A friend of mine received a forwarded message from a pastor urging all Christians to rise up in prayer against the passage of the SOGIE bill. We both had the same bubble thought: Where was this sense of urgency when tens and thousands of our fellow countrymen, mostly the poor and defenseless, were being killed by the very people sworn to protect us? Where was the call for unity in prayer when the president admits to his “only sin” of extrajudicial killings? Why is there no concern over presidential misogyny that is justified as something that people are used to by now and is received “with hearty laughter” because he “probably (wants) to make everybody happy?”

What is it about EJK that makes it okay for the church to be divided? Why is being silent equated to obedience to Romans 13:1-5? Why is claiming to be neutral an acceptable response just because we do not wish to offend members of our congregation? Why would followers of God be offended if we object to rape jokes and murder in the first place?

So let’s say SOGIE becomes law. Does this mean the church will now have to “subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established?” And what if we have members who do support SOGIE, will we start claiming to be neutral for fear of offending them?

“Because they are now affected directly,” lamented my friend.

Perhaps he is right. The threat of following our religious convictions which might lead to being penalized monetarily or jailed can bring out that sense of urgency in us, in our comfortable, air-conditioned homes and churches. Another friend recently posted: “All due respect, but it’s hard to give credence to a preacher who speaks so much against SOGIE but says nothing about EJK.” I fear the church has painted itself to the corner of irrelevance when it matters the most.