WASHINGTON UPDATE 07/13/2015

Share with Friends | | July 13, 2015 | Permalink Preachers of Habit Redefining marriage in the courts may not have been difficult, but persuading Americans to accept it is another story entirely. Their supporters may be cheering the Supreme Court now, but those five black-robed lawyers may also be responsible for something else: America's spiritual revival. In church after church, the story is the same -- pastors preaching powerful sermons on God's design for marriage and urging their congregations to accept no substitutes. If what's happening in the pews of America is any indication, the Supreme Court didn't weaken people's resolve -- it strengthened it. And if liberals truly believe that evangelicals are the "only cultural holdouts" on marriage, they're about to find out how wrong they are. Across denominations, ethnicities, and political parties, there's a growing outrage over the Court's presumption -- and the President's betrayal. In African-American churches, the White House's anti-marriage campaign is particularly infuriating. "Ask me if I regret it," Daryl Fisher told a Los Angeles Times reporter about voting for Obama. "I do. If I could take it back, I would -- on this issue alone. We expect him to rule this nation based on the beliefs in this book," he said holding up the Bible. Like most of the congregation at Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church, he was appalled by the President's rainbow light show on the people's house. "It's painful as a Christian," Fisher shook his head, "to see the leadership -- our President -- has not taken God into consideration." They also resent the fact that this White House continues to link marriage to the civil rights debate. There is "no connection whatsoever," Fisher pointed out. Others, like church administrator Sylvia Sims, says she used to be a straight-ticket Democratic voter. Not anymore. "It's going to make us more diligent as Christian voters," the group agreed. "[We'll have] to know where you stand on this issue." Unfortunately, Sims explains, the church has no one to blame but itself for the culture's decline. "We should have spoken up sooner." But, like a growing number of congregations, they're speaking up now. "We stand now joined with a unified voice as watchmen on the wall of history," Rev. Miller made clear, "to call for a redirection and recommitment to Christian virtues and Christian morals." Unified is right. From Catholic parishes to Jewish synagogues, the faith community is showing liberals what true diversity looks like. In Brentwood, Tennessee, Pastor Mike Easley isn't known for wading into politics. But yesterday, he preached from Genesis 19 and said that if lawsuits come for their views on sexuality and marriage -- so be it. The people in the pews stood up in thunderous applause. In Tyler, Texas, the local diocese was put on notice: no Catholic facility or employee of the church would participate "in any way" in same-sex marriage. Bishop Joseph Strickland left no doubt where he stands after a Supreme Court ruling that he calls "unjust and immoral." It is our "duty," he informed his parishes, "to clearly and emphatically oppose it... In spite of the decision by the Supreme Court, there are absolutely no grounds for considering unions between two persons of the same sex to be in any way similar to God's plan for marriage and the family." Beshear Austere in Anti-Freedom Push Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear says he respects his employees' faith -- just not enough to let them practice it. That was essentially what he told County Clerk Casey Davis in a meeting late last week over Davis's decision not to issue same-sex marriage licenses. Comply or resign, the governor insisted. Davis refused. "I'll go to jail before I quit my job," he fired back. "If that's what it takes for me to express the freedom of religion that I believe I was born with, I'm willing to do that." Governor Beshear dug in his heels, especially on Davis's request (and that of 57 clerks) that he call a special legislative session to deal with the issue of religious liberty. "I will not be calling any special session on this topic and costing the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars doing so." Instead, he'd rather make government officials pay the price -- with their jobs. "When [Davis] was elected, he took a constitutional oath to uphold the United States Constitution," Beshear argued. But that Constitution also includes a First Amendment guarantee of religious exercise -- which has been around two hundred years longer than whatever "right" five lawyers invented in June. Surely, Davis's freedom deserves just as much consideration as these couples' nuptials. In Toledo, Municipal Court Judge Allen McConnell is in the same boat as Davis and hundreds of other government officials who have been asked to violate their beliefs to keep their jobs. When he asked to be removed from a same-sex civil ceremony job, McConnell was subjected to harassment, protests, and even calls for impeachment. As the issue goes before the Ohio Supreme Court, local LGBT groups insist that Judge McConnell step down. "I respect his faith, but he needs to respect our laws," one activist argued. But the two are not mutually exclusive. When this Democratic judge opted out of the same-sex ceremony, another official performed it for him. There is absolutely no reason to force a person against their will to participate in something that contracts their sincerely-held beliefs. Religious liberty is America's "first freedom" because the Founders knew that loyalty to God goes before loyalty to the state. If we lose religious liberty, we've lost America. Join us in standing with government officials like Judge McConnell, who are literally putting their careers on the line for their convictions. These brave and women need to know that there are people who stand with them. So do your part. Join more than 26,000 who have signed our petition on behalf of Judge McConnell's freedom to live and work according to his beliefs! 'Washington Watch' Pulls into Seven New Stations! If the media wants to silence conservative Christians, they have their work cut out for them! Just last week, FRC added seven radio stations to its "Washington Watch" syndication on USA Radio Networks. With a population of 13 million, these seven listening areas can tune in from 5:00-6:00 p.m. (ET) for the Christian perspective on what's happening in the nation's capital. Our warmest welcome to our new friends in Buffalo, N.Y.; Rochester, N.Y.; Birmingham, Ala.; Detroit, Mich.; Sacramento/San Jose, Calif.; Denver/Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Portland, Ore. If you'd like to listen to "Washington Watch" in your area, call your local talk radio stations and request that they carry the show through the USA Radio Networks Affiliate Relations Department. For current station listings, visit the website. ** If you weren't awake to catch FRC's Ken Blackwell on C-SPAN's "Washington Journal," check out the video below! Tony Perkins' Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC senior writers.