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online newspaper published since 1900 in various formats -- now online |
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Church in Western Maine |
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"Fearful
lest it be relegated to the position of an isolated sect, Christianity
seems to be making frenzied efforts at mimicry in order to escape being
devoured by its enemies--a reaction that seems defensive, but is in fact
self-destructive. In the hope of saving itself, it seems to be assuming
the colors of its environment, but the result is that it loses its
identity. . . ." |
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Editor's note: The following column was published in the Lewiston Sun Journal on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 Sunshine on a political dust up Last year homosexual activists created their own registry at Maine’s Department of Human Services. As a result, all of Maine’s taxpayers are now party to a scheme which seeks to legitimize relationships that are illicit, and if you will pardon an old-fashioned word, sinful. This initial effort to redefine the family is picking up steam this year with the introduction of the Governor’s homosexual rights bill, and the accompanying effort to eliminate Maine’s Defense of Marriage Act. And we can be certain that there is a lot more redefining going on in various bills and regulations that are beyond our capacity to track. The League is a small force indeed, when compared to the enormous political, legal, commercial, and cultural behemoth that is at work both overtly and covertly establishing an anti-family agenda. These forces are so powerful that they succeeded in pressuring the Roman Catholic Church to endorse homosexual rights in 2000. The Diocese’s position on homosexual rights for Maine is still unclear. This particular political dust up is quite remarkable. It is less like a hurricane with well-defined walls than a squall with winds going every which way. Any reasonable person who seeks truth in this debate is sure to get their arguments in a tangle. And that is why discussions on this issue die out so quickly. Either people get disgusted with discussions about homosexuality, or they get bored with the airy arguments of our “intellectuals” who feel they have to dream up a definition of marriage that makes sodomy and sex outside of marriage a pro family activity protected by the constitution and every other standard of justice known to mankind – except for of course, the Bible. In a bizarre reversal of all our customs and traditions, it is now the Bible which is subject to scrutiny and moral disapproval, not sodomy. Once this political dust storm blows over, I’m praying that marriage can be cleaned up and restored to its former glory. God knows it has suffered terribly at the hands of the liberals since the introduction of the sexual revolution thirty years ago. Things have gotten progressively worse – first divorce, then abortion, then domestic violence, then child abuse - until now the thinking of many on the left is so degraded that they believe a man should be allowed to marry a man, or a woman a woman. This is not progress, it is decadence; and I am frankly shocked, as all reasonable people ought to be, that America can no longer see it for what it really is. The best thing I can do now is to attempt to stop the homosexual rights movement. If they can be stopped, then we can get on with reforming the laws that pertain to marriage and the family. It is going to take a long time to get things straightened out. But it is worth taking whatever time is needed. Those who wish to impose the homosexual agenda on the rest of Maine, against the will of the majority of the people, will continue to claim they are “progressive,” and they will continue to call me “homophobic.” Senator Peter Mills did try to add something new to this tired, worn-out liberal mantra last week, by suggesting that I am “bitter.” No, Senator Mills, thank you, I am not bitter. I am, however, as are most Mainers, getting tired of politicians who think they know better than the rest of us. We are also growing tired of people who push a hidden agenda, while publicly proclaiming there is no such thing. They remember when homosexual activists swore to the public six ways to Sunday that their fight wasn’t about marriage. Now, of course, we all know better. Now they are calling for the bizarre oxymoron called “same sex marriage” - but “not just yet.” We all know there is only one reason Augusta’s politicians won’t put this back on the ballot again. They know they will lose by a bigger margin than ever before. For the longest time we believed that the politicians in Augusta were there to represent the people. Not on this issue they aren’t. As every weatherman knows, dust storms die out when the sun sets in the western sky. Let’s hope that after three decades, the sun is finally setting on this particular political dust-up. League Statement on public hearing Editors note: The following statement was delivered by League board President Rev. Dallas Henry at an 11 a.m. Press Conference on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 in the League's conference room at 70 Sewall Street in Augusta.
