So when Mohler says something that I agree with, it's big.
Mohler recently said that no church or minister will be compelled to marry a gay couple should gay marriage become the law of the land. He's right. Many states have legalized same-sex marriages and there have been no cases where a minister or church has been sued for refusing. A church and / or minister are free to set those parameters for themselves and it is a protected right in the First Amendment. So there is no reason to think nationally anything would change if same-sex marriage is allowed.
Then Mohler made a great statement that is worthy of consideration.
The real danger is we’re going to pay an enormous social, cultural price for not doing a same-sex ceremony….We’re going to be considered to be morally deficient. Let’s admit it: We’re much more accustomed to being accused of being morally superior. They’ve said we’ve been ‘stand-offish,’ meaning better than them. Now a large part of this culture thinks we are morally deficient. And we’re going to find that’s a very different way to do ministry.
Exactly. The SBC is already considered backward in theology, but when it is considered homophobic and in support of institutional discrimination, the view changes to being one of immorality.
That's right. The SBC is now viewed by the majority of people not as being steadfast in our convictions, but as being completely stuck in the discrimination of yesteryear, hiding behind the cloak of religion as an excuse. Rationalizing bigotry with faith statements won't convince anyone to listen to our massage --- not tomorrow, not ever.
Society has moved past such ignorance and unfairness.
Unless the SBC re-thinks it's interpretation of the related passages, the image being presented is not Christ-like but Un-Christ-like.
It is one thing to be consider irrelevant; it is another to be considered immoral.
And the SBC has shot itself in the foot once again.