The Mayor and the city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a group of pastors
to turn over any sermons concerning homosexuality, gender identity or
Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. According to the city council,
ministers who fail to comply could be held in contempt of court.
In an outrageous act of overreach that the Alliance Defending Freedom
(ADF) rightly branded "an inquisition" and a "witch hunt," the city of Houston has demanded
that hundreds of pastors preaching on themes relating to homosexuality
and gender identity turn their sermons over to the government for
inspection.
For those reading this for the first time , Annise Parker the Mayor of Houston is a Lesbianand she refers to her partner as first Lady.
So much for the idea that electing a lesbian activist for mayor would
have no negative consequences on the religious freedoms of the people
of Houston. So much for gay-activist "tolerance."
It was bad
enough when Mayor Annise Parker undermined the will of the state by
campaigning nationally for the redefinition of marriage when the people
of Texas had declared in overwhelming fashion that they did not want
marriage redefined.
And it was bad enough when she began to refer to her partner as the "first lady." (What does that make Mayor Parker?)
But it went beyond bad when Parker made clear that getting an LGBT ordinance passed in Houston was an "
intensely personal" thing to her. Yes, she said, "The debate is about me. ... It's not academic. It is my life that is being discussed."
What
happened to her being an elected official who was put in office to
serve the people? What of the massive outpouring of calls to other
elected officials protesting the bill?
As the Rev. Max Miller of
the Baptist Ministers Association of Houston and Vicinity stated in
response to Parker's public comments, "One thing we did hear: It's
personal. You cannot represent the people of this city on a personal
matter."
Or, as expressed by conservative City Councilman Michael
Kubosh, also responding directly to Parker in the same public meeting,
"I know you say it's about you, but, mayor, this is really about all of
us. It's not really about you; it's about everybody here."
At the heart of the opposition to the bill
was concern expressed over the transgender bathroom ordinance. This
would allow anyone who identified as transgender to use the bathroom of
their choice, regardless of their biological sex, thereby ignoring the
rights of a multitude of women and men who would find this a real
intrusion.
As noted by Steve Riggle, senior pastor of Grace
Community Church and an Executive Committee member of the Houston Area
Pastor Council (HAPC), "Forcing women in particular using city
facilities to be subjected to cross-dressing men invading their privacy
is beyond the pale and offensive to every standard of decency."
The bill also would open the door to potential sexual predators who could use this ordinance as a guise for their perversion.
Unfortunately,
Parker was able to push the bill through, despite the opposition, also
succeeding in having a petition thrown out that challenged the bill. (It
appears that the petition was wrongly rejected as well.)
Now, in a
ridiculous attempt to retaliate against those pastors and bully them,
Parker's office is demanding that these Christian leaders turn over
their sermon texts relating to homosexuality and transgender issues.
Pastor Riggle was even "ordered to hand over 'all communications with members of your congregation' regarding the non-discrimination law."
For good reason, the ADF stated
that the mayor's actions were "overbroad, unduly burdensome, harassing,
and vexatious," and they should be flatly rejected for those very
reasons. As the ADF explained, "the city is illegitimately demanding
that the pastors ... turn over their constitutionally protected sermons
and other communications simply so the city can see if the pastors have
ever opposed or criticized the city."
In light of this egregious example of gay-activist bullying—the very kind that I and others have documented
for years now—I urge every pastor in the city of Houston to address the
issues of homosexuality and transgenderism this Sunday, announcing this
for the entire world to hear but at the same time, refusing to obey the
unrighteous decree of Mayor Parker's office to turn your sermons over
for government scrutiny. (This should be done respectfully, in the
spirit of Acts 4:19-20; 5:28-29.)
I also urge every congregational
member in Houston to tell your pastors that you are standing with them,
encouraging them to stand up for what is right in the face of bullying
and intimidation.
To my fellow leaders in Houston and around
America, let's seize this moment and use it for the glory of God,
preaching His love for all people and His real interest in those who
identify as LGBT while at the same time proclaiming that His ways are
best, that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, and that
gender distinctives are not to be discarded or despised.
You have been given a unique opportunity in American history. Now is your time to shine boldly, publicly and without shame.
We are all standing with you.
Michael Brown is the author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire
on
the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of
Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.
Culled from :charismanews.com
