You don’t want to accidentally get involved with a hate group, right? Well, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) wants to ensure you don’t. That’s why the liberal-leaning organization, which is known for tracking civil rights abuses and hate crimes, published a handy list you can reference.
Unfortunately, their classification of “hate group” includes Christian organizations who espouse the traditional, Biblical belief in marriage and family. A well-known and respected Christian organization, Alliance Defending Freedom, made the list for being “anti-LGBT,” despite the fact that they have no record violence or discrimination.
Now, CNN has republished SPLC’s list, which originally came out earlier this year, causing it to appear more legit than it is. It’s common practice these days for progressive outlets to characterize any group with traditional Biblical beliefs in marriage this way. But it’s dangerous to perpetuate this myth that ADF and other Christian organizations are “hate groups,” as it may actually invite and incite violence against them.
Not long ago, the Family Research Council, a group that believes in traditional marriage, could have suffered mass casualties when a man burst into their office looking to kill those he considered part of a “hate group” against the LGBT community. Thankfully, he was stopped before he could do much damage, but it’s anyone’s guess when someone will strike again.
As my former colleague and a former ADF employee, David French, wrote recently:
“Let’s be clear. The Southern Poverty Law Center…has become a dangerous joke. It’s a joke because the very idea that Christians are members of a ‘hate group’ merely because they advocate for orthodox Christian principles and the liberty to live those principles is so intellectually and ideologically bankrupt that it’s barely worth addressing.
Indeed, I’d encourage you to read the SPLC’s information page on the Alliance Defending Freedom. It consists of a collection of quotes where ADF attorneys explain the implications of an unrestrained sexual revolution on religious liberty, and it details how ADF files cases to protect the First Amendment rights of its clients. That’s it. No violence. No hate. Mere Christianity.”
It’s unfortunate the SPLC can’t respect the religious beliefs of Christians, the majority religion in the United States — though I’d also remind them that Judaism, Islam and other major religions also adhere to a traditional belief in marriage between a man and woman.
Believing that God designed relationships and marriage to be between a man and woman doesn’t give license to anyone of any religion to hate, discriminate, promote or provoke violence. Indeed they shouldn’t and most people don’t. If anyone is promoting hate in this situation, it’s the SPLC against Christians.