Christians must ever be mindful of Christ's solemn injunction to render unto Caesar what is Caesar's. Our Lord taught us by example that each individual must always strive to be subject, humble, and obedient to civil authority. In that same spirit, the Christian Civic League has endeavored, for over one-hundred years, to be a faithful partner in state government, and has shared in the public discussion of laws we hoped would both edify the citizens of our state, and make our society stronger. Yet the same spirit which compels us to be dutiful citizens and loyal partners in state government also compels us to speak out against laws which have the potential to harm the people of Maine. In the past, the Christian Civic League has taken every opportunity to participate in government according to our third founding purpose which is, and I quote; "To enact laws and provide for their impartial enforcement." We participated with state government in trying to prevent the introduction of the state lottery system, the imposition of onerous fees and taxes, the decriminalization of gambling, the heinous practice of partial birth abortion, and the introduction of socialized medicine. Thus it is with deep regret that for the first time in our century-old history we are forced to announce that we cannot in good conscience work with our state government in its effort to pass homosexual legislation.
This decision of the Christian Civic League is based on two reasons. First, the proposed legislation, which purports to be about civil rights, is contrary to God's laws as revealed to us in his Holy Word to an extent never before seen in any legislation in Maine. Although other laws -- those pertaining to the subjects mentioned above -- that is, gambling, alcohol, abortion and the like, have done much to harm the people of Maine, no other legislation has had the potential to destroy the entire social fabric of our state, and our nation. Because we recognize the Governor's proposed legislation for what it is, the first step in a dangerous, hidden agenda which has as its ultimate goal the legalization of same-sex marriages, we object to the proposed legislation in the strongest possible terms.
Second, and equally important, by reintroducing this bill after similar legislation has been rejected twice by the people of Maine, the Governor and the Legislature, in their eagerness to cater to special interest groups from outside our state, are willfully undermining our democratic institution. It has often been remarked that when legislatures are misled by special interests, they are often not willing to repair the damage until the proposed legislation rises to the level of a national calamity. The Governor's proposed legislation threatens to become exactly that.
We also reject the strange notion put forth by the Governor and other supporters of homosexual legislation that society must be led by a few enlightened individuals. Such sentiments are contrary to the basic principles of democracy. In a democracy, the majority opinion must guide government, not the reverse. It is shocking to hear the Governor and some members of the Legislature say otherwise. It is the position of the League that to participate in a hearing on a bill which seeks to overthrow God's laws, and which makes a mockery of the principles of our form of government, is not being a good citizen. It is participating in a travesty of government. The Christian Civic League cannot in good conscience participate in a process which amounts to the abuse of our democratic institutions by outside special interests. Nor are we willing to participate in the public discussion of a bill which is part of a dangerous hidden agenda to destroy marriage and the family. To attend the hearing would make the League complicit in a process which is both a mockery of our democratic institutions, and a dangerous and deceptive effort to portray the sin of sodomy as "progressive social policy." For these reasons the Christian Civic League of Maine will not participate in tomorrow's public hearing.
Response to Kennebec Journal
Editors note: The following is an analysis by The RECORD of an editorial which appeared in the Kennebec Journal on March 6th In the interest of clarity, we should first explain that the Kennebec Journal editorial is nothing more a blind assertion of the newspaper’s position on homosexual rights without giving any reasons in particular for their stance. It seeks to tackle two large, contentious points in a brief, disingenuous manner. First, the editorial touches only briefly on the pending homosexual rights bill in the State Legislature. It merely skims the surface of an area of great concern, and that is the addition of special rights for homosexuals in the area of education. This alone merits a column-length editorial to properly flesh out their views on the bill; yet apparently the newspaper's editorial staff felt no such inclination. In addition to the superficial treatment on the issue of education, the Kennebec Journal mentions in passing that they endorse having only the Legislature handle this monumental decision. That is, they want no meddling from the people, who, of course, will be the ones directly affected if the bill succeeds. This is nothing short of astounding! The Kennebec Journal thinks the citizens of Maine should have no direct say regarding homosexual rights, perhaps because of the recent history of voters speaking their mind at the polls. The hap-hazard way this newspaper treats this subject would be laughable, if not for the dire consequences we will all face if the bill becomes