Unfortunately, I fear we will never hear a response like this ever again from the homosexual community.  Why? Because they don’t just want the freedom to be homosexual.  They want approval of homosexuality.   And they will never feel that approval as long as people are allowed to disagree with them.

I knew this day was coming.

Duck Dynasty has achieved something no one would have thought possible a couple of years ago.  It is a show about a down-t0-earth country family that eats together, prays together, and hunts together.  They are a no-frills group whose wholesome outlook on life seems like a trip back to a long-forgotten time when parents actually taught their kids that “right” and “wrong” are not just personal preferences, and sex ought to happen in marriage.

Duck Dynasty is the anti-”Keeping up with the Kardashians.”  And millions and millions of people are loving it.

Thus, I knew it was only a matter of time before the Duck Dynasty phenomenon would run into the progressive culture of the American left.  Sooner or later the left would learn that these folks were Christians.  Sooner or later they would learn that they think homosexuality was a sin.  Sooner or later this was going to blow up.

Yesterday it did.   Phil Robertson, the head of the Duck Dynasty family, in an interview with GQ declared homosexuality to be a sin.  Gay-rights groups complained and called for him to be fired.  And A&E effectually fired him (what they call an “indefinite hiatus”).

Now, it should be noted that Robertson offered some graphic descriptions of body parts that were not necessary nor helpful.  It definitely didn’t serve his cause (nor the cause of Christ) to speak in such a crass manner.  However, the objection from various homosexual organizations was focused not on such language, but on his belief that homosexuality was sinful.

Of course, expressing religious views ought not to get a person fired. It didn’t have to happen like this.  In prior generations, when someone expressed their religious views, those who disagreed would still acknowledge that a person had a right to hold those views without being prosecuted and persecuted by the state or by anyone else.  It is a little thing called the freedom of religion.

My how things have changed.

Now, if you happen to express your own religious views, and happen to disagree with the radical homosexual agenda of our modern world, then you are threatened, intimidated, attacked and your livelihood is destroyed.

And ironically, all this bullying is done in the name of “tolerance.”  For a group that seems to use this word in every other sentence, it is remarkable that the homosexual community cannot see howintolerant they are being of anyone who might disagree.

The desire is not for dialogue.  The desire is to eliminate anyone who opposes them.

I might suggest an alternative response from the homosexual community that would embody the tolerance they say they value:

We here at GLAAD were disappointed to hear that Phil Robertson thinks homosexuality is a sin.  We disagree.  However, we acknowledge that he has the right to hold and proclaim these views, just as we have the right to hold and proclaim our views.  If we want Americans to be more tolerant of homosexuality, we could hardly accomplish that goal by being intolerant of others who disagree with us.  So, we want to say that we respect and tolerate Mr. Robertson’s views, even though we disagree with them.  We hope this attitude of mutual respect can allow for more dialogue and conversation about these important issues.

Unfortunately, I fear we will never hear a response like this ever again from the homosexual community.  Why? Because they don’t just want the freedom to be homosexual.  They want approval of homosexuality.   And they will never feel that approval as long as people are allowed to disagree with them.

So get ready.   As the federal government embraces the gay agenda, and the intolerant attitude that goes along with it, then we will no longer be living in the America we know.  The only way the government will be able to squash all dissent is to change from a country that loves freedom and to become a country that is totalitarian.

But there are always patriots in such circumstances.  Phil Robertson is one of them.

Dr. Michael Kruger is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America and President of RTS Charlotte where he also serves as a Professor of New Testament. This article first appeared in his blog, Canon Fodder, and is used with permission.