Daily Encouragement

Monday, February 5, 2024

Our neighbor Doug has quite an eye for photography and calls his photo collection God's Eyes Photography!

"Normalizing Deviancy"

Message summary: Let us determine that we will resist the word's imposed deviancies and conformity and rather commit ourselves to holiness, obedience and “be very careful how we live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (see Ephesians 5:15,16).

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“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32).

Today’s message is based on an experience I (Stephen) had this last Saturday. It's absolutely true, although it would be good satire.

Every two months Brooksyne and I donate blood at the Central PA Blood Bank which brings "bloodmobile" buses to our local hardware store parking lot. In fact Brooksyne just got her four gallon certificate in the mail last week which reflected on her giving over the past twenty two years here in Lancaster County. She was surprised to see how much she had given since she has periodically been turned away because of her low iron level.

Donating to the blood bank includes a series of questions attempting to protect the blood supply. For the last 30 years or so they have included some very frank questions about sexual practices due to the ever increasing promiscuity and deviance in our world. Most at least make sense in regard to the purpose of the questions in keeping the blood supply safe though for first time givers it might make you red in the face due to the graphic language used to probe one's sexual behavior.

But Saturday I was asked a question by the female questioner I've never heard in my 69 years on this planet. She actually asked me, "Are you pregnant?" I looked at her flabbergasted and said, "I'm not going to answer such an insane question".

I immediately recognized this was one of those "woke" questions. Several years ago we donated at the Red Cross and they asked Brooksyne and me both (separate interviews, of course) if we were a man or woman. We usually give through the Central PA Blood Bank and have not usually been subject to this idiocy.

Well the rascal comes out in me and I asked the girl if her question was based on my pot belly and she assured me it wasn't and that they had to ask everybody. As I laid down on the recliner to give blood I asked the man across from me if they had asked him if he was pregnant and sure enough they had. This was rather amusing to the women donating since they were not aware that we men had been asked this.

So I had to seek to find the basis of asking such a question. In my pursuit of truth I found out this has been going for awhile (several years) in some places, it seems beginning in the UK and then Canada. (Links below).

The only basis I could find for the question was that it is intended to "promote inclusiveness”, whatever that means. In reality the purpose is to normalize deviancy.

A key theme in George Orwell’s totalitarian classic, 1984, was the ruling party conditioning the citizenry to ignore what they saw with their own eyes if those observations clashed with the interests of the party. In turn, the book detailed example after example of how this was enacted (e.g., citizens were expected to state with conviction “2+2=5”) and how again and again, they forced themselves to deny ever having believed something they had previously espoused with complete fervor for the ruling party. Orwell termed this cognitive process "doublethink". *

Biblically speaking, this can be expressed in Paul's timeless charge to believers in Romans 12:2, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect".

The purpose of the insane question, "Are you pregnant?" directed to men is to instill conformity with the world.

Similar to the vague expression "promoting inclusiveness" is the typical sense "celebrate diversity” is used in the sense of celebrating depravity. Depravity is a word often used in a theological context referring to “the innate corruption of human nature due to original sin”. We are all depraved by nature as “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In a more general sense depravity means “moral corruption; wickedness”. Synonyms include corruption, vice, perversion, deviance, degeneracy, immorality.

God’s Word specifies behavior that is declared righteous and that which is considered evil. Certainly one of the dominant sins of our age is sexual immorality. Each generation has dealt with this, including all thorough the Bible period. We have some notable examples of victory such as Joseph who resisted Potiphar’s wife’s advances and we have candid examples of failure such as King David who committed adultery with Bathsheba. The apostle Paul urges sexual purity in this simple command, “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18).

But in our age so many of the traditional standards and restraints of morality have been cast aside so that we are now flooded with immorality that is more deviant than ever before. Year by year these deviancies become more and more bizarre such as the demonic notion of men pretending to be a woman and vice versa, genetics and biology notwithstanding.

The apostle Paul in Romans 1 makes a sweeping panorama of the human condition. The NIV begins the section from Romans 1:18-32 with this heading, “God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity”. It’s a graphic description of the sinfulness of the human race.

He notes, in regard to those participating in various sins including sexual immorality and perversions, that “they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:32). Indeed many in our society at the present time not only approve but often idolize and celebrate those who practice them.

Let us determine that we will celebrate holiness, obedience and “be very careful how we live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (see Ephesians 5:15,16).

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, we read in Romans 1 that Your wrath is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness, that although they know Your righteous decree they do such things deserving of death, and they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. We are understanding this passage more clearly as we see deviancy celebrated and people who boast of their deviant lifestyles as champions of the “courageous frontier" where darkened hearts are hailed as those who have arrived to "enlighten" those who have drawn their standards from the Holy Bible. We’re also witnessing many who have exchanged Your truths as presented in Scripture for the lies presented by mortal and sinful humanity. We do battle daily with the lawless one so we choose to suit up in the Christian armor that will protect us from the continual assaults from the enemy as we uphold the standards set forth in Your Holy Word. Amen

* From this article.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

Here are two articles I found about male blood donors being asked if they are pregnant.

Red Cross asks male blood donors if they are pregnant

Man denied giving blood after refusing to answer if he was pregnant

The comments (at least the ones I read) are overwhelmingly negative concerning being asked a question like this such as this one "The ministry of propaganda is strong on this one". One with a sense of humor suggested asking for a pregnancy test. I may try that if I am subjected to the question again!

Here's a good challenge: Stand for what is worthy, no matter the cost

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