Friday, November 11, 2005
The Shining Light Of Christianity (#3)
Robertson to Dover: God shall smite thee!
The Uberchristians have been busy this week, and a lot of it has to do with Tuesday's elections.
Religious-right leader Pat Robertson used his 700 Club program to warn the people of Dover, Pennsylvania, that God may abandon them. That town's voters threw out school board members who had advocated adding discussions about "intelligent design" to biology textbooks used in local schools.
Robertson said: "I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God; you just rejected Him from your city. And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there."
Meanwhile, back here in Texas, a local fight is feeding into a larger national one. Public school officials in Ector county (that's the Odessa area, for all you non-Texans) are moving forward with plans to institute Bible classes. According to one Christian extremist organization, the curriculum for those classes will make children Communists.
Also from Texas, and with Tuesday's resounding defeat of Proposition 2 (the Gay Marriage amendment) under their belts, Lone Star Uberchristians want to expand their efforts.
As the Dallas Morning News reports:
Texas social conservatives want to translate their resounding victory on a gay marriage ban into broader results: reducing the state's divorce rate and passing a nationwide amendment to prevent same-sex unions.
Rep. Warren Chisum, who wrote the amendment, Proposition 2, endorsed by Texas voters by a ratio of more than 3-1, said Wednesday that it's too easy for spouses to split up. The state should consider repealing or modifying its no-fault divorce law, the Pampa Republican said.
"Gee whiz, our divorce rate's higher than New York," Mr. Chisum said. He proposed that between now and their next regular session in 2007, lawmakers study ways "to make marriage thrive more in our state."
Meanwhile, leaders of the pro-amendment campaign said Tuesday's vote should add momentum to the drive to have Congress pass a federal constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage.
