An open letter to Phil Robertson of 'Duck Dynasty':
Dear Mr. Robertson:
Thank you for your remarks as printed in Gentleman's Quarterly magazine presenting your views of homosexuality, bestiality, race and religion. I am grateful to learn that you are not, as I had once hoped and trusted, above the fray.
Thank you for demonstrating, beyond any reasonable doubt, that bigotry and prejudice, wrapped in a flaky, Christian crust, can dispel any misunderstandings or misconceptions about the values you and your family so carefully display to the world every Wednesday on A&E.
Thank you for descending, so vividly and so completely, into that maelstrom of celebrity that seeks only to offend and to distress, but not to edify or to uplift.
Thank you for destroying the camouflaged pedestal upon which I placed you, for it was done by my own folly; my eyes have now been opened, and now, I see the Light.
And because of this, I now thank you for correcting, and clarifying, my beliefs, my faith and my trust in God. Not in you, Mr. Robertson. In GOD.
Mr. Robertson, you are as entitled to your personal opinion and your personal statement of faith as any other American; it is our right, as written in our Constitution. Nor are you disqualified from practicing your faith as you see fit; your religious freedoms are guaranteed by that same document.
Mr. Robertson, you may be interested to know that I enjoyed your program, very much, to the continued astonishment and derision of my friends, colleagues and family.
"How can you watch that show; it's about a bunch of rednecks...!"
"I can't believe you watch something that trashy."
And so on, and so forth.
Yes, I once watched your program. And, I once enjoyed it, immensely.
Do you know why, Mr. Robertson?
It was not because of the hunting, or the duck calls, or anything else, although I remain enamoured of the outdoors, and spending as much time in the woods as I possibly can.
I enjoyed your program because you and your family presented good, solid Christian values, and practised them; you focused on your family, and you supported each other. You thanked the Lord for His blessings at every meal, and you preached the Word of God.
Yes, Mr. Robertson, I enjoyed your program, for precisely those reasons.
And now, this.
Thank you, Mr. Robertson, for reminding me that it is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man ( The Book of Psalms, 118:8; KJV; Cambridge Edition ).
Thank you, Mr. Robertson, for reminding me to trust not in a friend, nor to put my confidence in a guide, and to keep the doors of my mouth from her who lieth in my bosom ( The Book of Micah, 7:5; KJV; Cambridge Edition ).
Mr. Robertson, thank you for presenting your Christian bigotry, your Christian prejudice, your Christian homophobia and your Christian racism. Thank you for presenting yourself as you truly are. A hypocrite. A bigot. A homophobe, and a racist.
Mr. Robertson, do not label yourself a Christian; you are not in least bit like Christ. Not one camouflaged, red-neck, white-trash bit.
Would Jesus do what you have done, or say what you have said?
I don't think so.
Good day to you, sir.
Sanjay R Singhal, RA