Christian Response to Issues

Christian Response To Issues By Rod Parsley’s “Center For Moral Clarity” https://www.centerformoralclarity.net/Index.aspx

Abortion, Abstinence, Bioethics, Judicial Tyranny, Pornography, Poverty, Religious Liberties, Same Sex Marriage

THE ISSUE... ABORTION

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them. Psalm 139:13-16, ESV

The United States Supreme Court legalized abortion on demand Jan. 22, 1973. throughout all nine months of pregnancy and in all 50 states. Without a doubt, Roe vs. Wade has led to the greatest moral evil of our time – the murdering of these precious unborn babies in the womb.

Proponents of “choice” have tried to make this issue about “women’s rights,” “freedom of choice” and “reproductive rights.” But clearly, the murdering of an innocent child is far more than a health issue or a civil right. The pro-choice group tries to soften the harshness of abortion with more politically correct terms such as “removing the products of conception” or “ending a pregnancy.” But no amount of spin it can outweigh the fact that abortion ends the life of a baby growing inside its mother’s womb.

Since 1973, an estimated 44 million babies have been aborted – 1.5 million innocent lives ended every year. That’s one every twenty seconds. Although we often hear abortion must be legalized for cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother, the reality is that social reasons and convenience account for 93 percent of all abortions.

Everyone knows someone who has had an abortion. Techniques such as suction aspiration, D & E, salt poisoning, RU 486/Mifeprex, prostaglandin’s and partial-birth abortion are all too common in our society. In fact, at the current rate, 1 in 3 American women will have had an abortion by the time she reaches 45 years of age. And 1 in 6 abortions are performed on a woman who calls herself a “born-again” Christian.

The Christian Response:

Every believer can effectively defend the pro-life position with biblical, scientific and philosophical evidence. The Bible does not expressly use the word “abortion.” But Scripture clearly teaches against murder, which is the taking of innocent life. And Jeremiah 1:5 makes it clear that life begins at conception: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Ultrasound and sonogram technology now affords us a window to the womb through technology that was not available in 1973. Ultrasound machines produce a clear image of an unborn child in the womb as early as eight weeks after conception. These tools are crisis pregnancy centers’ most valuable, life affirming tool to defend the unborn. Statistics indicate that 90 percent of women with an unplanned pregnancy will decide not to abort if they can see the baby via ultrasound and hear its heartbeat. When defending the sanctity of life, it’s important to determine “what” it is. If the woman is pregnant with a baby, there is no other justifiable argument for abortion – because a baby is a human being that is entitled to all the rights and privileges we enjoy here in America.

of 11 Here are some common pro-abortion arguments, paired with appropriate faith-based responses:

 It’s not a baby/person; it’s just a blob of tissue. On day 1, at fertilization, all human chromosomes are present and life begins. By day 22, the heart begins to beat. At the end of the third week, the child’s backbone, spinal column and nervous system are formed. By week 5, eyes, legs and hands begin to develop. By week 6 – when most women just realize they are pregnant – brain waves are detectable. Clearly, a baby is not just a blob of tissue, but a creation of God with great potential.  It’s my body/a woman’s choice. As we have already determined, this is a baby inside of the womb and this child is entitled to a choice as well. Killing a baby is never a choice for anyone, regardless of the unwanted circumstances. A woman facing an unplanned pregnancy deserves to be treated with utmost respect and given quality information about the options available to her, so she can make a healthy choice is made for herself and for her child.  What will we do with the unwanted children? This argument usually has the connotation that some women cannot afford another child. The point must be made then that killing a child does not end poverty. Ideally this is not a society that can dispose of someone because they become too much of a financial burden.  If abortion is made illegal, women will die in back-alley abortions. The law cannot be faulted for making it more risky for someone to kill a baby. It doesn’t make sense to abolish crimes to make life safer for criminals. Also, an abortion is a health risk even when performed through an experienced abortion provider. It’s vital that Christians refer women with unplanned pregnancies to pro-life clinics and other facilities that provide facts about the risks involved in obtaining abortions.  What about a woman who’s been raped or a victim of incest? In the case of rape or incest, there are two victims: the mother and the baby. Studies have shown that when a woman feels as if abortion is her only option and follows through with it, she often later feels as if she was not only a victim in the rape but that she in return victimized her child. Meanwhile, mothers who found support to carry their children to term and then either parent or place the child for adoption, felt they’d turned a big negative into a positive. We need to support both victims in these situations.

