# When will white, christian moderates speak up? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 24, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895 "2015-03-24T21:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/201 "2015-03-26T19:50:26Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Very true. And I have to applaud you for all your posts on this thread. Part of what us mainliners believe is that Christ’s demand that we love others should triumph over all. So while we may want to shout and rage and be incendiary, that is actually the worst way of going about it - since it convinces no one and makes folks more intransigent. So we speak out for love. My ELCA congregation had a gay pastor for 12 years (he’s now at a bigger church in Minnesota - Lutheran Disneyland) - we were one of the many congregations involved in getting the ELCA policy on homosexual pastors changed. We walked the walk - we didn’t go all fire and brimstone on those who opposed us, we reached out with love, attempting to show the love and humility of Christ with the faith that it would reach those who were opposed - and in a lot of cases it did (we have folks who really were against even calling a gay pastor back in 2000 who are now some of the biggest supporters for gay rights). Nobody’s calling for shouting, raging or being incendiary, either. Are y’all responding to posts from some other thread, or what? Speaking with love is fine and dandy…but if you don’t try to speak to the same general audiences as those that profess to be Christian but have a far right agenda things like what just happened in Indiana keep getting repeated. Do you think the Governor signed that bill thinking he was getting just a few fringe votes out of the deal? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/202 "2015-03-26T19:59:41Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > May I point out the irony of asking about this, yet wanting moderate Christians to publicly speak out against others? (maybe not you in particular, but the competing impulses here - be like conservative Christians when you disagree with them, but be meek and mild when disagreeing with everyone else - it’s enough to give one whiplash) Moderate Christians speak out against all sorts of things-Why this hesitation against speaking out against those that would misrepresent Christianity? Unless it’s because they profess to be Christians themselves, and you just don’t badmouth family. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/203 "2015-03-26T20:43:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Moderate Christians speak out against all sorts of things-Why this hesitation against speaking out against those that would misrepresent Christianity? > Unless it’s because they profess to be Christians themselves, and you just don’t badmouth family. Read my links - who is hesitating from speaking out on these issues? I am not, nor are others. I already provided links to two different organizations I support that have specifically commented on Phil Robertson (Sojourners and the PCUSA). I have also provided a quote from my minister on Phelps. We are speaking - you just are not listening. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/204 "2015-03-26T20:46:37Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Nobody’s calling for shouting, raging or being incendiary, either. Are y’all responding to posts from some other thread, or what? Speaking with love is fine and dandy…but if you don’t try to speak to the same general audiences as those that profess to be Christian but have a far right agenda things like what just happened in Indiana keep getting repeated. Do you think the Governor signed that bill thinking he was getting just a few fringe votes out of the deal? What - you want me to buy a seat at a Florida prayer breakfast so that I can speak right after Phil? As for Indiana, the PCUSA is right now working on canceling our large conference in Indiana, and the Disciples of Christ have already moved theirs. See - we are speaking out on this RIGHT NOW. Are you deaf? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/205 "2015-03-26T20:54:53Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > What - you want me to buy a seat at a Florida prayer breakfast so that I can speak right after Phil? > > As for Indiana, the PCUSA is right now working on canceling our large conference in Indiana, and the Disciples of Christ have already moved theirs. > > See - we are speaking out on this RIGHT NOW. > > Are you deaf? The bill’s been signed already. Were _you_ deaf? A supposed minority of right-wing Christians convinced the Gov that they speak for a large voting block, and your answer is to react too little and too late. Edited to add: No I’m not expecting you personally to buy seats to a Florida prayer breakfast. But, then again, this thread isn’t all about you. What _would_ have been nice is if some local church leaders had made an effort in that direction, or had attempted to convince them to get another speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/206 "2015-03-26T21:13:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The bill’s been signed already. > Were _you_ deaf? A supposed minority of right-wing Christians convinced the Gov that they speak for a large voting block, and your answer is to react too little and too late. > Edited to add: No I’m not expecting you personally to buy seats to a Florida prayer breakfast. But, then again, this thread isn’t all about you. What _would_ have been nice is if some local church leaders had made an effort in that direction, or had attempted to convince them to get another speaker. I have no idea about who are what attends the Florida bit. As for Indiana, churches in Indiana and nationwide WERE against it. There were phone banks calling reps, etc. It still happened because enough people backed their state reps, and the Governor thinks that he is safe as well. The Disciples of Christ stated their objections well in advance of the Bill passing: [Disciples of