It’s interesting to see how those who speak the loudest about the need for inclusiveness, are often very exclusive themselves.
The most blatant example of this hypocrisy was shown recently by ESPN sports in announcing their firing of Curt Schilling. Here is their entire post:
ESPN Statement on Curt Schilling
By admin
Posted on April 20, 2016
ESPN is an inclusive company. Curt Schilling has been advised that his conduct was unacceptable and his employment with ESPN has been terminated.
http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2016/04/espn-statement-on-curt-schilling-5/
If it was an isolated case, you might just be able to smile at the two-facedness of ESPN officials, but this type of thing did not start with them. It is a problem in society that is getting worse and worse.
Dr. Eric Walsh, the Public Health Director for Pasadena, CA, was put on paid leave, and then eventually resigned over things he said in sermons given at a church. The City of Pasadena, in their press release regarding this, says this hypocritical statement: “The City organization is made up of many different people from all backgrounds, races, faiths, family makeup, gender orientation and political beliefs. The City holds diversity and inclusiveness as important values in the workplace and in our community.” http://www.cityofpasadena.net/EkContent.aspx?theme=Navy&id=8589937957&bid=2970&style=news Of course that “inclusiveness” doesn’t apply to Bible-believing Christians (or anyone who doesn’t hold to the doctrine of “inclusiveness”).
Almost immediately, Dr. Walsh received an offer from the state of Georgia to be a District Health Director. Everything was going well until the final background check, when some officials watched his sermons on youtube. The offer was withdrawn.
“First Liberty”, an organization that does legal work for people suffering religious discrimination, took on his case. This is what they say:
“Dr. Eric Walsh
State of Georgia fires public health official over sermons
Dr. Eric Walsh is an expert in public health with multiple advanced degrees. He has served as the director of the City of Pasadena’s Public Health Department, was appointed to President Obama’s Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDs and also served as an associate pastor for his church. In May 2014, the State of Georgia’s Department of Public Health hired Dr. Walsh as a District Health Director. But soon after Dr. Walsh accepted the offer, state officials asked him to submit recordings of his sermons for their review. After inspecting his sermons, they fired him. First Liberty Institute filed a lawsuit against the State of Georgia on behalf of Dr. Walsh because no one should be fired from his job for something he said in a sermon.”
It is sad to note that our (and his) own Seventh-day Adventist denomination did not choose to help him. Maybe they spent all their funds on helping that Muslim woman to wear a hijab at her job interview last year (http://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/%E2%80%8Badventist-church-sides-with-muslim-in-religious-freedom-case).
May we work to overthrow the intolerance of inclusiveness, and be like Jesus, our exclusive example.
