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Editorial‘Gay marriage’: The time to act is now!By JAMES A. SMITH SR.
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The question for Florida Baptists is this: What are you prepared to do about it? It’s long past time to stop cursing the darkness of the homosexual lobby and its successful march to prominence in our nation. It’s time to act – now!
Florida Baptist Witness has not been shy about helping educate our readers on the matter of “gay marriage” and the Federal Marriage Amendment. In addition to previous editorials by this editor (“The Marriage Amendment: A debate our culture needs,” March 4, 2004, and “Ten reasons to oppose ‘gay marriage,’” April 29, 2004), other commentaries and numerous news stories on the subject, this week’s issue – our last before the Senate is scheduled to vote – includes point-of-view pieces by two of America’s leading evangelical leaders, James Dobson and Chuck Colson. These pieces and the others published in the past make compelling arguments for the danger of “gay marriage” and the unquestionable need of the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Unfortunately, this debate is not going to be won by those who make the best arguments; it will be won by those who demonstrate to politicians in Washington that senators and representatives who fail to protect true marriage will be held accountable for that failure.
The urgency of the moment cannot be overstated.
In the wake of the endorsement of “gay marriage” by a majority of one judge on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, this odious new institution is now operative in the Bay State. Unless a constitutional amendment is adopted to correct this abhorrent practice, it’s simply a matter of time before “gay marriage” will be required in the Sunshine State. There’s no doubt.
Florida Baptists should be very concerned about the posture of our senators on this and related matters. On June 15, both Graham and Nelson joined a majority of 65 senators in voting in favor of legislation creating a protected civil right class of “sexual orientation” in “hate crimes” laws. Richard Land, president of the SBC’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, rightly called this vote a “terrible precedent.”
Although the need for a constitutional amendment is critical, the odds of its success are truly daunting. Adoption of an amendment to the constitution requires the approval of two-thirds of both Houses of Congress and ratification by three-quarters of the states. Nevertheless, the defense of the true institution of marriage is worth the effort.
Last month, the Southern Baptist Convention overwhelmingly adopted a resolution supporting adoption of the Federal Marriage Amendment. The loudest and longest applause for President Bush in his address to the SBC related to his comments urging adoption of the FMA. Further, the Florida Baptist State Convention adopted a resolution in 2002 defining marriage as “the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.” As valuable as these statements are, however, victory for the FMA will happen only if grassroots citizens get involved in the debate.
In preparation for the expected Senate vote, various Christian organizations have called for churches to observe “Marriage Protection Sunday” July 11 and “Call Your Senator Day” July 12 as means of educating and involving citizens in the “gay marriage” debate. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is co-sponsoring a “Battle for Marriage” July 11 simulcast which churches may participate in to galvanize Christians to action on this critical issue, at this critical time. Speakers will include Dobson, Colson and former SBC President Adrian Rogers. (For more information, see: http://dvstudios.sitestream.com/show_july11.html.)
Christians who stand on the sidelines today and allow “gay marriage” to become permanently institutionalized in our nation will have no right to complain about it later. The time for action is now.
Call, send letters, send email, send faxes or visit their offices in person – do whatever you can to urge Sen. Graham and Sen. Nelson that the only way they can demonstrate their opposition to “gay marriage” is to vote for the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Do it now!
CONTACT INFORMATION |
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SENATOR BOB GRAHAM http://graham.senate.gov/email.html |
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Washington 524 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone 202-224-3041 Fax 202-224-2237 Tallahassee 2252 Killearn Center Blvd. Suite 300 Tallahassee, Florida 32309 Phone 850-907-1100 TDD 850-894-2882 Fax 850-894-3222 Toll Free 866-418-9569 |
Miami 150 Americas Center 150 Southeast 2nd Avenue Suite 1025 Miami, Florida 33131 Phone 305-536-7293 Fax 305-536-6949 Tampa 625 East Twiggs Street, Suite 500 Tampa, Florida 33602 Phone 813-228-2476 Fax 813-228-2479 |
SENATOR BILL NELSON http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm#email |
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Washington
DC United States Senate Hart Senate Office Building Room 716 Washington, DC 20510 Phone 202-224-5274 Fax 202-228-2183 Broward 3416 South University Drive Davie, FL 33328 Phone 954-693-4851 Fax 954-693-4862 |
Jacksonville 1301 Riverplace Blvd, Suite 2218 Jacksonville, Florida 32207 Phone 904-346-4500 Fax 904-346-4506 Tallahassee US Court House Annex 111 North Adams Street Tallahassee, Florida 32301 Phone 850-942-8415 Fax 850-942-8450 |
Miami-Dade 2925 Salzedo Street Coral Gables, FL 33134 Telephone 305-536-5999 Fax 305-536-5991 West Palm Beach 500 Australian Avenue Suite 125 West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 Phone 561-514-0189 Fax 561-514-4078 |
Orlando 225 East Robinson Street Ste 410 Orlando, Florida 32801 Phone: 407-872-7161 Toll Free in Fla. 1-888-671-4091 Fax 407-872-7165 Tampa Sam Gibbons Federal Court House 801 N. Florida Ave., 4th Floor Tampa, Florida 33602 Phone 813-225-7040 Fax 813-225-7050 |
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