Headwinds in the studio
How Christian Viewpoints Are Under Fire on Talk Shows
I watch the talk shows on Dutch television with growing astonishment. Whether it’s *Eva* or *Pauw en de Wit*, I keep hearing the same message. It is the perspective of a world that turns against God’s principles. This week, there’s been a lot of discussion about the tax plans. Three men—from JA21, BBB, and Chris Stoffer of the SGP—had stepped forward to support the government on the tax plan.
So they also appeared on *Pauw en de Wit* to explain their position. Each had his own angle. They were trying to secure something for their constituents, and Chris Stoffer, in particular, raised his demands regarding medical ethics and the mental health of our country.
False Prophets
I am currently reading the First Epistle of John. Chapter four states that you should not believe every spirit, but must test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Abortion
The SGP’s position on this issue revolves around two points in the realm of medical ethics.
First, the party opposes any expansion of abortion practices. This concerns fetuses at twenty-two or twenty-three weeks, for which hospitals are seeking to broaden the options. Chris strongly opposes these plans, because he believes the cabinet is shifting too far toward the left-wing opposition on this issue. He argues that the cabinet is interfering with the protection of unborn life. There is a law on abortion, but as far as he is concerned, it should not be further relaxed.
Surrogacy
In addition, he has objections to surrogacy. It creates legal problems, he says, and the governing parties are thereby acting contrary to the protection of the child and the boundaries of medical ethics. Surrogacy must not come at the expense of the child. The SGP emphasizes that children are a gift from God and that there is no right to a child. According to the party, a child belongs with its biological parents, within a marriage between a man and a woman. Surrogacy deliberately severs the natural and emotional bond between the child and the mother who carries and gives birth to it. The party fears that a child may suffer identity issues and emotional harm due to the immediate separation from the surrogate mother after birth. In the SGP’s view, surrogacy can lead people to unintentionally treat a child as a product to be ordered or traded.
For the intended parents—whether they are a childless married couple or a same-sex couple—their own desire for happiness takes precedence. For Chris Stoffer, this practice is a major problem. He wants to put a stop to it. I think that’s entirely justified.
Intolerance
Last week, Tim de Wit moderated the discussion on *Pauw en de Wit*. He was very harsh on Chris Stoffer, as were the other panelists. All the criticism was directed at him, even though representatives from JA21 and BBB were also at the table. This shows that hostility consistently targets the Christian viewpoint. To me, that is a clear sign of the times.
Everything related to Christ, to life, and to the rights of young children—the vulnerable and the unborn—is under attack. Whether it’s about abortion or surrogacy, the rights of the child don’t seem to matter. I found the hostility I saw among the panelists toward Chris shocking. The very next day, Chris Stoffer was scheduled to meet with our prime minister, Rob Jetten.
Rob Jetten recently announced that he and his partner are expecting a child through a surrogate. Many journalists asked Chris if he had already congratulated Jetten. He wisely stayed out of it. What I found objectionable is that people are turning a political issue into a personal one.
Twan Huys put it something like this: “Your stance on surrogacy is so diametrically opposed to that of many people—and in particular that of Rob Jetten—and yet you’re not going to congratulate him on his future fatherhood. When someone becomes a father, you congratulate him, don’t you?”
Stoffer replied that Rob Jetten and he know each other well enough and that they don’t take this personally. You look at the public interest and the national interest. Furthermore, Chris emphatically and very politely stated that Rob and he have a very good relationship, even though they differ profoundly and seriously in their views.
Huys responded that he wouldn’t want to receive that letter from Chris Stoffer.
Stoffer replied that such professionalism can certainly exist between Rob Jetten and him.
Everything Should Be Allowed
What I’m getting at is that in this world you see more and more hostility toward faith, toward Jesus, toward the church, and toward anything that smacks of the Bible. Everything else is celebrated. Occult matters get all the attention. Halloween—the festival of the dead—must be celebrated. People think yoga and all kinds of spiritual experiences are fantastic. The “woke” movement believes that all sexual orientations should be discussed openly on television and in magazines. Anything goes, everything must be fun, and everything must be accepted.
Woe, however, to anyone who doesn’t do that or takes a reserved stance. Those who pay lip service to tolerance and constantly speak of inclusivity turn out to be very limited in their own inclusivity. A viewpoint other than that of the left and the “woke” crowd is simply not tolerated. With growing astonishment, I have seen the spirit of the Antichrist at work—about which John writes that you should not believe every spirit, but must test whether they are from God.
For there are many false prophets, and they make their voices heard on the weekly talk shows. I just want to emphasize that you must stay close to the Word and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Let’s not silence that voice.
@wimvanputten