From the Desk of Pastor Rick Scarborough
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
As we approach the end of 2004, it’s important to reflect on
what befell Christian America – for good or ill – during the
twelve months past. Here’s an accounting of the state of
Christian values in these United States
1. Massachusetts Legalizes Homosexual “Marriage” – This
was easily the most ominous development of 2004. Flying in the
face of 3,200 years of Judeo-Christian tradition, Massachusetts’
Supreme Judicial Court (which often mistakes itself for the
Supreme Being) ordered city and town clerks to begin issuing
marriage licenses to same-sex couples (so-called). This radical
re-definition of marriage not only undermines an institution
established by God Himself, but opens the door to societal
sanction of equally bizarre and outrageous arrangements –
including polygamy, group marriage, incest, etc. Christians
understand what’s at stake here – the future of the family and,
hence, of civilization – even if politicians do not.
2. Congress Takes up Marriage Amendment – In response to
the Massachusetts menace (the possibility that un-elected judges
in one state could end up re-defining marriage for the entire
nation), Congress took up the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA),
which defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. (We
were in the thick of this battle in your behalf. Vision America
joined with the leaders of more than 40 pro-family
organizations, who constituted the Arlington Group. We met more
than 10 times throughout the year, and met with the leadership
of both houses and gave them guidance in crafting the FMA.) For
all of that, the outcome was disappointing. A constitutional
amendment must be passed by a two-thirds vote of each house to
go to the states for ratification. In the Senate, Democrats used
a filibuster to prevent the amendment from coming to the floor
for a vote. In the House of Representatives the vote was 277 to
186 in favor of the FMA, far short of the two-thirds majority
needed. While pro-family forces will be stronger in the next
Congress (especially in the Senate), it appears that the
amendment isn’t among the president’s legislative priorities. It
will take continuous pressure on the part of Christian activists
to bring the measure to a vote next year. With your help, I
pledge to be there, until activist judges cease their relentless
assault on Biblical values.
3. Marriage Initiatives – While politicians may be
reluctant to defend traditional marriage (especially in a
non-election year), the people overwhelming oppose the radical
assault on marriage. On November 2, voters in 11 states passed
amendments to their state constitutions, defining marriage as
the union of a man and a woman. Though opposed by the media and
(in many instances) the entire political establishment, all of
the measures passed -- with an average vote of over 70%.
Altogether, 14 more states adopted marriage protection
amendments this year. Now, a total of 41 states have adopted the
normative definition of marriage. While the people have spoken –
at ear-shattering decibels – all it would take is one appointed
federal judge to undo all of this.
4. Struggle Over Judicial Nominations – Refusing to bow
to the will of the people, Senate Democrats employed a permanent
filibuster to block the president’s conservative judicial
nominees. The device is not only unconstitutional, but
anti-democratic as well. Since it takes 60 votes to break a
filibuster, a minority of Senators was able to prevent the
majority from voting. The American people have now elected
George W. Bush to the presidency twice. (On both occasions, they
increased his party’s representation in Congress.) While
Republicans will have 55 votes in the new Senate, they’re still
five short of the number needed to break a filibuster. The
Republican leadership is considering changing the Senate’s rules
to eliminate the filibuster, which can be done by a simple
majority. Christians must persuade their Senators to move
expeditiously in that direction. (Vision America is working with
several other organizations to convince the Senate leadership to
stop this unprecedented abuse of the advise-and-consent
authority.) If we fail, the tyranny of the minority will
continue, and the president will lose one of his most potent
powers – putting his stamp on the federal judiciary.
5. Mel Gibson Gets Passionate – How far we’ve come when
making a movie about the death of Jesus Christ is considered
controversial. Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ” was the most
vilified movie of 2004, as well as one of the most popular. (It
cost $25 million to make. To date, its global box office is $610
million and counting.) “The Passion” touched moviegoers as few
films ever have. There are recorded instances of individuals
confessing to crimes – including murder – after being brought to
repentance by the film. Still, the elite was incensed. They said
it was too violent (ironically, in a culture that thrives on
senseless violence). There were charges of anti-Semitism –
refuted by conservative Jews like Toward Tradition’s Rabbi
Daniel Lapin and Don Feder, Vision America’s Communications
Director. While the success of “The Passion” isn’t a sign of
Hollywood returning to the days of “The Greatest Story Ever
Told” and “The Big Fisherman,” it does demonstrate a hunger for
revival in America.