The best way Christians can help shape the culture regarding the subject of abortion is to express our pro-life view whenever and wherever possible. Seize each moment and persuasively defend life at every opportunity. Support your local crisis pregnancy center or medical clinic that is working with clients every day, encouraging women to keep their babies

THE ISSUE... ABSTINENCE

“Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” Isaiah 1:16-17, ESV

Since the sexual revolution of the 1960s there has been a staggering increase in the number of teen pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies, abortions and at-risk sexual behavior to the point that we now have an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). “Safe” sex education taught teens to put a condom on a banana, and our young people bought the lie that condoms would prevent an unwanted pregnancy and STDs. Planned Parenthood facilities now have drive-through windows in some cities to make it easier for teens to pick up their condoms. But something’s not working! Current statistics indicate that 800,000 teenage girls will become pregnant every year. One out of every five girls today becomes pregnant before her 18th birthday.

Twenty years ago, there were two primary forms of what was then called venereal diseases – syphilis and gonorrhea. Today, there are more than 25 significant and different sexually transmitted diseases. Every year, more than 15 million Americans contract a new STD infection – and 3 million of them are teenagers. This means that every day, 8,219 teens contract a new STD. That’s 342 every hour or one every 10 seconds. Page 2 of 11 By the time teens are 18 years old, 20 percent will have contracted an STD. Teens are being sold the lie that condoms can protect from all forms of STDs and that oral sex is “safe” sex. This misinformation has given teens a false sense of security when it comes to their sexuality. Multiple partners and more frequency of sexual activity have caused the STD epidemic to reach staggering proportions. There are two different kinds of STDs – bacterial and viral. Bacterial STDs can be cured, but the damage done prior to treatment is not reversible. Viral STDs are incurable. Chlamydia is the most common bacterial STD, infecting between three to four million people in the United States each year. Untreated in women, chlamydia can lead to PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), which can cause infertility. The most common viral STD is HPV, or Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). An estimated 20 million people in the United States are infected with HPV, with more than 5.5 million new infections occurring each year. HPV is scary because it can lead to cervical cancer, which kills more than 5,000 women in the United States every year.

Indeed, the messages our teenagers have received from liberal, pro-abortion advocates have caused an increase in disease, death and trouble for our children.

The Christian Response

The Bible has one clear message when it comes to sexuality: save sex for marriage. The only guaranteed way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy or an STD is to practice abstinence. Abstinence, as defined by the writers of the “Choosing the Best Life” abstinence-only curriculum, is “an informed decision where an ABC formula is applied: Abstinence is the Best preparation for the future (marriage) by Choosing not to engage in these at-risk sexual behaviors. These behaviors include any activity that brings you in contact with another person’s genital body fluids including: vaginal intercourse, oral sex, anal sex and mutual masturbation.”

Following the guidelines of this definition will lead to positive, healthy outcomes for our children, and will start them down the right path for a successful, fulfilling married life. Teaching children that their bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit from a young age is key to personal responsibility. Waiting for sex until marriage is a commitment to purity – to being holy vessels God can work through. Children should be taught that they should be holy and consecrated – set apart for a divine purpose – at an early age.

Too many of our children have made unwise, unhealthy choices that prevent them from fulfilling God’s plan and purpose for their lives. Satan wants to destroy our children’s innocence, purpose and testimony. Proper parental supervision and information on Biblical sexuality at the appropriate time is key. The primary teacher of this material must be the parent, followed by reinforcements within the church. Church youth groups must talk about abstinence.