Christ](http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/03/25/3638998/christian-group-threatens-boycott-indiana-governor-signs-anti-lgbt-religious-liberty-bill/): So Christians WERE against it, and spoke out against it, and it sill passed. That is because there are OTHER Christians who were for it, and they held more sway with the legislature and the Governor. That is politics - you don’t always win. Prop 8 (gays) passed in California, as did Prop 187 (immigrants). Multiple states, plus the US nationally, have religious freedom laws. It will be interesting (in a Bricker sort of way) to see how these start running up against the Free Exercise Clause: > **[Free Exercise Clause](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Exercise_Clause)** > > The Free Exercise Clause accompanies the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause together read: > Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof... Free exercise is the liberty of persons to reach, hold, practice and change beliefs freely according to the dictates of conscience. The Free Exercise Clause prohibits government interference with ... So now we take the next step and cancel events in the state (which is in our power). Some churches in Indiana will celebrate, others will fight on. That is what we do. But we are NOT silent. We are not quiet. We are not ignoring these issues because someone on the other side is Christian. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/207 "2015-03-26T21:23:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. I would dearly love to see that list of MC leaders that **Guin** says have already spoken up. If you’re asking for particular, famous people, Desmond Tutu comes to mind, as does Jimmy Carter. Mister Rogers was also an ordained minister. > [@](#): > > 1. When some far-right church demagogue gets national airtime claiming to speak for all Christians, it wouldn’t hurt if MC leaders made an effort to contact the largest media they have access to in their area to ask for equal time. Not making the effort and saying Why bother-they wouldn’t let us get on the air anyway" is something I have no respect for. If and when airtime refusal _actually_ happens, you follow up with press releases that contain the news that you were refused equal access, _and_ the original message you were going to put out…no screaming involved, of course. Or perhaps they figure that their times is better spent, on things like charity – helping those in need, lobbying for human rights, protesting discrimination, you know, rather than answering some dumbass trolls. There are so many freaking denominations of Christianity. Not all of them agree on what’s what. And yes, when asked about such and such asshole, you’ll hear, “these buttnuggets don’t speak for everyone.” Yes, they’ll get air time, I imagine. But what would that accomplish? I suspect they’re not worried about PR at the moment. If that bothers you, well, too fucking bad. Most people who well, don’t have a chip on their shoulder, and see things in terms of black and white, know damned well that Robertson doesn’t speak for every single fucking Christian and/or religious person out there. C’mon, we’re talking about some dumbass reality TV show star. If YOU think he speaks for every Christian in the US, that’s your problem. What’s the phrase, “Speak the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/208 "2015-03-26T21:24:54Z")
Just to pile on to what others have said - moderate Christians _do_ speak out, all the time. I don’t have a public forum like Robertson but I often criticize Christian right-wingers on Facebook or in other open forums including the Straight Dope. Here an example from actual Christian leaders: On March 12th, conservative evangelical celebrity Franklin Graham [posted a simple-minded and offensive observation on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/FranklinGraham/posts/883361438386705) regarding police-on-minority violence. The tone can be surmised in his opening sentences: “Listen up – Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and everyone else. Most police shootings can be avoided. It comes down to respect for authority and obedience.” He received over 201,000 likes in the two weeks since the post. In response, a coalition of thoughtful and moderate Christians responded in an [open letter to Graham](http://sojo.net/blogs/2015/03/19/open-letter-franklin-graham). In it they call his statement “crude, insensitive, and paternalistic.” They go on to say that > [@](#): > > The fact that you identify a widely acknowledged social injustice as “simple” reveals your lack of empathy and understanding of the depth of sin that some in the body have suffered under the weight of our broken justice system. It also reveals a cavalier disregard for the enduring impacts and outcomes of the legal regimes that enslaved and oppressed people of color, made in the image of God — from Native American genocide and containment, to colonial and antebellum slavery, through Jim Crow and peonage, to our current system of mass incarceration and criminalization. There is much more to the letter in the link above. It is signed by over 30 leaders of Christian charities, organizations, networks and churches. This is just a recent example of how moderate Christians respond to this kind of thing, but frankly, we have to pick our battles. I don’t get worked up about Phil Robertson because I know the only people who take him seriously aren’t going to be persuaded otherwise. When it comes to other issues, I speak up loudly. I’m not sure what else you are looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/209 "2015-03-26T21:25:59Z")
