Lots (and I mean LOTS!) of chatter going on in the blogosphere about CPL Sanchez and his past. He has come to light recently because of his activity at Columbia University advocating military rights, and most recently because of his appearance at CPAC to receive the Jeane Kirkpatrick Academic Freedom Award.
Because of Ann Coulter's ill-considered remarks about John Edwards, and because of CPL Sanchez' past in the pr0n industry, the liberal machine is up in arms, crying, "Oh, the hypocrisy!"
Now, I do not presume to know CPL Sanchez' state of salvation, but he is nevertheless an excellent example of the wonderful redemption and restoration found in Christ. Several far more eloquent bloggers have already commented on this, so I will link and quote them, with the encouragement to you to go read the linked articles.
If you're not among those of us who believe that homosexuality is a sin or otherwise wrong, then there's no issue there, is there? So he was a gay pr0n actor/prostitute, so what? If you really believe that there's nothing wrong with homosexuality, then why on Earth do you have your knickers in a wad because of what you learned of CPL Sanchez's past or, for that matter, his present?
And if you ARE among those of us who believe in Scripture, I must repeat myself: What's the big hairy deal? It's in his past, isn't it, but perhaps all of those of you out there unwilling to consider that would care to tell us all that you don't have anything in your pasts that wouldn't pass Scriptural scrutiny? If so, I have only two options: You're either lying or you're the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Guess which one I'll have to lean towards.
We're all sinners. If we weren't, there'd have been precious little point in the Son of G-d coming down here to die for our sins, or did I misunderstand something in church?
We're all sinners, and we're all taught that through repentance and change we can make up for that. We have to repent and change, forgiveness isn't free, but it's there, for all of us. All is forgiven, go forth and sin no more.
And isn't that exactly what CPL Sanchez has done? Not only has he repented of his ways, he has worked hard to remove himself from them and make himself a better man, and I dare say with quite a bit of success too. Even if he were still actively gay, it would make no difference. Do we hate the sin, or do we hate the sinner? You all know the answer to that question already.
Bryan at Hot Air says:
For our friends on the left who will tar the entire conservative movement over the past of one man, you'd do well to consider something that GayPatriotWest reminded me of -- at the heart of the Christian story is a prostitute, Mary Magdalene. At the heart of the New Testament is a book called Corinthians, in which Paul describes some of the early Christians thus:
Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
"…and such were some of you…" He's talking to some of the first Christians. Those people had histories. But change is possible. Based on his actions at Columbia and in joining the Marines, I'd say that change has happened.
SeeDubya at Junkyard Blog says: (UPDATE: Yikes! I forgot to blockquote this! Sorry, SeeDubya!)
... Redemption is a Christian doctrine, and an American doctrine, and a conservative doctrine as well: making the best of what you have instead of insisting on perfection. Perfection is a myth. Perfection is the enemy of the good. All men, and all institutions, and all human doctrines, are deeply flawed and twisted, but we must do the best we can with them.
To understand American conservatives, even those who aren't themselves Christian, you need to understand Christianity--not as it appears in vicious stereotypes and smears on left-wing blogs, but as it is really preached and practiced and understood. As I am fond of pointing out, a lively Christian faith is actually a great defense for American liberty, and a firewall against ideological zeal and extremism. And as seen in the response to the revelations about Cpl. Sanchez, it keeps us human.
As for those who outed him and had this blow up in their face, I pray they look at Chuck Colson's example and take it to heart. There's more to being human than just scoring political points.
And CPL Sanchez has this to say for himself (see page 2):
Porn reduces the mind and flattens the soul. I don't like it. That's not hypocrisy talking; that's just experience. I sometimes think of myself, ironically, as a progressive: I started off as a liberal but I progressed to conservatism. Part of that transformation is due to my time in the industry. How does a conservative trace his roots to such distasteful beginnings? I didn't like porn's liberalism. In porn, everything taboo is trivialized and everything trivial is magnified.
Being in the adult entertainment industry was sort of like being in a cult, and like all followers of a cult, I have a difficult time figuring out when I stopped believing in the party line. I can tell you, though, that by the time I finished my brief tour of the major studios, I was pretty disgusted with myself. It was an emotional low, and the people who surrounded me were like drug dealers interested only in being with the anesthetized in order not to shake off the stupor of being high.
Why did I become a conservative? Just look at what I left, and look at who is attacking me today. Let's face it: Those on the left who now attack me would be defending me if I had espoused liberal causes and spoken out against the Iraq war before I was outed as a pseudo celebrity. They'd be talking about publishing my memoir and putting me on a diversity ticket with Barack Obama. Instead, those who complain about wire-tapping reserve the right to pry into my private life and my past for political brownie points.
I agree with SeeDubya when he says that he doesn't believe that the Left understands redemption. It is true that they seem to laud those who wallow in extreme and sinful behavior, and see no reason that a person entangled in such base sin should want to be free of it. They do not see the harm, the pain, and the brokenness that infests the lives of people who are slaves to sin, and they cannot comprehend the joys of a life as a slave to righteousness, a life lived in peace and service and humbleness.
Instead, they attack people who have turned away from sin and are doing their best to overcome it in their lives. When those people stumble in their walk, they are vilified and ridiculed... for being human! Which of us is without fault? Which of us can truly look back on yesterday and confidently say that they lived a perfect day without mistakes and without selfishness?
CPL Sanchez shows the active redemption of a true penitent: He has seen the sin in his life, and he has turned away from it in disgust. He is now living a transformed life: evidence of his change. He hasn't spouted off a superficial apology or mea culpa and gone back to his own vomit, as so many of our "powerful, influential, and admired" celebrities do.
Again, I do not know whether CPL Sanchez is a Christian. I pray that he is, because I know that it is only with God's sustaining power in his life that he will be able to continue his walk in righteousness with grace and wisdom. I hope and pray that he is an example of a new creation in Christ.
I thank CPL Sanchez for his example of a changed life, and for his courage and dedication in blessing his country with his honorable service. I pray that G-d blesses and keeps him, that He shines His face upon him, that He lifts him up and places his feet upon the Solid Rock.
My home, my family, my prayers, and my friendship are at his service whenever he needs them.
I mean that with my whole heart.
-- I agree with SeeDubya when he says that he doesn't believe that the Left understands redemption. --
The Left, whether or not it understands redemption, cannot afford politically to concede the validity of the concept. It's at odds with the Left's assumption of its innate moral superiority. That superiority licenses Leftists to say or do anything they think will further their cause.
Like 007's "licence to kill," that privilege must be reserved for the indisputably worthy. If one can conceivably become worthy without adopting Leftist opinions and attitudes, it will break their monopoly on their most cherished possession. So that degree of moral superiority must remain the exclusive property of their political family, never to be conferred on a non-Leftist...which contradicts the notion that one who is determined to remain outside Leftist ranks can possibly improve in any substantive way.
Posted by: Francis W. Porretto | March 08, 2007 at 05:34 PM