On Wednesday, we had about 80 folks come out for a presentation on strategies to promote the upcoming constitutional ballot initiative for the Marriage Amendment. We heard from Rev. Brent Armstrong (Oakwood Baptist) and Mr. Steven Loughridge (Palmetto Family Council) Also, we were lead in prayer by Rev. Lloyd Robinson (Unity Baptist Church) and Rev. Ed Nelson (Cornerstone Assembly). WYFF TV-4 was on hand and gave us positive coverage.
Rev. Tom Ritichie of Young Memorial Church sent me his prepared statement:
Regarding the Marriage Amendment
Why all of a sudden just before another general election in this country is the marriage amendment so important? It got important just before the election two years ago and four years ago and six years ago.
Is the marriage amendment the most important issue facing our state and nation? Why is it the one issue on which legislators are willing to solicit clergy help?
Over half of our marriages end in divorce. Can we blame gays and lesbians for that? Isn’t there something hypocritical about our wanting to reaffirm some law about same sex marriage when we heterosexuals have a miserable record keeping our marriages together? We say the marriage amendment is about maintaining the integrity of marriage. Isn’t the institution of marriage most at risk among us heterosexuals? If we church folks really want to do something to preserve marital integrity why don’t we make a commitment to better prepare folks for marriage and to helping folks maintain those marriages in a good positive way?
Poverty in this state and nation continue to grow at an alarming rate. Have our legislators called on the clergy and the church to help with this problem? Isn’t it a much more critical matter than the marriage amendment?
Think about the needs of public education, the need for higher paying jobs, the need for a higher minimum wage, the need to eliminate the number of folks without basic healthcare coverage, the need to reduce the rate of teen pregnancy. Aren’t all these conditions more critical than a marriage amendment?
Why the emphasis on the marriage amendment? Isn’t it about creating fear among us to get us to vote a certain way and for something that really isn’t needed?
On Tuesday of last week, I went to Columbia to hear the Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, speak. I listened as he talked about the element of fear of the Jewish people being introduced into the minds of people in Germany. Then there was someone who came along and championed that fear and moved it on to the unthinkable. Eliminate the fear.
During World War Two, the Office of Strategic Services described German dictator Adolf Hitler this way:
“His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.”
Tom Ehrich, “On A Journey” 9/12/06
When we render certain of our neighbors something less than human with a marriage amendment, what is the next step we will take toward eliminating this fear?
Folks, we clergy, of all people, are not people of fear. The Bible tells us over and over, “Do not be afraid, do not fear, let not your hearts be troubled.” We are called to be a people of faith.
Think about what fear has done to us as a people and as a nation. Think about what fear had us do to the Native Americans. Think about what fear had us do to the African Americans. Think about what fear caused the German people to do to the Jewish people. Think about what the fear of terror has us doing to ourselves right now. We are giving up liberty after liberty. We are allowing it to destroy our democracy. Fear has us, for the first time in the history of our nation, overthrowing another sovereign country and capturing their leader. For the last few weeks our president has traveled all across the country preaching fear. If they can create enough fear among us they know they can get us to vote for what they want.
Governments and governmental leaders can use fear to manipulate people to get what they want. We are clergy. We know better. We know what fear does. We are not called to be fearful. We are called to be faithful. Please, let’s not allow our legislators to frighten us into doing something so harmful to our state and to our people. Let’s do something positive. Let’s commit ourselves to honor the sanctity of marriage among those of us who can be legally married. Let’s commit ourselves to preparing people to be married and then supporting them in staying married and growing in their marriage. Also, let us be aware that the condition of our educational system, healthcare system, economic system, employment opportunities, the environment all are a part of the stability of our marital relationships and the well being of the children that come from our marital relationships.
Rev. Tom Ritichie of Young Memorial Church sent me his prepared statement:
Regarding the Marriage Amendment
Why all of a sudden just before another general election in this country is the marriage amendment so important? It got important just before the election two years ago and four years ago and six years ago.