Will someone please tell me why moderate Christians, who are supposedly in the majority in this country, who are supposedly the “real” Christians in this country, don’t hold more sway in this country? ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/210 "2015-03-26T21:32:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Will someone please tell me why moderate Christians, who are supposedly in the majority in this country, who are supposedly the “real” Christians in this country, don’t hold more sway in this country? Who calls us the “real” Christians? The only time I hear language like that is from hard-core Bible literal type churches - when they claim to be “real” or “true” Christians. As for sway - The Democratic party has plenty of self-identifying Christians, and that Party currently holds the Presidency. > **[By Religious Affiliation](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/02/02/trends-in-party-identification-of-religious-groups-affiliation/)** > > White evangelical Protestants have long been a key part of the GOP coalition. In 2008, 65% of white evangelical Protestant voters identified as Now the Republicans have MORE of the self-identifying Christians, and the deal made with the Moral Majority under Reagan still pays dividends for that party. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/211 "2015-03-26T21:34:57Z")
**Skammer** , was the letter then put on Facebook, in attempt to reach the same wide general audience that Graham reached out to? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/212 "2015-03-26T21:35:58Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Will someone please tell me why moderate Christians, who are supposedly in the majority in this country, who are supposedly the “real” Christians in this country, don’t hold more sway in this country? How does one define a “real Christian”? To me, that’s no more than a “true Scotsman” type thing. A real Christian is generally someone who believes that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, was crucified and rose from the dead after three days, and worship him accordingly. Other than that, the devil is in the details (no pun intended). ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/213 "2015-03-26T21:45:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > **Skammer** , was the letter then put on Facebook, in attempt to reach the same wide general audience that Graham reached out to? Yes it was. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/214 "2015-03-27T03:09:43Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > …By the way, “fighting fire with fire” doesn’t mean battling an out of control wildfire by setting off another **out of control wildfire**. > [@doorhinge](#): > > (post shortened) > > Actually, that’s exactly what it means. Pretty sure the fire that’s intended to starve the wildfire for fuel is supposed to be controlled… ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/215 "2015-03-27T06:51:02Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Will someone please tell me why moderate Christians, who are supposedly in the majority in this country, who are supposedly the “real” Christians in this country, don’t hold more sway in this country? My take is that all Christians are real Christians but that, being sinners, all Christians will be unchristian from time to time. But that’s a nitpick. I agree with the underlying point: mainline Christians have ceded the field to those wearing their faith on their sleeves, [praying on the street corner](http://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/6.htm) and pushing a political agenda wholly independent of the Gospel (i.e. anti-gay and anti-abortion). ## _ **Part** _ of the difficulty is ideological, I think. I’d summarize the gospels as saying, “Love God and His creation, love thy neighbor as thyself, but don’t be a sanctimonious prick about it.” So a good Christian can’t launch rhetorical napalm on the late Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson, because, well it’s unchristian. Algher: I much prefer this sort of response… > [@Algher](#): > > What part of ordaining gays, and now performing gay marriages is sitting on our hands? We are NOT accommodating the conservatives in our church - we have changed, and they are stuck either leaving or dealing with it themselves. > > We laid down the smack, as you put it. When the PCUSA voted VERY recently - that was laying down the smack. That has made more news than Phil Robertson - check the links I posted earlier in this thread - just look for the rainbow flags. …to this one: > [@Algher](#): > > So, once again, we ARE speaking up. But because we don’t make incendiary statements - it just is not that interesting. This is more of an issue with the nature of news than our actions. > > Don’t hate the player, hate the game. Because moderate and liberal Christians have ceded a part of discourse to Christian conservative loudmouths. By repeated referring themselves as “Christian”, one theologically squirelly subset has damaged the brand. Many millennials have taken them at their word and thereby associate Christianity with, well, [bigotry, intolerance, cultural drama and scientific ignorance](http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/27/why-millennials-are-leaving-the-church/). Now frankly, I part company with the OP regarding the Duck Dynasty clown: I’m not sure how much he matters. But the underlying topic and question is legitimate. Basically, we need a couple of mainline equivalents of say, Bill Nye the Science Guy. The fact is that the media loves controversy. A handful of mainline or liberal Christian Reverends need to place themselves on every big reporter’s rollodex and provide standard replies to the bible pounders. Start off bland, more in sadness than in anger. Leave it to another reverend to ramp it up as appropriate. I’d endorse the following. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. When some far-right church demagogue gets national airtime claiming to speak for all Christians, it wouldn’t hurt if MC leaders made an effort to contact the largest media they have access to in their area to ask for equal time. Not making the effort and saying Why bother-they wouldn’t let us get on the air anyway" is something I have no respect for. If and when airtime refusal _actually_ happens, you follow up with press releases that contain the news that you were refused equal access, _and_ the original message you were going to put out…no screaming involved, of course. > > By the way, “fighting fire with fire” doesn’t mean battling an out of control wildfire by setting off another out of control wildfire. