As you’ve no doubt heard, southern California is burning.  Again.

I mentioned earlier the sobering reality of having seen such fires in person.  Watching the news feeds today brought it all back, again being reminded how fire is the great equalizer caring not a whit whether it rips through a mobile home park or multi-million dollar mansions.  The words of Christ (“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”) are seldom more painfully clear than at such moments.  And before anyone says “what kind of ‘loving’ God does that to His creation,” read the whole passage from which the above comes:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Which demonstrates the need of all for a perfect Savior since no one by themselves ever has acheived, is acheiving, or will acheive the necessary perfection to enter the presence of perfect God.  But I digress; back to southern California.

Other than the fires, the main news story emanating from SoCal today was how it along with other locations across the land have been the site of demonstrations against the recently passed ballot initiative in California (a/k/a Proposition 8 ) banning gay marriage.  Why these protests are taking place now instead of what would have been a slightly more logical time — like, say, before the election when they could have at least in theory influenced the vote — escapes me.  But how often do such protests make sense?

The issue of gay marriage aside, as I’ve previously outlined my thoughts on the subject, these protests have two deep flaws running throughout their being.  One is the fact they are little more than large scale after the fact temper tantrums.  The election is over.  Prop 8 passed.  Sorry you don’t like it, but that’s the way it goes in elections.  Your side doesn’t always win.  I’m decidedly less than enthralled over John McCain not being our next President.  But neither I nor anyone else who voted for him are out in the streets every day demanding a do-over.  Why?  No matter how strongly we may disagree with the majority vote, we respect the process and the outcome.  None of the current antics are going to change how the vote went.  And by the way, yelling at Mormons and vandalizing churches isn’t winning over any converts to the cause.

Second, the protests show a fundamental disregard for the will of the majority.  Twice in California the voters have voted in favor of a proposition defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman.  Period.  You have every right to disagree with this.  But not once, but twice the majority of voting Californians have stated their preference.  If you don’t like it, try changing people’s minds in lieu of trying to bend the law into something that conforms to your will and whim.

Public pouting isn’t the way to go and legal hijinks will earn you nothing but enmity.  Try spending your time in a more profitable pursuit that will generate good will, thus gaining you a more sympathetic audience…

… like, say, providing direct assistance to victims of the fires currently raging in this state.