Chasing the Laser Dot

Anyone who has ever had a cat or has access to the Internet has likely seen any number of times that a cat will chase a laser dot. You know how it goes. That shiny spot drives them crazy. Everything else goes away and they must catch the dot ... which doesn't actually exist except as a single image. It's not a "thing". It's not like it has some substance they can use or that there is something they will gain by catching it. We use it with our cat to lure her out of the bedroom at night. It is a great way to distract any cat any time.

Or a Christian.

Consider, for instance, the abortion question. Our position is simple -- human life is valuable. It is worth protecting and saving. We are in favor of human life. In comes the laser dot. "Oh? Well, what about cases of rape?" Do you see how that is not part of the question? Do you see how it does not address the issue? And if you can answer, however you answer, you will not have gained anything of substance. "What about a woman's right to choose???" Another laser dot. Not the point. Not at issue. "So you don't care about women's health issues??!!" Still not the point. Still a distraction intended to offer you something where you think if you can meet their requirements you can gain a foothold without realizing you're chasing a laser dot.

Or how about the whole homosexuality question? We'll take our stand on Scripture. Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Romans, Corinthians, Timothy -- it is abundantly clear to anyone who wishes to read it that the Bible has a singular stand on the subject, and it's not favorable. That particular behavior is a sin, something that God considers abominable, depraved, worthy of damnation. And in comes the laser dot to lure you off subject. "But if they're born that way, doesn't that mean that God made them that way and it's good?" The premise is questionable and the question is horrible and we still chase it down as if it's something, as if it is substantive, as if we can gain something by answering it. Or, perhaps just as popular these days, "My son/daughter/aunt/nephew is gay." As if the fact that it's a relative will alter Scripture or God's opinion. "Oh, well," God booms from heaven, "I never thought about it in those terms. Thanks for clearing that up for Me. I've changed My mind. It's not abominable." But we'll chase the dot anyway, trying to satisfy the objections of people intent only on distracting us from the starting point.

Close behind that is the whole "gay marriage" lunacy. It's lunacy because it is now in the Supreme Court and part of the laws of some of our states and it doesn't exist. All biblical references to marriage are in terms of male and female. No biblical references to marriage include same-sex couples. All biblical references to same-sex sexual relations indicate that it is morally abhorrent. No biblical reference offers a positive statement. Beyond that, all of human history and all of Church history has held that marriage is the union of a man and a woman as the fundamental component of any society. So what is the laser dot being thrown our way? "Marriage equity." It's even on church signs. "Marriage equality is for everyone." What? In what world does that make sense? No one actually believes that. But instead of standing your ground on the standard, universal, historical, biblical definition of marriage, we're required to chase down this new laser dot and explain why we're opposed to equal protection and equity. No explanation will serve to satisfy that demand except to give up history, tradition, and Scripture. Any stance on history, tradition, and Scripture is labeled hateful and anti-something. But here we are, still chasing that dot.

Christianity itself is full of these distractions. Take a stand for Christianity and you will surely be thrown, for instance, the errors of Christians. "Oh, my parents were Christians and they did horrible things." "Oh, yeah? What about the whole Crusades thing? How do you defend Christianity for that?" "Really? You think Christianity is a good thing? How can you even associate yourself with those hateful Westboro Baptist folk and their hateful ways?" Everyone, even genuine Christians, it seems, has an anecdote of what Christians done them wrong. And it's a laser dot. A distraction. Something without substance which, when caught, evaporates in your hands without any aid to your cause. None of it detracts from Christianity and no answers can explain why things done counter to Christ should make people view Christianity in a positive light. Because it's not Christianity. And then there's that whole exclusivity thing. "How can you possibly say that yours is the only way???!!!" Okay, well, maybe that's not as much of a laser dot issue. I mean, it's a fact. And the only rational one. Still, the question isn't offered on the basis of genuine curiosity. It is offered as a distraction, a laser dot, to make you chase down another empty target while they lead you out of the Gospel and into a pointless debate.

Are there answers to these dots? Sure. Are there people who genuinely want answers? I suppose. A few. But you must realize that for the vast majority of the times you are asked to discuss these issues, you are being played. These are distractions, smoke screens, laser dots. You'll diligently and with all your might chase down this exciting new thing and, with both hands wrapped tightly around the point, find you've run out on the actual issue to pursue things without substance whose actual answers don't persuade anyone. Just like my cat ... who now finds herself locked out of the bedroom just before bed time. Sigh. Again.