Tuesday
"MORAL MAJORITY" PRINCIPLES
CONTINUING OUR REFERENCE TO THE
"MORAL MAJORITY" PRINCIPLES AS
WE APPROACH THIS ELECTION
In last week's issue we recalled the four basic
tenets of Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority (pro-life,
pro-family, pro-defense and pro-Israel) and we
discussed the first: pro-life -- or expressed another
way: anti-abortion. This week we move on to the
second: pro-family.
Looking ahead to this Fall's election, Barack
Obama has already made his pro-abortion stand an
important point, describing it as a "critical issue in
this election," earning for him the endorsement of
Planned Parenthood. His pledge, "I will never back
down" in support of abortion rights makes it clear
where the Democrat party stands on this moral issue.
Obama's stand on the homosexual issue is equally
clear, not only that he "will not yield" on such a
"fundamental issue" as abortion, but has stated
that the first thing he would do as president would
be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which
would codify abortion-on-demand as the law of the
land, and affirms "I support the complete repeal
of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)."
In a letter to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Trans-sexual) supporters he said "I am proud to
join with and support the LGBT community ...
that is why I support extending fully equal rights
and benefits to same-sex couples," and added,
"I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts
to amend the California constitution."
Thus the Obama/Democrat position is perfectly
clear -- pro-homosexual and anti-family. And what
is the McCain/Republican viewpoint? Equally clear
and definite. In a nationally televised debate with the
lesbian entertainer, Ellen DeGeneres, John McCain
said firmly, "I just believe in the unique status of
marriage between a man and a woman." Period.
End of quote. And on the present effort to amend
the California constitution to protect traditional
marriage and the family? McCain said, "I support
the efforts of the people of California to
recognize marriage as a unique institution
between a man and a woman." No grandiose
pledges -- just clear, simple statements of belief.
And what is the bottom line for Christians? Based
on the positions of the candidates on these first two
tenets of the Moral Majority there really is no debate.
The Conservative, Evangelical position is perfectly
clear -- Hillary Clinton's much-feared "vast right
wing conspiracy" is alive and well, and has a strong
advocate in John McCain.
For the Christian view, looking ahead to the California
vote (see below) Roman Catholic bishops in the state
have issued a firm statement, including the definition
that marriage "has a unique place in God's creation,
joining a man and a woman in a committed
relationship," and added, "The meaning of marriage
is deeply rooted in history and culture and has been
shaped considerably by Christian tradition."
For those who look to the Bible for guidance, there is
Genesis 1:27-28, where from the beginning of time
God's word has stood, "So God created man ... in
the image of God created he him, male and female
created he them, and God blessed them, and God
said unto them, be fruitful and multiply." And in
Matthew 19:4-5, Jesus said, "Have ye not read that
he which made them at the beginning made them
male and female ... for this cause shall a man leave
father and mother and shall cleave to his wife ..."
Not exactly a debatable or arguable point of view.
The California Supreme Court last week rejected
by a unanimous vote a lawsuit by militant homosexual
activists seeking to remove the pro-family amendment
to the state constitution from the November ballot. It
will be remembered that in 2000, California voters
by a 61.4% majority enacted Proposition 22 which
defined marriage as between a man and a woman.
More recently a liberal state court ruled that same-sex
marriage should be made legal in California, and now
Gov. Schwarzeneger is seeing his predicted financial
boom in homosexual marriages. Huge numbers of
California voters signed petitions to put a constitutional
amendment before voters in the November election,
and the attempt to remove it from the ballot has now
failed. So the major emphasis of the Liberal same-sex
marriage movement is now sharply focused on
California -- the state where San Francisco mayor
Gavin Newsom is encouraging the naming of the city
sewage treatment plant after George W. Bush.
And the Anglican Lambeth Conference moves
slowly and deliberately along, after a few days of
"spiritual retreat," and has now progressed into what
may prove to be two weeks of indaba -- or talking,
listening and never coming to any definite conclusion.
That, at least, is the view of the Most. Rev. Dr.
Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of the
American Episcopal Church, casually referred to
American Episcopal Church, casually referred to
as "TEC," who this past week said this Conference
would avoid taking any binding votes. On the subject
of TEC's openly homosexual bishop, she said, " The
reality is that the Bishop of New Hampshire is
not the only gay bishop in the Anglican Communion,
or the only gay partnered bishop in the Anglican
Communion. He's the only one who's open about
it." Quite amazing, this admission of dishonesty and
deceit at the highest levels of the Anglican Communion.
