A rally for Marriage, a race for NC Senate, and a response by a pastor
By M.H. Cavanaugh
Christian Action League
October 3, 2014
RALEIGH – The battle over marriage continues in North Carolina on different fronts. This week, conservative evangelicals wanting to make clear their support for traditional marriage gathered by the thousands at Halifax Mall behind the state’s legislative building in Raleigh. ActRight.com is reporting North Carolina’s leading homosexual organization, Equality NC, has targeted Senator Chad Barefoot for defeat because his mother-in-law, Tami Fitzgerald, led the fight to pass North Carolina’s marriage amendment. And a North Carolina pastor has garnered national attention by writing a blog post in which he promises support for his children if they should become homosexuals.
Conservative Christians Rally for Marriage
Tuesday, Forsyth County-based Return America, hosted a rally to support North Carolina’s current definition of marriage as one man and one woman. Speakers argued that federal judges were overstepping their authority by overturning state marriage amendments across the country. State Attorney General, Roy Cooper drew much criticism from the group because of his unwillingness to vigorously defend the state’s marriage amendment.
“We have an attorney general who shows little to no passion for carrying out his sworn duty to defend our state’s constitution,” said Rev. Mark Harris, pastor of the First Baptist Church, Charlotte, and former U.S. Senate candidate. “In any other company in America, if you in good conscience cannot carry out the duties or responsibilities of your job, the burden would be upon you and me to resign from that position. Why would we expect any less from our elected officials?” asked Harris.
Dr. Ron Baity, president of Return America told the Christian Action League he felt the rally was “a great success.” He said he believed it sent a strong signal to the state’s attorney general that he had a constitutional responsibility to uphold the laws of our state.
He said it also demonstrated there is a large group of Bible-believing Christians on the opposing side of same-sex marriage who are vowing to keep up the fight to preserve the traditional definition of marriage in the Tar Heel state.
Baity said the media was under-reporting attendance figures. Reports varied with some saying around 1500, another approximately 2200. But Baity said more than 2000 people had already registered to show up for the rally, “So we knew it was higher than what they were saying,” he said. The actual attendance at the rally was anywhere from approximately 5000, he contended.
The Associated Press reported: “Speakers urged people to get involved in the political process this fall, especially by voting for like-minded candidates. Attendees filled out voter registration applications and pastors were offered materials to encourage voting. Chad Connelly, the faith engagement director of the Republican National Committee, also spoke at the rally, which featured patriotic ceremonies and a gospel quartet.”
To order Voter Guides for your church, click here
Homosexual Lobby Targets Sen. Chad Barefoot for Defeat
ActRight.com, which describes itself as a national online clearinghouse for conservative causes, is reporting that North Carolina’s premier homosexual lobbying group, Equality NC, is specifically targeting for defeat Sen. Chad Barefoot (R-Wake, Franklin) in the November election.
Why? Apparently, it’s not simply because the Senator has been a strong advocate for biblical marriage, but because of their disdain for his mother-in-law, Tami Fitzgerald.
“Equality NC had the audacity to list Chad’s mother-in-law Tami Fitzgerald, who led the fight to pass the marriage amendment in May 2012, as one of the main reasons for targeting him,” says Brian Brown, head of ActRight.com. “We as conservatives know that homosexual lobbying groups will stop at nothing to take out pro-traditional marriage conservatives like Chad who refuse to remain silent as judges and activists across the country seek to overturn our marriage laws and force their radical social experiment on our children. They’ll even resort to personal attacks, such as bad mouthing members of Chad’s family” adds Brown.
Tami Fitzgerald was head of Vote for Marriage NC, an umbrella group that included a broad coalition of policy organizations and faith leaders who supported the state’s marriage amendment. Dr. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, served on the executive committee.
Dr. Creech said, “There is no one in North Carolina who has done more to protect and preserve the great institution of marriage than Tami Fitzgerald. That woman has more guts and moral fortitude in her little finger than most people I know have in their whole bodies. It’s nauseating to think the LGBT community – a community which is always claiming people of faith who support traditional marriage are full of ‘hate’ – hypocritically target a candidate for defeat because of his family association. You’ve got to really be full of hate to advocate for that kind of ‘scorched earth’ political policy.”
Dr. Creech added he thought Sen. Barefoot, the youngest Senator in the state senate, was one of the finest in the chamber. He said Barefoot, a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a devout Christian, husband and father, was as solid a public servant as one could find. “He has a degree in Christian ethics and he has always approached his service in the public arena from a strong Christian worldview,” said Dr. Creech.
“This November’s election is critical: Chad needs our conservative base to rally around him as extreme liberal groups like Equality NC seek to take him out and replace him with a leftist, anti-marriage, anti-life feminist,” writes Brown.
ActRight.com provides the following link for supporting Barefoot’s campaign: click here
Sarah Crawford is the Democratic nominee who seeks to unseat Barefoot in November.
North Carolina Pastor Garners National Attention from Blog Post
Recently, John Pavlovitz, who currently serves as pastor of North Wake House Church and volunteers at North Raleigh Community Church, caused quite a stir when he wrote an article for his blog titled, If I have Gay Children: Four Promises from a Christian Pastor/Parent. The piece has gone viral and drawn national attention.
In the writing, Pavlovitz issues four statements of support for his children if they should turn to homosexuality, (1) if his children are out, the family will be out in full support, (2) he’ll pray for them, but he won’t pray for God to change them (3) he’ll love them for who they are and that they are his children (4) he will accept them as wired the way they are because God made them that way.
Pavlovitz’s told the Christian Post, “I wrote the post because I’ve been in ministry for 18 years and have seen many LGBT people be mistreated and damaged by the church, and with a lack of decency. I wanted to share a different sentiment from a Christian and pastor.”
Pavlovitz previously served eight years as a pastor at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Charlotte. He also told WBTV that people from inside the church, in addition to people who have moved away from the church, have connected with his article because of the way they feel they have been mistreated.
“There is no question that people who have same-sex attractions or practice homosexuality have often been mistreated by the church,” said Dr. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “God’s people must demonstrate grace to those caught up in the power of sin. This is especially true for members of our own family, like our children. Nevertheless, we do no kindness to anyone, especially our children, if we sugarcoat the damning effects of their sin. That’s not love – no matter what anybody says. And the Scriptures are abundantly clear – abundantly clear – homosexual behavior is seriously sinful.”
Dr. Creech said parents typically have three responses whenever a child heads down the wrong path in life. “First, we can totally write them off. We want nothing to do with them. But this isn’t the right response,” he said. “Second, we can lower the standard. We can compromise our morals and embrace their behavior, justifying it. That’s essentially what Pavlovitz advocates, whether he realizes it or not,” he added. “Or third,” said Dr. Creech, “We can do the hardest thing, but the right thing. We can be there for them, love them unconditionally, pray for God’s grace on them, but stay strong in what we know is right. Refuse to compromise. It may be the only hope our children have of being set on the right course, and, perhaps even ultimately being saved from hell.”
Addendum
The U.S. Supreme Court took no action this week on appeals asking the High Court to take up state marriage amendment cases. The court is currently considering numerous appeals, many of which will be turned down. Justices will meet again, but privately on October 10th. They are expected to announce the cases they will take up in the near future on October 14th, one or more same-sex marriage cases is likely to be placed on the docket.