law. As Frank Hansen stated so brilliantly when writing to The League recently, "The Word gives us the mandate to speak to our world without shame concerning righteousness." So let's be clear. The homosexual rights bill cannot stand on its own merits. It needs the support of Liberal newspapers. It needs the background of the "anything goes" type of thinking that these newspapers promote. After their lack of logic has left their readers numb to reason, they can then venture into the realm of the ridiculous. In the recent past, the people of Maine have spoken directly on the issue of homosexual rights. They voted down each attempt at these extreme measures. Yet the Kennebec Journal editorializes that there should be no opportunity for the people to be heard. But The Christian Civic League of Maine cannot stand by idly while the drumbeat of waywardness goes on uninterrupted. Faithfulness to the teachings of the Bible requires that we counter these editorials in every day life. The Christians of Maine, must out of love and concern for their fellow man, denounce these proposals in the clearest possible terms. Legislators must be held accountable if they cave in to the homosexual lobby. In that event, Christians will be obligated to speak out, no matter how much our local newspapers do not want to hear it. Newspaper website hacked Commitment to the truth on the part of dedicated citizens has driven another fringe group over the edge. In an odd parallel to the vandalism that occurred on our own website, another small online newspaper has received threatening messages, and has had a large portion of its website destroyed. The destruction of the website happened last week after the Empire Journal went public with certain allegations about the relationship between Michael Schiavo, the husband of Terri Schiavo, and certain Pinellas County public officials. It is speculated that of particular interest to the hackers, was the relationship between Schiavo and a current member of the Florida House of Representatives. The Empire Journal claimed that before being elected, the representative had hired Schiavo to work in the Pinellas County Jail as a registered nurse. As a result, the representative had earlier refused to conduct an investigation in allegations of spousal abuse committed by Schiavo.
Infant euthanized in Texas over parental objections
Recently the first infant in U.S. history to be euthanized over the objection of his parents was taken off life support by order of a Texas judge, and died almost immediately in the arms of his mother. Sun Hudson, age five months, suffered from a rare genetic disorder which doctors said was incurable. As reported by his mother, Sun Hudson’s last act on earth was to open his eyes and smile at his mother. The infant then died from suffocation almost immediately. His mother, choking back tears, said, “This is murder. I am not sugar-coating. This is murder.” By now allowing the euthanizing of hopelessly ill infants, America is now following the lead of Europe, where in Holland, fifteen to twenty infants are euthanized annually. Holland however, still requires the consent of the parents. Response to criticism of League designations "pro homosexual" or "pro family" Some legislators are complaining about the League’s designation of elected officials as either “pro homosexual” or “pro family.” See this webpage http://cclmaine.org/mikes%20files/legislator%20position%20on%20homosexual%20issues.htm The League makes no apology for this designation. It is not overly simplistic. Nor is it offensive. The designations are descriptive, accurate and simple. They defy obfuscation by politicians who wish to hide behind fancy and deceptive legal arguments over “sexual orientation” etc. Pro homosexual leaders are supporting the “sexual orientation” agenda. That is the honest truth. They see no problem with creating affirmative legal rights – human rights – on the basis of immoral sexual conduct. We do. They are pro homosexual. Leaders who wish to build a civilization consisting of strong and responsible families are pro family. There is no question about how we create such a civilization/society. We must – in the first place – stop affirming sex outside of marriage in law and practice. Second, we must create public policies that reward responsible sexual behavior and traditional marriage. If we do this then America WILL become a stronger civilization. If we do not, America will fall. We make no apologies for calling politicians who resist the homosexual agenda pro family. That is what they are. Quite frankly it baffles us that some legislators who vote against the homosexual agenda are complaining about our description of them as pro family. The only thing we can figure is that this is a weird way for them to protect their pro homosexual colleagues from public exposure. On occasion we have noticed a kind of herd instinct on the part of politicians – they do strange things to help their “friends.” We feel that it is now time for pastors to indicate whether they are pro homosexual or pro family. Many churches are becoming “open and affirming.” They mean by this deceptive phrase that they are not going to hold individuals accountable for sexual sin. We find no Biblical justification for a Christian Church to take such a position. We are considering the creation of a webpage dedicated to listing churches and pastors with the designation “pro homosexual” or “pro family.”
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The Christian Civic League of Maine 70 Sewall Street Augusta, Maine 04330 v- 207-622-7634 f- 207-621-0035 |
