A delightful children’s story warns not to give a mouse a cookie because the little critter will then want a glass of milk to go with it, then a straw, then a napkin, then a mirror to check for a milk moustache, and so on. The tale was apparently based on the Arab idiom about not letting a camel put his nose under the tent, because you will soon have the whole camel in the tent.
Which brings me inevitably to the current fad for “fairness”. In the mind of every active pressure group advocating for their perceived rightful place on the social map, fairness means getting everything they want – all their perceived and felt needs fulfilled – regardless of the impact on any other group not in their social orbit.
And once having achieved their initial goal the triumphant former pressure group now recognized as having a legitimate place in society will immediately begin to expand its needs, wants, and privileges, fiercely pushing for greater space, greater support, greater acceptance, and less harassment from rapidly shrinking legal and social restraints.
We see it happening at an alarming rate in Europe where newly arrived immigrant hordes who possess little social, moral or religious affinity with their adopted home countries have in one generation bent most of Europe towards their wants and their ways, all in the name of “fairness.”
The latest example, out of once “Great” Britain, is a proposal to severely restrict dog ownership by dog-loving natural born citizens because a rapidly growing cohort of recent immigrants views dogs as unclean animals.
Closer to home is a rapid expansion of recognition and acceptance afforded to what was once known as the homosexual community. At last count (possibly outdated by now) the community has expanded to include LGBTQQIP2SAA persons!
There is a remedy, of course, but given the state of modern society it may not be easy to offer and may not be well received, though it is potentially highly effective.
It is this: Christians who reverence God and respect their fellow man must be more pro-active and less fearful (though always meek and gentle, like their Savior), in presenting the Gospel to those amongst us who are aggressively pushing for their place in society but are blind to their need for an assured place in heaven, guaranteed by Jesus Christ.
Tell them about Him, the One despised and rejected, who never sought special status or unique privileges and never complained when He was tortured to death for us, in our place, so that we might live forever with Him.