The truth is that the majority of teens (52 percent) are not having sex! A national survey by the Kaiser Foundation found that 75 percent of teens say it is “cool” to be a virgin, and more than half of those surveyed have been in situations where they could have had sex, but chose not to. Many children are realizing the risks of being sexually active and the benefits of abstaining.

It’s important for parents to teach children that “safe” sex is not safe! Condoms have been held up as the answer to the sexual crisis among our teenagers. But this kind of all-inclusive sex education doesn’t teach values, and trivializes human sexuality the way God intended. While a condom is one means of birth control, it is not disease control. Condoms have a failure rate with teenagers of at least 20 percent. Would you take a one in five chance that your airplane doesn’t arrive at its destination?

Abstinence-only education centers on relationships, life skills, respect for self, respect for others, refusal skills, self-control, avoidance of pregnancy and unwanted diseases. It gives a healthy view of marriage as something to be cherished and important enough to save oneself for.

of 11 During the administration of President George W. Bush, record amounts of money have been granted for abstinence-only education in the public and private school systems. But for every dollar spent on abstinence- only education, $12 is being spent on “safe” sex education. When this subject is debated in the floors of Congress, let your legislators know that you support an abstinence message. Contact your local school district to see what is being taught in your children’s sex education classes. Parents have every right to view the videos and read the textbooks before they permit their child to participate in a sex education program. Challenge the school district to present an “abstinence-only” message and not “abstinence-plus.”

THE ISSUE... BIOETHICS, STEM CELL RESEARCH & CLONING

“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Genesis 1:26, ESV

Bioethics is the study of the ethical considerations arising from technological advances. Topics such as stem- cell research, human cloning, genetic manipulation, physician-assisted suicide, abortion, reproductive advances and medical decisions to end a life in dignity are all issues relating to bioethics.

Since these matters often are explored under times of stress and great emotion, it’s important to apply clear biblical to these issues.

It wasn’t long ago that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide were the primary bioethical concerns. But in February 1997 Dolly, the cloned sheep, entered the stage. Scientists now predict the first cloned baby will be born in the very near future. Technology has advanced much more rapidly than our discussion of these issues, which has resulted in a generation of Christians who are easily swayed by empathy rather than moral standards and biblical principles.

The issue of stem-cell research encompasses two types of stem cells – those taken from embryos, and those taken from children or adults. Advances for treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, diabetes, degenerative diseases of the eye and leukemia are just a few of the diseases that have benefited from some form of adult stem-cell research. Research on adult stem cells don’t place the donor at risk. They don’t pose ethical dilemmas and they have led to many medical breakthroughs.

Embryonic stem-cell research, by contrast, requires the killing of an embryo to harvest stem cells. Some scientists believe human embryos, in the first two weeks of gestation, are compromised entirely of unique stem cells can transform into a wide variety of spare cellular parts. The temptation to destroy embryos for this speculative research is great.

In 1993, Dr. Jerry Hall and Dr. Robert Stillman, infertility researchers at George Washington University, successfully split a human zygote into two separate zygotes with the same genetic makeup. They had created a clone – a second individual with the exact genetic blueprint of the first. According to Dr. John F. Kilner, the executive director of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity in Bannockburn, Ill., cloning opens the door to a scary enterprise: genetically engineering people without their consent – not for their own benefit, but for the benefit of particular people or society at large. Cloning entails producing a person with a particular genetic code because of the attractiveness or usefulness of a person with that code.

Every person is created in the image of God. Using people without their consent strips them of their dignity. This is the case in almost every bioethical challenge.

of 11 Embryonic stem-cell research not only destroys an innocent human life, but also has not yielded any proven scientific benefits. Adult stem cells have already led to medical advances. As Christians, we should seize the moment and capitalize on these advances, rather than destroy human life.

The embryo is God’s gift of life. It represents the potential of a full and fruitful life. The sanctity of human life demands that we not lessen the value of one life in order to aid another life. God has given us the responsibility of defending and protecting the most innocent of all human beings.

