Children’s books rarely generate controversy and bitter anger. As well the Lincoln Journal Star rarely dedicates an exhaustive review to a children’s book as it did Saturday, July 20.
What caused this reaction? The title of the book in question is "God Made Dad and Mom," by Amber Dee Parker. The reason for debate is the current challenged belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. Parker’s traditional viewpoint of marriage stands in sharp contrast to the raucous, bitter dispute over same-sex marriage. Drawing on the traditional Judeo-Christian understanding of the Old and New Testament, Parker emphasizes that sexual relations between members of the same sex are sinful. Because of this, same-sex ‘marriage’ is always morally harmful.
The book begins with young Michael getting up and going to eat breakfast with his parents. He lives in a biracial family and the mother and father love Michael and each other. Michael’s dad tells him that he is going to give him a surprise after school, which fills the child with excitement.
At school, Michael’s teacher, Ms. Kenzie teaches a lesson based on Genesis 1:27: "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them." This makes Michael anxious to grow up so that he can become a man like his father. After school, Michael’s father takes him to the zoo and they view various groups of animals together. The male and female animals live together in families with their young. The adult animals protectively walk toward Michael when he gets too close to their young.
As they continue their walk, the father begins telling Michael that God has a plan for everyone’s life. He states that marriage is the natural plan God has for men and women. Then he tells the child that some people do not get married but serve God through the single life. The single state is a holy state as well since these people strive to love and serve God in this world. He then tells Michael that two men or two women being married is contrary to God’s law. The father tells his son that some couples can’t have children naturally and choose to adopt children. Michael then asks his dad if he was adopted, and he is told that he was. His father explains that he and his wife couldn’t have children so they adopted Michael. When Michael tells his father that his friend Jimmy has two dads, his father explains that Jesus came to earth to forgive sins. He tells the son that Jimmy’s two dads can be forgiven for the sin of being together (in effect, homosexual marriage). They pray for Jimmy and his two dads and ask that they be forgiven for their sins. With this, they go home.
This book has created a firestorm on the Internet. There are some 275 book reviews on Amazon, most of which are filled with venom, anger and hatred. I was stunned when I began reading them. This book would not even have raised an eyebrow 30 years ago. Today it is being decried as hate speech, and efforts are being made to ban the title. Same-sex marriage seems to be one of the defining issues of our times. The Catholic Church and other Christian denominations do not condemn those who have homosexual inclinations. It is the acting out of these inclinations that are sinful. While many apologists for same-sex marriage try to spin biblical passages to support their belief in homosexual marriage, a normal reading of the verses repudiates these attempts.
All of us need to pray for Amber Parker and also for those opposed to traditional marriage. In the end we must seek the truth in Christ. But like St. Paul, we must "preach the Gospel in season and out." (2nd Tm. 4:2 ) If the virulence of these book reviews is any indication, a time of persecution may not be far off.
