Some of our Christian brothers and sisters here in South
Carolina are wondering what to do now in light of the Supreme Court ruling last
Friday.
Christian business owners are worried that they will be
forced to do something contrary to their belief system, and many are nervous
that new rules will be imposed against the church. While the First Amendment
not only guarantees us the freedom of religion, it also says that Congress
shall not prohibit the free exercise thereof. That means that we have the right
to conduct our daily lives in accordance with God’s Word.
But we have already seen a gay couple threaten to sue a
church if they don’t open their doors for their gay wedding. We have seen
bakers and photographers put out of business for refusing to violate their
conscience (or refusing to allow Congress to prohibit the free exercise of
their religion). Instead of finding a wedding chapel that will hold their
ceremony, or instead of going to any of the hundreds of other bakers or
photographers, these groups are refusing to stop until they destroy their
opposition.
Some in the media are paying lip service to protection for
churches, but most of us aren’t buying it. We believe it is only a matter of
time before they try to chip away at our religious protection. Just hours after
the ruling on Friday gay activists were calling to fight those who “hide behind
religion.” That is why Texas Governor Greg Abbott just signed the Pastor
Protection Act, guaranteeing that no pastors will ever be forced to perform any
wedding against their will, and ensuring that their facilities will not be used
for any purpose other than established church policy.
It is time that we become proactive and let our Congress
hear our voices. They are paid to represent our interests, and if this is
important to you, then spend a few minutes writing a letter.
Here is a sample letter to send to your representatives:
Dear ________________________,
I am writing to you today with a very heavy heart. Friday,
June 26th, was a very dark day for America. The Supreme Court
Justices took it upon themselves to change the law of our Lord, the God upon
whom this Nation was founded, when they made same sex marriage legal.
The reason for my letter is to ask you to please pass a law
protecting our pastors and business people of South Carolina, guaranteeing them
of their free exercise of religion, to not have to violate their deeply held
religious beliefs. We still have some pastors who preach the Word of God as it
was written. Please protect them before it is too late (please see: “Pastor
Protection Act in Texas”).
I thank you in advance for your quick attention on this
matter, and thank you for all that you do for our great State.
Sincerely,
__________________________
Here is a list of some of our elected officials. If you
don’t live in South Carolina, you can go here and here to find your legislators.
Representative Mick Mulvaney
2419 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Senator Lindsey Graham
290 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Tim Scott
520 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Harvey S. Peeler, Jr.
213 Gressette Bldg.
Columbia, SC 29201
Representative Mike Anthony
432C Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, SC 29201
The
Honorable Nikki R. Haley
Office
of the Governor
1205
Pendleton Street
Columbia, SC 29201
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