tolerance

Have you heard all the ruckus from last Sunday’s Miss USA pageant?

Leading finalist, Carrie Prejean (Miss California ), was asked a question by judge Perez Hilton: “Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?”

Carrie’s answer: “I think it’s great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. We live in a land that you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and my family I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anyone out there but that’s how I was raised and that’s how I think it should be between a man and a woman.”

Most agree her answer cost her the crown. The openly gay judge was not at all pleased. Turns out he didn’t want her opinion after all unless it matched his. Since Sunday he’s been on a media blitz blasting her as insensitive and ignorant, and publicly calling her defamatory and vulgar names.

Isn’t it interesting that those who cry “Tolerance!” the loudest are themselves so intolerant.

So, what do we make of all this? And especially in light of our current year’s theme about the heart?

I think God has already given us some insight:

– The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? ¹
– A deceived and wicked heart calls evil good and good evil. ²
– It wipes its mouth, and says, “I have done no wrong.” ³
– A darkened heart suppresses the truth, professing itself wise yet proving itself a fool. ⁴
– All the while, it’s looking for teachers who will say what it wants to hear. ⁵

O God, keep us from a deceived heart!