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/216 "2015-03-27T15:03:37Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Pretty sure the fire that’s intended to starve the wildfire for fuel is supposed to be controlled… A wildfire is an uncontrolled, wild, fire. Starting another wildfire under the same conditions that created the 1st uncontrolled wildfire doesn’t guarantee the 2nd fire will remained under control. just sayin’ wildfire Noun (plural wildfires) 1.A rapidly spreading fire, especially one occurring in a wildland area. 4.(figuratively) Something that acts quickly and uncontrollably. > **[Wildfire Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary](https://www.yourdictionary.com/wildfire)** > > Wildfire definition: A raging, rapidly spreading fire. wildfire (ˈwaɪldˌfaɪə) n 2. a. a raging and uncontrollable fire b. anything that is disseminated quickly (esp in the phrase spread like wildfire) > **[wildfire](https://www.thefreedictionary.com/wildfire)** > > Definition, Synonyms, Translations of wildfire by The Free Dictionary ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/217 "2015-03-27T15:04:20Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You should be saying something like, “Why have us Good And Moderate Christians let those assholes have the megaphone for so long? They’re making us look like idiots.” Here’s the thing though; Phil Robertson comes out and says something odd, hateful, crazy and definitely not in the mainstream of modern Christianity. The Methodist bishop of Maine issues a statement saying something conciliatory and along the lines of how Robertson is misguided and that we don’t agree with him (meaning the Maine bishopric), and that he prays that Phil should come to a greater understanding of Christ’s love, etc… Do you think that’ll even make the news? And like **Measure for Measure** says, it’s unlikely that said bishop, if he said anything at all, would say anything inflammatory,particularly condemnatory, etc… It’ll be along the lines of praying for greater understanding, or finding Christ or whatever. I also agree that mainstream Christianity is NOT the same thing as the denominations that drive the millenials out. Those people are just the ones in the spotlight because they say and do absurd and crazy stuff. Mainstream Christianity is so… boring and mainstream that it isn’t newsworthy. What I find fascinating is that when I was younger (1980s), the big divide was Catholics vs. Protestants, with the non-mainstream groups looked at as kooks, weirdos and cults. Now it seems that it’s what used to be the kooks and cults vs. everyone else, with Catholics somehow having more in common with the Protestants than either of them do with the kooks, weirdos and cults. I love the idea of a mainstream, Protestant “Bill Nye the Science Guy” type. Someone very theologically sound, very personable, not ancient, and not afraid to call out non-mainstream positions, in a very Christian way. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/218 "2015-03-27T15:18:54Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Here’s the thing though; Phil Robertson comes out and says something odd, hateful, crazy and definitely not in the mainstream of modern Christianity. > > The Methodist bishop of Maine issues a statement saying something conciliatory and along the lines of how Robertson is misguided and that we don’t agree with him (meaning the Maine bishopric), and that he prays that Phil should come to a greater understanding of Christ’s love, etc… > > Do you think that’ll even make the news? Hell, no! Do you know why? News shows don’t read statements to their viewers. Now, if the Methodist Bishop of Maine personally contacted a few media agencies and said, “I would like to go on the air to address this immediately, either in an interview or just to state my case.”, he might get somewhere with it. In fact, the right time to do it would have been _before_ the breakfast took place-action is always better than reaction, and this is where the moderate Christians have fallen short in the past. It wouldn’t have been hard to show why Robertson was a bad choice to be a keynote speaker at a Christian breakfast, using past examples of his inane ramblings. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/219 "2015-03-27T16:38:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > …In fact, the right time to do it would have been _before_ the breakfast took place-action is always better than reaction, and this is where the moderate Christians have fallen short in the past. It wouldn’t have been hard to show why Robertson was a bad choice to be a keynote speaker at a Christian breakfast, using past examples of his inane ramblings. (post shortened) If you wish to complain about an issue, or a Robertson, you’re free to do so. But you keep demanding that someone else must complain about the issues you believe are a priority. Your priority. If you want to show why Roberson was a bad choice, go right ahead. Maybe you could make a list of the issues that you demand other people complain about, and people could check with you before forming their own opinions and priorities? Or not. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/220 "2015-03-27T16:48:36Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > (post shortened) > > If you wish to complain about an issue, or a Robertson, you’re free to do so. > > But you keep demanding that someone else must complain about the issues you believe are a priority. Your priority. He is making the case that mainstream Christians either agree with nutty fringe sentiment, or are complacent and therefore guilty of contributing to it’s consequences. Which seems fair, and you all seem to be dodging. So go ahead and say yet again \*you \*don’t personally agree with Robertson. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895.md?page=12)