The American Episcopal Church (TEC) is a minuscule
member of the world-wide Anglican Communion,
representing just over 2% of the total membership, but
at Lambeth is speaking "with gusto" on many issues,
including lobbying for Bishop Robinson to participate
in the discussions. Bishop Schori says that she prays
"for a church that is clear about its mission ...
the mission is about feeding the hungry and seeing
that children can go to school, and building justice
in the communities in which we serve." A sharply
different mission from Jesus' Great Commission to go
into all the world and preach and teach all people.
With the initial devotionals over, the bishops will get
down to indaba, to talk and listen, and avoid making
any real decisions. This will continue until August 3.
On Monday the Archbishop and Primate of the
Episcopal Church of the Sudan, the Most Rev. Dr.
Daniel Bul, made the clearest orthodox statement yet,
"We reject homosexual practice as contrary to
biblical teaching ... we oppose consecrating a
practicing homosexual as bishop, and approving
a rite for the blessing of same-sex relationships."
On Tuesday he called for Bishop Robinson to resign.
The July 18 issue of The Independent, of London,
had this comment: "The church in England and the
world could yet be reborn. Or the future could
look like this. It's 2018, and the Lambeth
Conference is held in the student union bar,
attended by a dozen bishops and a cleaner."
And a classic "Oxymoron" from the Lambeth
Conference, by a speaker at a Gay and Lesbian rally,
Richard Kirker, who heads an organization called --
yes, this is the group's real name -- "The Lesbian
and Gay Christian Movement" (LGCM)
More trouble looming at the UN. The OIC
(Organization of Islamic Conference) is urging
the UN to enact anti-discrimination laws that
would ultimately be a "declaration of war against
Christianity." The new laws would affect the
definition of freedom of expression which would
empower politically correct courts and tribunals to
criminalize any speaking out against Islam. Even the
US Congress is looking into this proposed action,
and it is something that requires our close attention.
A timely, very applicable quote: "Our Founding
Fathers feared judicial tyranny and intentionally
created the judiciary ... to be the 'least dangerous'
branch of government. But as the decades went by
the courts assumed more and more power ...
suddenly prayer was banned in our public schools.
Abortion-on-demand became the law of the land.
Now we are even in the unbelievable position of
having to defend the meaning of marriage from
the over-educated, hyper-partisan ideologues in
black robes who are masquerading as judges."
-- Gary Bauer, "End of Day," July 18, 2008
Some Random Afterthoughts . . .
The atheist view: Religion is "violent, irrational,
intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and
bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free
inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive
toward children." That is from the book, "God is
Not Great: Why Religion Poisons Everything," the
current NY Times No. 1 bestseller by journalist
Christopher Hitchens. This fall Mr. Hitchens will
offer another anti-God publication, "The Pocket
Atheist," which will feature writings by famous (or
infamous) atheists. Dennis Prager, a popular Jewish
columnist sees three principal reasons for these overt
attacks on religion: (1) the evil done by people who
claim to believe in God -- most notably Islamists; (2)
Atheism teachings in our schools; (3) the failure of
the church to take a strong stand against the forces
of atheism. Prager is right on this, as he so often is.
We must face the fact that atheism is still an active
force, and is not going to simply fade away.
A self-explanatory news item:
"Dr. Dobson's Radio Program Wins Spot
in National Radio Hall of Fame
The Focus on the Family radio program has been
inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame,
joining such historic programs as Your Hit Parade,
The Shadow, Little Orphan Annie, and Orson
Welles' famous Mercury Theater." Dobson, a
prominent Christian psychologist, made other
headlines this week -- after saying he could never
vote for John McCain, he has now almost out-
flip-flopped Obama, and indicated that he may be
close to endorsing McCain. In the words of Winston
Churchill: "Never give up."
Someone should tell Al Gore: The American
Physical Society, representing nearly 50,000
physicists, has reversed its stand on climate change,
and now says that many of its members disbelieve
the theory of human-induced global warming. The
leadership of the society previously declared the
evidence for global warming was"incontrovertible."
A concluding word from a Founding Father: "It
does not require a majority to prevail, but rather
an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires
in people's minds." -- Samuel Adams, 1772
Comments:
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WOW! Well said, Dr. B! Now, if we can get Americans to read it; and those who read it, to believe it! God bless you for your courageous stand!
# posted by 
: 9:29 PM
: 9:29 PM
AWESOME! I hope your words of wisdom touch many many lives! We need a GREAT REVIVAL in this land to help open peoples hearts so they can see...
Brenda
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Brenda
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