Responding to the Duck Dynasty/A&E Brouhaha

Well, I can't say I didn't think the social media frenzy today over Phil Robertson's suspension by A&E TV was coming when I saw the release last night.  Within an hour of the "news" of his suspension, my Facebook timeline was being littered with posts of outrage - some that was simply grievous, some that was venomous.  It is a little predictable.  Whenever an organization or group with a non-biblical worldview attacks those with a supposedly "Christian" and biblical worldview lately, it creates quite a storm, especially on the shark-infested waters of social media where most people are reactionary and lack a filter they might otherwise have.

I will save most of my thoughts about the controversy to personal and private conversations instead of using blogs and social media as an electronic version of the National Enquirer.  I do think that situations like this call for a response from Christians.  However, I think that response should be measured, thoughtful, Christ-like, and gospel-centered.  I think that we should naturally feel an outrage whenever someone from a Christian perspective is censured just for stating his personal beliefs that are based on the authority and sufficiency of God's word.

I also think that today, we as Christians, should feel a similar angst that over 2 billion people on our planet have no access to the gospel while the fat and lazy church in America sits comfortably in our la-z-boys eating Cheetos and hoping that Phil, Willie, Si, and Jase are the vehicle of gospel transference to the world. We should feel the same level of outrage that millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted, tortured, maimed, and killed while we bemoan a Christian who has been dropped from a show on a network that has openly supported LGBT causes.  I am not saying that we shouldn't be upset at any level of persecution against believers, but let's keep that persecution in perspective.  I am pretty sure that the 2 billion without access to the gospel and the millions of persecuted brothers and sisters in India, North Africa, and the Middle East really don't know who Phil Robertson is nor care that he's been canned from a show where he made millions of dollars.

With that in mind, I've listed below a few links to some Christian bloggers I read who have said some good things about how we, as Christians who are aliens and strangers in this world, should respond:

You Have Been Warned - the Duck Dynasty Controversy by Al Mohler. Very grateful for Al's wisdom and timely response, as always.

Duck Dynasty? by Russell Moore.  Russ is the president of the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and a great public spokesman for Christian causes.

"Duck Dynasty": Let's Deal in Real Reality by Jared Wilson.  I always appreciate how Jared has the ability to keep the gospel in the center and offers timely and wise words.

Duck Dynasty Prediction by Denny Burk. Another timely word and some thoughts about what might happen next.

This Is Not Worth Quacking About by David Mathis.  This post from Desiring God will probably anger some Christians who want to be up in arms about this whole mess. I don't agree with everything Mathis concludes, but his word of caution might be worth listening to.

Ultimately, let's remember that there is a more important conversation as Christians that we need to have with the lost world around us than whether or not we are free to express our opinions on national TV or in secular publications. Let's not lose the real conversation in the dust-up of this present one.