EACH CHRISTIAN, A BEACON OF TRUTH

“If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”

(Luke 11:36)

QUOTATIONS ON LIGHT

“We are born of light. The seasons are felt through light. We only know the world as it is evoked by light.”  

(Louis Kahn)
 
"Light belongs to the heart and spirit. Light attracts people, it shows the way, and when we see it in the distance, we follow it." 

(Ricardo Legorreta)

”Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render: O help us to see
'Tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.”

(From the hymn “Immortal, Invisible”)

THE BATTLE BEGINS

Although much time and many words have been already spent in the debate over the gay rights law, it appears that the real contest is only now beginning. Last week, a panel of religious leaders met in Ellsworth to discuss the gay rights law. But, as reported in the Bangor Daily News, one member of the panel, a Rev. David Henry, said he hadn’t yet decided if homosexuality was a sin. Rev. Henry also said that he was uncertain about the effect of the law on marriage. So at least one of the members of the panel is still in the dark over the crucial issues in the debate. Those on the right side of the issue however, who are strong enough not to cave into the pressure to “go along to get along,” have no problem understanding these issues. One of them was the League’s own  Jerry Mick of Bangor Baptist Church, who was quoted in the Bangor Daily News as saying, “We are in a war for our families and our church, and we're in a war for marriage.” Jerry Mick made it very clear when he stated, "You either believe the Bible or you don't - they [the members of the panel] choose not to believe." 

The article in the Bangor Daily News went on to call Mike Heath “vitriolic” and said, “The mention of his name drew a scattered muttering of disapproval from the thirty or so people in the room.” All this is really a hoot to anyone who knows Mike Heath personally. But the media are showing little inclination to report on the League fairly, which comes as no surprise.  Conservatives in Maine have long been in an uproar over the obvious liberal bias of the press. No one at the League is surprised when reporters cherry-pick from our comments and take our remarks out of context. It’s a sad commentary on the current state of the media, but we don’t expect much more from our local newspapers than a rehash of the liberal agenda, and an occasional well-written letter to the editor.  

In the meanwhile, Mike Heath is gearing up for two important events, a speech tonight at Bowdoin College, and a debate tomorrow night against Ted O’Meara, the head of the organization opposed to the League on the gay rights law issue. Details of both events are given below.

The speech tonight will be at 7:00 at The Visual Arts Building (VAC) at Bowdoin. The event is sponsored by the Bowdoin College Republicans, on the subject of the upcoming People's Veto.  Friends and supporters of the League are invited to come prepared with good questions. Mike will speak for forty-five minutes and then take questions from the audience. The best way to reach the Visual Arts Building (VAC) is from Maine Street. Continue on Maine Street past Brunswick, and up the hill, past the First Parish Church and the statue of Joshua Chamberlain on the left. Make a right past Bath Road, and then make a quick left onto Park Row. Park Row runs parallel to Maine Street, and on the left is parking.  The VAC is brick and is the second on the left.  If you come to construction on Park Row, you’ve gone too far.
 
On Tuesday, September 20, at 7:00 o’clock, Mike Heath will debate Ted O'Meara, Senior Advisor for Maine Won't Discriminate, at the University of Maine at Orono. The event will be held at the Donald P. Corbett Business Building, Room 100. There are 350 seats, and the debate is free, first come first serve, with the priority given at 6:30 to UM students. At 6:45, the public will be let in. The questions will be a mix of questions that are pre-determined, and questions that are submitted by the audience at the start of the debate. The League is asking its friends and supporters to come prepared with good questions to submit at the beginning. The moderator for the event will be John Greenman, Public Affairs Producer for Maine Public Television. This may be the only public debate on Question 1 this fall.