Day of Truth v. Day of Silence
By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
The day before homosexuality promoters call for silence to honor their alternative lifestyle choices, thousands of Christian students across the nation will instead ask their classmates to “get the conversation started” about relationships, sexuality and faith with next Thursday’s (April 15) Day of Truth.
Started six years ago by the Alliance Defense Fund and supported by Exodus International, the Day of Truth encourages students to stand up for their First Amendment right to speak out and more specifically to speak the truth in love with the goal of having an honest conversation about homosexuality.
“Like Exodus International and the ADF, we don’t believe silence is the answer, especially when God’s word has much to say about sexuality,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “We encourage young Christians to be willing to reach out and share the truth and not be intimidated into silence.”
Sponsored by GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) and set for April 16, the Day of Silence calls on students to zip their lips — even during instructional classroom time — to show support for classmates who identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender. Focus on the Family calls the event an “adult-driven campaign that is selfishly done for primarily political reasons, even though well-meaning students may decide to participate.”
“GLSEN claims this event is about tolerance and safety. But if you pay close attention to the messages being communicated, it’s clear that tolerance exists only for one viewpoint — complete acceptance of homosexuality as normal and worthy of being embraced,” according to a Focus on the Family issue analysis.
In addition to sharing Biblical wisdom — that all are created in God’s image and worthy of love and respect; that sexuality is a gift from God created to be expressed between a man and a woman married to one another; and that faith helps Christians model their lives after Christ — Day of Truth participants also play an important role in upholding free speech rights.
Those who run into complications from school administrators or homosexual advocacy groups on campus — such as a North Carolina student suspended in 2006 for handing out Day of Truth information between classes — can get help from one of more than 1,200 ADF-affiliated attorneys.
“We encourage Christian students across the Tar Heel state to log on to dayoftruth.org to see how to organize a Day of Truth event at their school next week,” the Rev. Creech said. “It doesn’t have to be huge to have an effect. Whether it’s one or one hundred students, it is the message that matters — getting out the truth so that students know they don’t have to be silenced and that, if they are struggling and confused about their own sexuality, help is available.”
Creech also suggested that parents call their children’s schools to find out if they are allowing students and/or teachers to be silent in the classroom as part of Day of Silence. If so, he suggests the family take part in Day of Silence Walk-Out by keeping their children out of school that day.
In addition to Day of Silence, GLSEN also promotes a weeklong LGBT rally in the fall called Ally Week and also a day of events, TransAction, in February to promote the “full range of gender identities.”
“More and more of our classrooms are being used to promote the homosexual agenda,” said the Rev. Creech. “It’s time we took the lead to promote the truth.”