As in the case of abortion, we must determine whether the embryo is a human being in order to determine how the embryo is to be treated. The Center for Moral Clarity firmly believes life begins at conception. Whether conception took place naturally or in a laboratory, the embryo is a part of humanity and entitled to all the same rights and privileges as a fully developed human. Many “pro-choice” advocates see this as a reproductive rights issue, and they want to maintain the indignity of the early embryo as a part of retaining their defense of abortion.

With the death of President Ronald Reagan of Alzheimer’s Disease, many advocates of embryonic stem-cell research, such as Nancy Reagan, are making cases for advances and government funds appropriated to this research. As compassionate believers, we want to also find a cure for this dreaded disease. But destroying a life in the process is not only unethical, but also unscriptural. Ronald Reagan himself stated “We cannot diminish the value of one category of human life – the unborn – without diminishing the value of all human life.”

All humans, including future clones, have value because they are made in the likeness and image of God. This value is not dependent on how that person began life or whether he or she is wanted or unwanted. Every person has value because God, the creator of all life, ultimately is the giver of life.

In the days to come, many laws on issues such as cloning and stem cell research will be debated in the floors of Congress. Please urge your elected representatives to vote in defense of the sanctity of human life and to resist the temptation for medical advancement of cloning and embryonic stem cell research. And when debating the issue of abortion in educational settings, be sure to broaden your discussions to include these crucial topics, which affect us all.

THE ISSUE... JUDICIAL TYRANNY

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8, ESV

Over the last 40 years, liberals have won battle after battle in the war against Christianity – almost totally in the courts. Beginning in 1962 with the ban on prayer in public schools to the removal of the Ten Commandments, liberals have used the court system and the judicial tyranny they wage to circumvent the democratic process and further their political agenda. They want to redefine America, stripping our nation of its spiritual heritage that has blazed a trail through history.

The power of the judicial branch of government is alarming. It has become a dominant force, which it was never intended to be. Our founding fathers created a separation of powers among our three branches of government, to keep us from being tyrannized by one of the other branches.

Under our Constitution, it is the job of the legislative branch to pass laws, which are a reflection of the will of the people they are elected to represent. It is the job of the judicial branch to interpret or apply these laws. Because the judges of the Supreme Court are accountable to the law and not the people, they have no system of accountability. Today, too many judges are striking down laws passed by the legislative branch based on their

of 11 interpretation of what is right and wrong. At this point, they have ultimate control and the people have no voice because the judges have become the ultimate authority.

Article III. Section 2 of the United States Constitution states, “In all other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.” Therefore, Congress has the authority and responsibility to rein in the courts. These measures have been set in place to eliminate out of control, activist judges from imposing their will without proper representation of the people and the legislators they elected.

The appropriate Christian response is to encourage these measures be acted upon. As long as Christians sit idly by and allow black-robed radical judges to tear away at our moral foundation through their judicial activism, they will shape our culture as they see fit.

According to “When a Crying Baby is Not Alive” in the World Net Daily, October 3, 2003 issue, judges overturned the murder conviction of a mother who killed her newborn daughter and then disposed of her in a ditch. According to the judges, there was not evidence to show that the umbilical cord had been cut at the time of the baby’s birth. There should be an outcry from America’s moral base demanding an end to this absurdity. If the baby is dead and it is proven that the mother killed the baby, what difference does it make if the umbilical cord was cut or not?

The next time you hear of such outrage, write letters to the editor, bring the matter to the attention of the local media, report the case to your elected officials asking for action and write letters to every judge involved in the decision expressing your outrage. As these cases continue to become more outrageous, there will be cases where judges will be impeached. They must understand that their actions can have consequences in the future and that Christians will applaud this type of justice.

THE ISSUE... PORNOGRAPHY

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, ESV

Although pornography has been around for centuries, the advent of the Internet and explosive industry profits have opened the door for more perversion than ever before. Pornography is no longer just photos of nude women, but a major industry with tentacles reaching into every segment of society.