6. Ten Commandments on the Frontlines of the Culture War --
The Ten Commandments have become a focal point in the war over
the right of Americans to publicly acknowledge God. In 2003, Roy
Moore was removed as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
for refusing to obey the unlawful order of a federal district
court judge to remove his Ten Commandments monument from the
state’s Judiciary Building. This year, Judge Moore unveiled his
Constitution Restoration Act of 2004 (HR3799) to take public
display of religious symbols, and acknowledgement of God by
public officials, out of the hands of federal judges. Vision
America continued its Ten Commandments rallies – with major
events from Tennessee to Utah, and Dallas, Texas to Hillsdale,
Michigan. Also, the United States Supreme Court agreed to take
up the constitutionally of public display of the Decalogue in 2
cases. Oral arguments are scheduled for early next year. As the
Ten Commandments is the basis of our legal code (a fact attested
to by the roman numerals one through ten carved in the doors
leading to the Supreme Court’s courtroom), this is a battle
Christians must win at all costs.
7. The Ongoing Assault on Christians – The war on
Christian America intensified in 2004. Besides attacks on “The
Passion,” there were cinematic slanders like the comedy “Saved,”
the continuing vilification of Christians on prime-time
television (documented in a just-released study by the Parents
Television Council), children told they couldn’t bring Bibles to
school or say grace in the cafeteria, and the effort to
eliminate any public celebration of Christmas. This offensive
culminated in the persecution of 4 Christians for praying and
reading Scriptures at a homosexual celebration in Philadelphia.
We’ve been in the catacombs before. A militantly secular culture
is determined to drive us back there. Not to resist is not only
foolish, but sinful. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, “For
I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of
God unto salvation, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.”
8. Christian Voter Registration – As never before, groups
like Vision America poured enormous resources into a
non-partisan effort to educate, register and activate Christian
voters this year. In all of our publications, at all of our
rallies, Vision America stressed the need for Christian
participation in the political process. (Other groups did the
same. Some, like the Christian Coalition, published non-partisan
voter guides.) Always, our message was identical: For
Christians, voting isn’t optional, but a sacred duty. The
results? Half a dozen pro-life, pro-family, pro-faith and
freedom candidates were elected to the U.S. Senate. Minority
Leader Tom Daschle – one of the most powerful liberals in
Washington and a dogmatic proponent of abortion on demand (even
in the third trimester) – was resoundingly defeated. Louisiana
elected its first Republican Senator ever – on a pro-family
platform. And, on November 2nd, marriage amendments passed in 11
states – including liberal bastions like Oregon. Christian voter
registration must be an ongoing effort. To rest on our laurels
now would be tragic. Already, the enemy has its sights set on
the 2006 election. So must we.
9. The Values Vote – Pundits were flabbergasted when exit
polls showed that in this year’s election, 22% said they based
their votes on “values” issues (like abortion, marriage and
cultural pollution) – more than those who said their primary
consideration was the war on terrorism or the economy. While the
media focused on jobs and foreign affairs, homosexual
“marriage,” the effort to purge God from our public life,
attacks on Christianity, and cultural degeneration (like Janet
Jackson’s and Britney Spears' exhibitionism), forced Americans
to care about basics. (We can’t have a strong economy without
strong families. Fewer and fewer Americans will want to defend a
society rife with immorality.) The media would like to declare
victory for its side in the culture war. The Values Vote shows
that our side is alive and kicking.
10. The Right To Life -- 2004 was a significant year in
the battle to protect the unborn. In April, the president signed
into law the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, allowing the
federal prosecution of the death of an unborn child occurring in
the commission of a crime. On the other hand, a federal district
court judge overturned the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban (passed in
2003). At the urging of the Texas Justice Foundation –
representing Norma McCovey (Roe of Roe vs. Wade) -- the Supreme
Court may revisit its historic 1973 decision. In the meantime,
well over 40 million Americans have been murdered in the womb in
the past three decades, more than the combined death toll in all
of our wars. Christians must recommit themselves to the cause of
ending this great evil.
The year that draws to a close was
in many ways momentous. Let us build on our successes, and work
to reverse our failures, in the coming year.
May you and your family enjoy peace, prosperity and a rich
spiritual life in the year ahead. Have a blessed New Year.
Just a reminder, year end gifts
made by credit card on our secure server by midnight
December 31, 2004 will be
eligible for a 2004 deduction. Vision America is an IRC
501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
http://www.visionamerica.us/newweb2/support_us.asp