The splicing is over. On behalf of everyone at Kristent Ressurssenter, we, Tone Lise and Truls, who are the CEO and chairman of the board, would like to thank everyone who supported our fundraising campaign in June with a total of 1.5 million kroner. It is incredibly encouraging for us to see your commitment and energy.
What we notice now that we have worked with parents and lawyers and in the media, is that the state, directorates, municipalities, county municipalities, KS Norge, state-supported interest organizations, politicians and liberal think tanks shout in shock and disbelief: “How dare you!?” When we point out the law and rights, the bureaucratic beast tries to wriggle out of it, find grounds to free themselves from their obligations, so that they can do as they please or push responsibility sideways or upwards. “Udir has said…” is most often used.
We experience elected officials, judges, and public officials who let their feelings, either for pride or against Christians, guide their actions in the face of demands for objective treatment and equality before the law.
We experience false claims, anger and fear from those who think we hate them or someone they know, which we absolutely do not. We are called to love our neighbor, and we do so every day, in prayer for others and showing respect for human dignity and free choice. But those who put their identity in a flag will feel that where there is no room for the pride flag, there is no room for themselves either. It is a fallacy, and in practice in debate it turns into emotional blackmail. “Do as we want, or we will be hurt”, that is exactly what stops many from speaking out and acting according to their own convictions. Our empathy is used against ourselves as a weapon in the culture war.
For the support given by 3400 people, we will be able to help a few dozen parents and students directly in the short term in the face of violations of the law and rights. Indirectly, it will probably help tens of thousands. We are already helping as many as we have the capacity to follow up, and there will be more after the holidays, as there is pride in schools and kindergartens in August and September in many other places. We are learning a lot, we and the lawyers in this newfound work that equips us.
Many do not dare to stand up until they see others do it first, and even more do not dare to stand up until they see that victory is almost assured. We all need to pray for more courage.
The website stoppride.no has given hundreds of thousands of people, tools, arguments and resources, and we see it spreading. People are using the right words for what pride is (politically) and why it is problematic in schools and kindergartens. With a political agenda, sexualization of children, standardization of topics, pressure to join and radical ideological gender understanding, far more people are critical of pride in schools and kindergartens this year than last year.
Several parents have used our resources and gone all the way to the state administrator, only to have their rights denied there. Why is that?
Our claim is that bureaucrats protect bureaucrats. They also fear, they fear, to uphold the rights, because then it could be interpreted that they “support the wrong people” and thus risk falling into status and falling under the wrath of the media. They therefore seem minimally interested in the parent and student perspective in the face of state-introduced pride coercion in schools. Those who see the parents and students as the problem, and are directly reluctant in their duty to secure their rights. This is critical, but not unexpected. But we will get through it, we must get through it.
We do not primarily want to work against something, but rather for something else. Our purpose is to convey a biblical understanding of reality into the social debate around life, gender, marriage and sexuality and to highlight Christian values. The only problem is that in the face of pride, people are governed by fear and paralysis, almost no one does anything. While the bureaucrats and the state push for more and more, without dealing with laws, rules and nuance. It becomes one-sided and totalitarian. People are pushed aside and more people have had enough.
That is why we are challenging pride in particular, to show how far it has come, what resistance looks like and is being cracked down on. And not least the fact that the pride flag and its values are being conveyed this year as the values on which the entire school is founded. But that is a serious mistake! It is the Christian values that are enshrined in the laws.
We are in a battle between secular and liberal a-morality in the face of Christian faith and morality. Those who claim there is no right or wrong, but only preferences, they cannot tolerate others who claim there is a right and wrong with consequences. Therefore, it is not wrong in their eyes that laws and rights should not apply to “such people with bad attitudes”. Suddenly we see people who live by a-morality, moralizing against moral people, and using shame as a means.
Right now that's where we are, and it will only get worse if we don't take action. That's why the Christian Resource Center is needed. We take action where few others will or can. We have several major projects underway and book releases close to publication, and we hope you will stand with us. In prayer, in sharing our messages and in further financial support so that we can operate optimally next year as well.
On behalf of the entire team, a thousand, thousand heartfelt thanks and God bless you.
Truls and Tone Lise
