Keep the pressure on! 
Let A&E know what you think of their religious bigotry. 

Ever since reports surfaced that A&E was trying to crack down on religious expressions by the Robertson family during taping of their mega-hit show Duck Dynasty, we knew it was just a matter of time. And it finally happened late last week.

The story became a media firestorm throughout the country when Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson was punished by A&E–placed on “indefinite hiatus”–for his remarks on homosexual behavior. When this news broke, the Internet and social media exploded.

Robertson was doing an interview with GQ magazine when he was asked about his faith and the faith of the Robertson clan. The faith of this beloved all-American family is well-known. So when asked questions about faith and sexuality, Robertson didn’t hold back. He said:

“Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men…Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right…”

You can read Phil’s entire quote (which is crude and graphic) in the GQ article HERE.

These comments garnered the ire of GLAAD, a multi-million dollar homosexual activist group, which called on A&E to end the hit show. (GLAAD officially stands for Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.)  A&E decided to suspend Phil Robertson, then to put him on “indefinite hiatus.” In other words, A&E fired a Christian for sharing his Christian views in the free press when asked. Or, as one of my friends said it, “Irony of the night: you can’t be the real you with your real opinions if you star in a ‘reality’ show.”

A&E quickly issued a statement to distance themselves from the controversy, saying:

“We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty.  His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely.”

Talk about viewpoint discrimination. 

The executives at A&E Network have not only taken sides in the culture war, siding with radical LGBTQ activists, but they have blatantly discriminated against orthodox Christianity.  While they proudly claim to be “champions of the LGBT community,” one has to wonder when they will ever champion people of faith.

As you might expect, Facebook and Twitter exploded with support for Robertson. Pages dedicated to #StandByPhil gained tens of thousands of supporters in mere hours.  My personal Facebook wall saw nonstop images and articles about Phil Robertson for more than 24 hours.

This shouldn’t be a surprise to A&E or anyone else.

Duck Dynasty became one of the most popular shows on television, and the most popular show on A&E. The Robertson family has been outspoken about their faith. Robertson sons regularly speak in churches, conferences, and events. And when they do, they bring Bible’s and share their faith. They have spoken about the issue of homosexuality before, along with pre-marital sex, abortion, and creation. So no one is surprised by these comments.

The reality is that Duck Dynasty has been a ratings machine for A&E and perhaps the only reason people like me even watch the network. The sponsors of Duck Dynasty, like Wal-Mart, have made millions off the show and A&E is still considered a relevant network thanks to the Robertson’s. As one person noted, Duck Dynasty doesn’t need A&E–A&E needs Duck Dynasty. So what they’ve done is alienate their base by catering to a minority that likely doesn’t watch their network. That seems to be a very foolish business decision.

A&E seems more interested in political correctness and catering to a few folks at GLAAD than to the millions that watch their hit show. A GLAAD spokesman commented on the remarks made by Robertson:

“Phil and his family claim to be Christian, but Phil’s lies about an entire community fly in the face of what true Christians believe. He clearly knows nothing about gay people or the majority of Louisianans — and Americans — who support legal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. Phil’s decision to push vile and extreme stereotypes is a stain on A&E and his sponsors, who now need to re-examine their ties to someone with such public disdain for LGBT people and families.”

Robertson issued his own follow up statement making it clear that he doesn’t hate anyone:

“I myself am a product of the 60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock and roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior. My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

Phil, just like most Christians, understands that we are to love every person just as God does, but that does not mean we have to approve of their behavior or agree with their political views. Sexual sin of any kind is still sin and Robertson is explaining that it is indeed possible to respect a person without approving of their sin.

The bottom line is that the view of sexuality expressed by Phil Robertson is still held by a majority of the world and within major religions. I can’t help but wonder if things would be different if Phil Robertson was a Muslim. But the truth is that this should serve as an eye opening experience for all those who think it’s possible for religious civil rights and homosexual “rights” to coexist.  They cannot.

Homosexuals don’t want people merely to accept their lifestyle, they want everyone–including Christians–to approve of it. They don’t want religious exemptions in “anti-bullying” laws, or in onerous legislation like ENDA and other non-discrimination proposals. They want to force everyone to celebrate their lifestyle and will not stop until that goal is achieved.