Out of touch political motives

Davon Gray
Published: September 14, 2008

Normally I don’t use my column for any partisan viewpoints so I won’t start now. I do apologize in advance if somehow my comments are misinterpreted as partisan because they are not meant to be.

However, I will defend the truth. Not because I am trying to manipulate someone’s views on a candidate but because I hate distortions.

With that said, I will begin. 

Last week I received an automated phone call paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Normally, I don’t listen to these calls, from either political party, but I beeped over
from another phone conversation. I was pretty frustrated when realizing I had clicked over for an automated message.

The recorded voice began: “Did you know that Keith Fimian, the Republican running for Congress supports an organization that says women must be submissive to men,” To paraphrase, the call went on
to give the name of some organization Mr. Fimian belong to and how his radical beliefs shouldn’t be allowed into the halls of Congress.

I told my wife about the call to see what she thought. The funny thing was, we both thought the same thing or should I say asked the same question. Hmmm, when was the last time we had heard of
something telling wives to submit to their husbands? Oh yes, it was the bible. And like with most things related to faith, political craft masters have found a way to take it out of context. 

So let me give you the full text of what the DCCC calls an extremist — out of touch — view:

“For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits
to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.”

“For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to
himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies.
For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.”

Now believe me, I am not trying to conduct a bible study here. Far be it for me to do so. But if you are going to use scripture to support your point of view at least give the full context for how the author (in
this case the word of God) wanted it used. Submission in these verses is referring to dual responsibilities in the role of a family. A wife submits to the authority of her husband as he is accountable and
submits to the authority of God. I guess these days when we want to redefine everything this type of thinking would be extreme.

I always love it when politicos, in both parties, talk about separating church and state until that separation benefits their motives. 

Again, this has little or nothing to do with Keith Fimian. Personally, I have never met him. But what the DCCC put out is a half truth — which, in my opinion, is a whole lie. More importantly, someone who
does not full know the context of these verses might misinterpret them and that could damage their faith or beliefs.  There are a few things more important than politics in the world. 

By the way, the name of the group Mr. Fimian belongs to, E5 Men, refers to Ephesians Chapter 5 (verses 22-29) which is where these bible verses come from. Apparently, this group focuses on men
praying and acting like what they should be: the head of their households. I never knew that could be a controversial issue.  But again, these days, I guess a man taking responsibility for his family is
extreme. 

Davon Gray works in Washington, D.C., and resides in Woodbridge. Contact him at .