heathen Liberal forces that would willfully, indeed gleefully, violate God’s law. Perhaps he even thought that by taking a stand against what according to his twisted and bastardized religious faith is immoral and unnatural, he could stem the tide. As if one person making a pointless threat is going to stop history from having its way.

Today’s Rule of the Road: If your religion allows the absolute right to use your morality and prejudice to pass judgment on the sexuality and private sexual practices of others, you have no religion. A convincing argument could be made that you’re a sociopath, and if you’re Nick and Sarah Jensen, you deserve every bit of ridicule currently being channeled in your direction. The Internet just LOVES intolerant trolls like you, knowhutimean??

The Jensens and their pointless, futile protest won’t stop same-sex marriage from becoming legal. They have no hope of creating a world that dovetails with their medieval reality through cheap, meaningless threats that ultimately will matter only to themselves. The reality is that they’re certainly free to divorce, or do whatever else gives their life meaning and purpose…but in so doing, they will have ZERO impact or influence over the legal definition of marriage. The only people who will give a damn about what they do or don’t do are themselves. From where I sit, they could strip naked, cover themselves in honey, and stake themselves to a fire ant hill in West Texas. Their choice; no one else will give a damn.

Their biggest “accomplishment” is managing to lose a friend over their “twisted world view”…and deservedly so. Nick and Sarah Jensen are free to do and/or behave as they see fit, but they don’t have the right to expect their actions to change anything for anyone but themselves. Nor can they expect or demand that their decisions and/or actions be respected and catered to. Truth is, this may have garnered them their 15 minutes of fame infamy, but I suspect few really give a damn about what they do with their marriage.

Actions and decisions have consequences. In this case, the actions and decisions of the Jensens have resulted in considerable blowback, including losing a friend. If their Christian “morality” is more important to them then their friends and loved ones, that’s on them. I have a feeling the world will carry on quite nicely without them.

History marches on….

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on June 16, 2015 5:36 AM.

Because any REAL White Christian American patriot knows, God's a Conservative Republican was the previous entry in this blog.

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