In the 1973 case of Miller v. California, the U.S. Supreme Court declared material to be obscene when all of the following conditions are met:

1. The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interests. 2. The work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state (or federal) law. 3. The work taken as a whole lacks serious, artistic, political or scientific value.

In light of this definition, it’s reasonable to conclude that obscenity – such as adult, hard-core and child pornography – is not protected and is illegal under the U.S. Constitution. These types of pornography are seen in adult magazines, videos, motion pictures, television, the Internet and on certain telephone calls. Page 6 of 11 By law, child pornography consists of making illegal depictions of children less than 18 years of age engaged in sexual conduct. The problem is that what the average person views as “obscene” is often being sold in the market place today.

The world of pornography is far reaching, as seen in the 1986 Meese Commission report. That important study found that pornography was linked to organized crime, sexual violence and civil injustice. Pornography is an $8 billion a year business. Child pornography generates $3 billion annually. In addition, there are nearly 900 theaters that show pornographic films and more than 15,000 “adult” bookstores and video stores offering pornographic material.

Adult bookstores outnumber McDonald’s restaurants in the United States by a margin of at least three to one. According to Henry Boatwright, the Chairman of the U.S. Advisory Board for Social Concerns, approximately 70 percent of the pornographic magazines sold end up in the hands of minors.

In order to shape our culture in regard to pornography, the family must be at the forefront, setting the example. Questionable materials have no place in our homes, including exposure to inappropriate sexual themes in our choices of TV shows, music and printed material.

Parents must set an example of purity in front of their children and raise them with a healthy, biblical view of sex. Parental supervision, including software installed on home computers to block pornographic material, is imperative.

Regulating pornography should be a grassroots effort by concerned citizens. Checking state law and city ordinances is the first step to knowing if there is a violation in your community. Many Christians have been successful in closing down porn shops and other offensive establishments by asking elected officials to enforce the laws already on the books. In addition, picketing, boycotts and peaceful protests have garnered the attention of other concerned citizens and the media, thereby challenging the legality of the sell of such material.

Highly organized national boycotts of retail stores and advertisers of porn magazines and questionable material have been very successful as well. When gross violations of obscenity laws are found, a polite call to the Attorney General’s office at the Department of Justice could be necessary (202-514-2001).

These government organizations uphold and administer the nation’s laws banning obscenity and child pornography. Work with them to fight pornography in your community.

1. Department of Justice 2. Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section 3. Federal Bureau of Investigation 4. Crimes Against Children Program 5. Innocent Images National Initiative 6. Customs Services Cyber Smuggling Center, Child Exploitation Unit 7. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

THE ISSUE... POVERTY

The U.S. government declared an “unconditional war on poverty” in 1964. More than 40 years later, it’s safe to say that poverty won the war.

of 11 When government anti-poverty programs began in earnest, about 13 percent of Americans met a statistical definition of poverty. And the unemployment rate was about 4 percent. Today, about 18 percent of the population is classified as poor, and the federal unemployment rate – though significantly better than during the late 1970s – is more than 5 percent.

Despite the creation of a massive bureaucracy and the spending of billions of dollars on anti-poverty programs, poverty is a more critical problem in the United States than ever before. It’s incredible, in a country where so many people experience an abundance of material blessings, that so many people do without.

But the situation’s worse than that. The government’s huge investment in anti-poverty programs not only hasn’t helped. The programs have been harmful, in many ways:

1. They’ve contributed to the breakup of poor families. The welfare system encourages a lifestyle of idleness and discourages the traditional family. Often there are no financial incentives for the breadwinner in a poor family to work. And fatherless homes are eligible for more aid than intact families are. Under these programs, out-of-wedlock births are generously rewarded, while morally pure women are penalized. 2. They’ve contributed to a huge, inefficient government structure. Only about 30 percent of the budget allocation for anti-poverty programs go to the people the programs are designed to help. The rest go to overhead and administration. 3. They’ve sapped the economy. The taxes required to support anti-poverty programs take away opportunities for people to become more affluent, and for businesses to grow and adapt to changes in technology. It’s disheartening to imagine how much industry might have expanded in the last 40 years if not for the burden of taxes they bear. This is especially true for small businesses, which are the major source of job growth in this country.

