It all started when I received an email from the president of a local conservative group here in New Braunfels, Texas. They were planning on protesting a church here that was promoting a “family friendly” drag show Saturday night. So, I thought I would go and show my support.
I was also curious. I wondered where did the concept of a “drag queen” come from anyway? “… in the 17th century when Shakespeare’s plays were first performed at the Globe Theatre in London, only men were allowed to take part in the productions, as they were in religious rites. So, when plays included female parts, the male actors would dress as women to fill the void.” (From an article by Bernadette Deron, published December 15th, 2018) Its said that some of the costumes they donned dragged along the stage floor as they performed Hence, “drag queens”. As whimsical a story as this is, it has a much more nefarious connotation today.
On May 6th, 2023, in New Braunfels Texas, Faith United Church of Christ hosted a “family friendly” drag show to benefit a local non-profit organization. The “Reverend” Dr. Carla Cheatham is the pastor there. Obviously, Rev. Carla, has never read nor likely cares about Duet 22:5 ” A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the LORD your God.” NKJV
Now it’s common knowledge that drag shows feature all male performers in scantily clad costumes that often expose male genitalia to the audience as they prance about the stage. Furthermore, they actually try and gets kids up on stage and teach them dance steps while telling them “It’s okay. It’s fun!”
It used to be that these performers were relegated to bars and strip clubs, neither of which permitted entrance to anyone under the age of 21. Not anymore. If not a church, it’s a public-school library. They call it, Drag Queen Story Hour.
While most anyone with an ounce of common sense knows perfectly well to keep their children shielded from such things, there is a drag on society to normalize it. (Pun intended) Many today will tell you it’s just an art form. It’s just entertainment. It’s all for fun. No, it isn’t. It’s an endeavor to rob our children of their innocence and sexually groom them. In short, it’s nothing short of demonic. I think John Milton put it best, “Innocence, once lost, can never be regained. Darkness, once gazed upon, can never be lost.” Make no mistake the enemy is after our children. He wants to corrupt them as early as possible and get them into a life of sin and bondage.
Woe to all adults who are enabling this sort of thing. Matt 18:6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” NKJV
There were actually parents, or I would assume them to be parents, that took their children to the drag show that night. I saw one toddler being carried by what I assumed to be her mother as they entered the church. And of course, there were no cameras permitted inside. Channel 12 TV news could only shoot outside in the parking lot. The promoters of the drag show did their best to try and put a positive spin on things when they spoke with the reporter. Why? If they really felt there’s nothing wrong, why not let everyone see it? After the performance, a group gathered in the parking lot and proceeded to sing “worship” songs. A few that I recognized were, “I can’t help it, I was born this way” by Lady Gaga, “Time after time” by Cindy Loper, and “Imagine” by George Harrison. A line in Imagine summed it all up for me; “Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try. No hell below us. Above us, only sky.” They can imagine all they want, the reality is there’s both, and a judgement day as well!
As I walked through the crowd of protestors I was mostly observing and praying silently to myself. It was obvious to me that there were different factions in among us. Some were holding flags and signs waving at the cars on the highway. Some were singing worship songs. Some were gathered praying. Still others had megaphones yelling and name calling such things as, “You fagots! You’re all going to go to Hell!” “Shame on you, you bunch of perverts!” A couple of the women there tried going up to a few of the men shouting these things saying, “guys this isn’t right. They already think we hate them….you’re not going to win anyone to see things differently this way.” One gruffly looking man, said, “good! I do hate them!” Look at what they’re doing with those children!” I stopped beside one young man, and he said to me, “Can you believe this? I said, “I know it’s hard to believe this is where we are now as a society”. Then he yelled, “look here!” and gave them the middle finger. To be honest with you, in my younger days I would have probably been one of those guys. However, now a good deal older and with a little more wisdom, that clearly is not how you represent Christ, no matter how right you think you are. After all, these people are in darkness. They don’t think what they’re doing is wrong. They’ve been given over to a “reprobate mind” (Rom 1:28-32) And justly so.
Soon after that last incident, I decided it was time to leave. As I was walking to my car, instead of feeling good that I helped protest against this Church’s blatant perversity, I felt that we didn’t really accomplish much. In fact, maybe quite the opposite. As misled as they were, they were all in one accord, while we were in fact divided. Additionally, by casting dispersions, often hatefully, we were only helping them make their case. I’m sure that they must have seen us as just a bunch of hate filled judgmental, religious people. And in part, at least, they’d be right. And this is precisely why so many of the lonely, the confused, the depressed, the down-trodden, along with the misfits in society, are attracted to groups such as these. How can we tell them they’re wrong about their morals if we’re wrong in our behavior towards them?
Would it have not been better if we were all in one accord while we demonstrated? In a Christ like manner? ” I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” I Cor 1:10 NIV
While this kind of perversity is a drag on society, some of the ways we respond is a drag on Christianity.