Heaven! What does the Bible say about heaven. You can experience the peace and joy of really knowing. Regularly Scheduled Events Sunday Sunday School          9:30-10:15  All Ages Worship Service          10:30-11:30  Nursery Provided Communion Service The First Sunday of Each Month Monday Evening Ladies Bible Study meets here at church. For more information see Teri McDowell: call 815-993-2465 or Email Wednesday Evening Kids’ Klub     6:15-7:30   Ages K- 5th grade Prayer Meeting     6:30-7:15  Have special needs or prayer requests call Pastor Phil Rodrick: 815-757-8987 or    Email Saturday Mens Fellowship meets the first Saturday of each month here at Church at 8am. Good food...Good time! Coming So Much for Tolerance Ken Connor Center for a Just Society One of the hallmarks of contemporary Liberalism is an  embrace of multiculturalism. A truly progressive society, so  the thinking goes, is one in which people from all walks of  life - all racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds -  can coexist harmoniously, even though they have radically  different world views and conflicting notions about how to  order themselves in society. Inculcating a spirit of  multiculturalism in our children has become a top priority in  America's schools. It is important, we've decided, for young  people to learn tolerance at an early age: You may not look  the same, or act the same, or believe the same as your  neighbor, but you should nonetheless treat him with respect  and dignity as a fellow human being. America's strength lies  in her diversity, after all. In recent years, however, the notion  of what it means to be "tolerant" has changed radically.  There was a time when tolerance meant just that: tolerance. I  may not agree with my neighbor's religious beliefs, or  lifestyle choices, or cultural mores, but as a law abiding,  dignified citizen I tolerated these differences in a peaceable  manner. My neighbor would extend me the same courtesy. If  the occasion arose, say, come election season, we might  engage in a lively discussion of our differences, debating the  merits of each person's views. Today, however, a new  understanding of tolerance reigns: I must not merely respect  my neighbor's right to think and act differently from me, I  must embrace, celebrate, and promote my neighbor's way of  life, even if that means repudiating my own values in the  process. Turns out, Liberals aren't as keen on  multiculturalism as they claim. Their views might be best  described as "Our- culturalism." The tenets of our-  culturalism are quite simple: Our worldview is right, good,  and absolutely necessary for a just society. Those who  disagree with us are not merely wrong, not merely different,  they are a positive threat - hatemongers who must be isolated  and ostracized for the greater good of society. So it is with  the issue of homosexuality, and the conflict between the  homosexual lifestyle and those who espouse a traditional  understanding of marriage and family. Homosexual activists  have said for years that all they want is tolerance, but it has  become increasingly clear that mere tolerance is not enough.  They want their lifestyle to be endorsed by society and  affirmed through civil law. Enter the fast food chain Chick-  Fil-A. According to a recent article in the New York Times,  the restaurant's Christian roots have many homosexuals torn  between their love of southern fried comfort fare and their  sexual identity: A Pennsylvania outlet's sponsorship of a  February marriage seminar by one of that state's most  outspoken groups against homosexuality lit up gay blogs  around the country. Students at some universities have also  begun trying to get the chain removed from campuses. The  donation has some fans cheering and others forcing  themselves to balance their food desires against their  personal beliefs. "Does loving Chick-fil-A make you a bad  gay?" said Rachel Anderson of Berkeley, Calif. "Oh, golly,  human beings have an amazing capacity to justify a lot of  things." Ms. Anderson has been with her partner for 15  years. They married in California during the brief period  when same-sex marriage was legal in 2008. They have 7-  year-old twins. A visit to her spouse's family in North  Carolina always includes a trip to the chicken chain. But as  she learns more about the company, Ms. Anderson is  wavering about where to eat when they travel to Charlotte in  April. "I'm going to have to sit with this a little bit," she said.  The recent controversy prompted the President of Chick-Fil-  A to issue a statement on the company's Facebook page:  Heartfelt hospitality is at the core of Chick-Fil-A. We want a  welcome and comforting environment for all of our guests,  and this commitment is a daily focus. Some recent events  have called into question the principles of Chick-Fil-A, and  speak directly to the heart of our organization. . . . Let me be  clear: Chick-Fil-A serves all people, and values all people. In  this statement, Dan T. Cathy articulates a core tenet of his  Christian faith: Each and every person is made in the image  of God, and therefore possesses inherent worth, value, and  dignity. This principle ensures that every Chick-Fil-A  customer will be treated graciously and with respect,  regardless of his or her sexual orientation or anything else.  Unfortunately this isn't good enough for the proponents of  our-culturalism. So long as the company and its employees  embrace the Christian faith, they will be labeled as an  intolerant force of hatred. Given the recent focus on a need  for renewed civility in public discourse, it is unfortunate that  some within the homosexual community are attempting to  stir up rancor and controversy where none need exist - that  the same people who hold themselves up as defenders of  tolerance are so intolerant themselves that they would  destroy the good name and reputation of a respected business  because of a disagreement over sexual morality. So much for  tolerance.   Ken Connor is an attorney and co-author of "Sinful Silence:   When Christians Neglect Their Civic Duty"   He is also Chairman of the Center for a Just Society. Publication date: February 14, 2011                                       Home