Is the marriage amendment the most important issue facing our state and nation? Why is it the one issue on which legislators are willing to solicit clergy help?
Over half of our marriages end in divorce. Can we blame gays and lesbians for that? Isn’t there something hypocritical about our wanting to reaffirm some law about same sex marriage when we heterosexuals have a miserable record keeping our marriages together? We say the marriage amendment is about maintaining the integrity of marriage. Isn’t the institution of marriage most at risk among us heterosexuals? If we church folks really want to do something to preserve marital integrity why don’t we make a commitment to better prepare folks for marriage and to helping folks maintain those marriages in a good positive way?
Poverty in this state and nation continue to grow at an alarming rate. Have our legislators called on the clergy and the church to help with this problem? Isn’t it a much more critical matter than the marriage amendment?
Think about the needs of public education, the need for higher paying jobs, the need for a higher minimum wage, the need to eliminate the number of folks without basic healthcare coverage, the need to reduce the rate of teen pregnancy. Aren’t all these conditions more critical than a marriage amendment?
Why the emphasis on the marriage amendment? Isn’t it about creating fear among us to get us to vote a certain way and for something that really isn’t needed?
On Tuesday of last week, I went to Columbia to hear the Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, speak. I listened as he talked about the element of fear of the Jewish people being introduced into the minds of people in Germany. Then there was someone who came along and championed that fear and moved it on to the unthinkable. Eliminate the fear.
During World War Two, the Office of Strategic Services described German dictator Adolf Hitler this way:
“His primary rules were: never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.”
Tom Ehrich, “On A Journey” 9/12/06
When we render certain of our neighbors something less than human with a marriage amendment, what is the next step we will take toward eliminating this fear?
Folks, we clergy, of all people, are not people of fear. The Bible tells us over and over, “Do not be afraid, do not fear, let not your hearts be troubled.” We are called to be a people of faith.
Think about what fear has done to us as a people and as a nation. Think about what fear had us do to the Native Americans. Think about what fear had us do to the African Americans. Think about what fear caused the German people to do to the Jewish people. Think about what the fear of terror has us doing to ourselves right now. We are giving up liberty after liberty. We are allowing it to destroy our democracy. Fear has us, for the first time in the history of our nation, overthrowing another sovereign country and capturing their leader. For the last few weeks our president has traveled all across the country preaching fear. If they can create enough fear among us they know they can get us to vote for what they want.
Governments and governmental leaders can use fear to manipulate people to get what they want. We are clergy. We know better. We know what fear does. We are not called to be fearful. We are called to be faithful. Please, let’s not allow our legislators to frighten us into doing something so harmful to our state and to our people. Let’s do something positive. Let’s commit ourselves to honor the sanctity of marriage among those of us who can be legally married. Let’s commit ourselves to preparing people to be married and then supporting them in staying married and growing in their marriage. Also, let us be aware that the condition of our educational system, healthcare system, economic system, employment opportunities, the environment all are a part of the stability of our marital relationships and the well being of the children that come from our marital relationships.
I believe the reason why America is even in this situation of having to pass a marriage amendment is due to pastors and church goers who have been deceived by the liberal doctrines that destroy our biblical foundation. We need to get back to following Jesus Christ and His Word so we will know how to live by Biblical principles.
Brother Bryant has been doing a great job keeping Christ’s commandments and serving Him so that God is glorified. Thanks for putting together this event Kevin, we need more Christians like yourself in the realm of government!
I believe the reason why America is even in this situation of having to pass a marriage amendment is due to pastors and church goers who have been deceived by the liberal doctrines that destroy our biblical foundation. We need to get back to following Jesus Christ and His Word so we will know how to live by Biblical principles.
Brother Bryant has been doing a great job keeping Christ’s commandments and serving Him so that God is glorified. Thanks for putting together this event Kevin, we need more Christians like yourself in the realm of government!
Why did the “pastor” above spend so much time writing a long dissertation over an issue that’s waist of time?
Why did the “pastor” above spend so much time writing a long dissertation over an issue that’s waist of time?