Clearly, when it comes to fighting poverty, government isn’t the answer, no matter how well intentioned the programs are. Instead, it seems that government involvement in fighting poverty is the problem.

The government wasn’t the first social institution to act on a concern for the plight of the poor. Before the “war on poverty,” the family, the church and private institutions led the way in showing compassion for the poor and offering relief to them. And they can again – more efficiently and more effectively than the government can.

God’s word makes clear that Christians have a responsibility to care for the poor. Some examples from Scripture include:

1. Exodus 22:25: "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.” 2. Proverbs 31:8-9: “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” 3. Luke 12:33-34: “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 4. Hebrews 13:16: “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” 5. 1 John 3:17: “But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?”

of 11 Helping poor people is our responsibility, but it doesn’t have to be – and shouldn’t be – accomplished through our government. It’s past time for the church to take its responsibility for fighting poverty seriously, and for the government to shift its focus to supporting anti-poverty efforts that really work.

What You Can Do

Here are some ways Christians can respond to the problem of poverty:

1. Bring Compassion by Command, a seven-week course enabling churches to reach out to the poor, to your church www.compassionbycommand.com. 2. Advocate government policies that link compassion and responsibility, and that place value on keeping families together. 3. Volunteer at a local food bank or homeless shelter. 4. Find information about Faith-Based Initiatives and Community Initiatives www.whitehouse.gov/government/fcbi.

THE ISSUE... RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES

“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4

The goal of the First Amendment was to protect religious expression, not to restrict it. It states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Clearly, the First Amendment was conceived to restrict government, not the people.

In none of our other foundational documents is there a mention of “separation of church and state” – not the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence or any other founding document. In fact, most of the framers of these important documents are quoted over and over again as holding a deep belief in God and need for His guidance through government. Andrew Jackson is quoted as saying, “That Book (the Bible) is the rock on which our Republic rests.” George Washington said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”

Even our government buildings have inscriptions that show a respect for God and the Bible. The Ten Commandments are hung in the U.S. Supreme Court, the words, “In God We Trust” appears in the Senate and House chambers and the words, “The New Testament according to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” are on the walls of the Capitol dome.

The founding fathers intended the First Amendment to limit the government from being involved in the affairs of the church. “Separation of church and state” was first introduced in the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Everson vs. Board of Education in 1947, when the court referred to a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to a Baptist church in Danbury, Connecticut. The intent of this letter was to assure pastors that a national denomination would not be established.

Over the years, separationists have worked with the courts and have gotten prayer taken out of our public schools, the Ten Commandments removed from court rooms and school rooms, and references to God eliminated from school ceremonies. Attempts have been made to remove the phrase “In God We Trust” from our currency and the phrase “Under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. Removal of Christmas nativity scenes and many vestiges of God through America have demonstrated that America’s Christian heritage and religious liberties are under attack. Page 9 of 11 The Christian Response:

Throughout history, God has honored people and nations who seek Him and His will. The men who founded the United States sought God, and He has greatly blessed this country and its people.

But over the last 40 years, our nation has not honored God. We have eliminated references to God from our houses of government. We have banned the mention of His name from our public schools. And we wonder why our culture’s in decline!

It’s time for Christians to stand up to the forces of intolerance who would keep God out of our public life. Christians are commanded to make the name of God known in our neighborhoods and communities. Here’s how you can make a difference in asserting our religious liberties:

1. Lobby local and state governments to acknowledge the country’s religious heritage through invocations at public meetings and displays in government buildings. When you are challenged, show that “separation of church and state” just isn’t in the Constitution. 2. Write to government leaders, encouraging them to express their faith in their public roles. Ask to speak with them about their faith, and share your faith with them. 3. Pray for our government leaders, and for those who oppose God’s rightful place in our public life. Pray that they will see their error, and that you would reflect the love of God to them even as you oppose their actions.

