Contact: Stacy M. Swimp, 313-848-7569, info@nationalclc.org
DETROIT, Oct. 24, 2014 /Christian Newswire/
-- Hundreds of Michigan Pastors and Christian leaders gathered on the
steps on the State Capital in Lansing, Michigan to hold a press
conference in opposition to the growing movement within the Michigan
Legislature to amend the State's Civil Rights Act- Elliott Larson- to
include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
"We,
the undersigned Christian Pastors of the State of Michigan declare our
opposition to adding sexual orientation, gender identity or other
similar designation to the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act." -- Pastor
Doug Levesque, Immanuel Baptist Church, Corunna, Michigan, reading a
pastor's joint statement.
The Pastors said that legislation in
other states that were allegedly intended to protect homosexuals
actually ended up discriminating against people of faith, citing the
recent case in Houston, Texas, where the sermons, notes, and text
messages of pastors were subpoenaed by the mayor.
"The homosexual
agenda is an anti-freedom movement which has led to the persecution of
pastors and Christian business owners across the nation, whose freedom
of speech and freedom of religion are being taken from them, under the
guise of so called gay rights. There is nothing civil about that!"--
Minister Stacy Swimp, President, National Christian Leadership Council
"Those
wanting special rights for sexual orientation are seeking to rewrite
the traditional moral fiber of our society." -- Tim Berlin, senior
pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Warren
"I don't know of another
example of pastors' sermons being subpoenaed, except for in Nazi
Germany and Communist Russia. I find it ironic that the first example of
that happening in America is from the LGBT community." -- Pastor R.B.
Ouelette, First Baptist, Bridgeport, Michigan.
The pastors
asserted that the job of the Michigan Legislature is to affirm and
uphold constitutionally protected freedom for everyone - including
business owners - not pass laws that grant special favors, give special
status or guarantee special protections for some while coercing and
punishing others.
Swimp concluded, "Let there be no doubt that,
if you should decide to go forward with this grave injustice, I, every
born again believer I know, as well as every pastor you see here today,
shall disobey your unjust law. Here we stand, Black and White together,
ready to go to jail!"
The press conference may be viewed here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7-0prPwxyk&feature=youtu.be
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