THE ISSUE... SAME SEX MARRIAGE

"And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed" (Genesis 2:18, 22-25).

There has never been a greater threat to the family and institution of marriage than the legalization of same-sex marriage. In November of 2003, four judges in Massachusetts ruled that their state may not deny the protections and benefits to two individuals of the same sex who wish to marry, thereby legalizing marriage between homosexual couples.

Four months later, the mayor of San Francisco allowed 4,000 homosexual couples to be married in his city, despite California’s state law that mandates that marriage be between one man and one woman. Before you knew it, the mayor of New Paltz, N.Y., began marrying homosexual couples in spite of New York’s state law to the contrary. On May 3, 2004, Portland, Ore., began marrying homosexuals, approximately 2,000 couples.

Don’t think for a moment that this was “luck” on the part of the homosexual community. Rather, it was the manifestation of a well-thought-out plan that was devised decades before but articulated in April 1993 at the Gay Pride March on Washington, D.C. The homosexual demands at that march included, among other things:

 The legalization of same-sex marriages.  The recognition and protection of any family structure.  Homosexual education programs at all levels of education presenting homosexuality as a valid, healthy preference and lifestyle as a viable alternative to heterosexuality.  Allowing sexual re-assignment surgeries to be considered medical, not cosmetic surgery.

of 11 Indeed, gay activists have been busy, focused and relentless in seeing each of their demands come to pass.

The legalization of same-sex marriages is far-reaching and has consequences that we have only begun to imagine. If same-sex marriage is legalized, then on what basis can marriage be denied to any other group or coupling? If marriage were a civil right, than what would stop group marriages or what would stop someone from marrying their pet? Schools would be mandated to teach that homosexuality is a viable option to heterosexual marriage. Adoption laws will be challenged across the country to allow for same-sex parenting. Anyone who expressed his or her disapproval as such would be considered a bigot and hate monger.

Legalization of same-sex marriage is just another step to eliminating all restrictions on sexuality and marriage as a whole. The words “husband” and “wife” would be meaningless. “Mother” and “father” would mean nothing because with the legislation of same-sex marriage, family and parenthood are terms of any number of attached people who have adults and children in their care.

Just as we have laws in this nation to protect our currency from the counterfeit, we must have laws to protect the counterfeit to marriage. Without legal recognition, that which is real has no value. The Marriage Protection Amendment would amend the United States Constitution to read as follows: “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, or the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman.”

God defined marriage in His Word. He didn’t ask judges in black robes or 2 percent of Americans for a new definition. He didn’t need to.

It’s true that 38 states have enacted laws similar to the federal Defense of Marriage Act. But as we’ve seen, state law,can come under direct attack by liberal judges and renegade mayors. Survey after survey indicates that the majority of Americans favor a Marriage Protection Amendment.

Why the struggle then? Why are lawmakers hesitant about signing on to the MPA? Because the homosexual community has done a much better job of letting their voice be heard than the Christian community. Their side is organized, relentless and unified in meeting their objectives. Christians however, are lying asleep, much the same way they did when Supreme Court Justices legalized abortion in 1973 in the famous Roe vs. Wade case.

Same-sex marriage is being forced upon the majority of Americans by a small group of people who feel they know better than 2,000 years of civilization.

Calling your U.S. Senators and Congressmen and women is imperative. The switchboard at the U.S. Capital is 202-224-3121. Please ask for your state’s legislator’s office and voice your request that they pass the Marriage Protection Amendment.

Most importantly, we must bombard heaven with prayers and intercessions for our nation. God has promised us, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV).

We need a divine intervention of God in order to protect the covenant of marriage and spare future generations from the aftereffects of such a decision.