'Pagan morality' on way to becoming law
Pastor Dale Morgan
'Pagan morality' on way to becoming law*
State aims to 'eliminate attitudes' that oppose homosexuality
Posted: April 11, 2007
Restore America
A legislative plan to "eliminate attitudes" opposing homosexuality is
moving forward in Oregon, even though opponents claim it threatens
churches and establishes pagan morality as a benchmark for their operations.
Senate Bill 2, already endorsed by the state Senate and favored by Gov.
Ted Kulongoski, a Democrat, now heads to the floor of the state House
following a 5-1 committee endorsement.
It is expected to be voted on within the next week.
In the House Rules Committee, an amendment was offered that would have
provided an exemption for Christian churches and Christian groups in the
proposal to grant broad new powers to the homosexual community by
designating them as members of a protected minority class.
However, the amendment was rejected in favor of a plan to continue to
allow homosexuals to demand Christian churches hire them when there are
job openings – among other issues.
"This is still an intrusion of the state into religious liberty, and
makes [Christian organizations] subject to state control," David Crowe,
of Restore America, said.
"It favors the homosexual community and puts the church in a defensive
posture, having to defend itself and its beliefs, policies, doctrines
and employment," he said.
The Oregon Family Council had proposed an amendment derived from similar
legislative plans in other states where homosexual community members
have been granted special rights, but it was rejected.
"This is very objectionable. It reveals that this is an agenda. They
couldn't care less about what the people of Oregon think," said Crowe.
His organization's petition to encourage legislators to oppose the plan
already has 6,000 signatures and is growing at the rate of about 1,000
per day.
"We're going to tell the world what is being dictated (to Christians and
Christian churches) in Oregon," Crowe said.
He said the attitude on the part of lawmakers was typified by a comment
from state Rep. Peter Buckley, from Ashland, who didn't want to provide
"more exemptions," likening the situation to "past racist employment
motives."
It used to be signs that said "No Irish need apply," he suggested. "Only
now it's like, 'No gays or lesbians need apply for jobs.'"
Buckley insists the church must employ homosexuals, said Crowe.
"He has no regard, no understanding whatsoever of the religious
community at all, and certainly no respect for the U.S. Constitution,"
Crowe explained. "He says he's going to summarily override anything in
the Constitution. He believes we ought to be forced to hire homosexuals.
They come to the door, we ought to hire them."
He said the homosexual-rights promoters are becoming self-righteous in
their attitudes, saying, "We're against any kind of discrimination and
certainly this kind as well."
Churches, meanwhile, are being portrayed as impeding "what is really good."
The entire issue, however, is built on false pretenses, Crowe said,
because the need for such legislation can only be substantiated if there
is a significant problem with discrimination against homosexuals.
In Oregon, while about 170 cases have been reported since 2000, a state
agency confirmed the validity of only a handful of cases.
"The substance is not there," Crowe said.
He also said the legislators supporting the plan need to look at the
document and ask some questions, including, what is the definition of
sexual orientation and is that a state of mind; will pedophiles be
protected under the legislation; and what sexual acts will become protected.
But the proposal leaves churches unprotected in their religious beliefs
and actions that derive from those beliefs, he said. It states churches
are exempted "only if the employment, housing or the use of facilities
is closely connected with or related to the primary purposes of the
church or institution. …"
Then the issue is left to the state courts to determine any relationship
to "the primary purposes of the church."
One letter to the editor apparently spoke for many Christians in Oregon.
"Oregon Senate Bill 2 … elevates immoral behavior to acceptance and
approval. Will polygamy be granted civil rights status next?" wrote Mike
Knutz of McMinnville.
"The bill restricts religious freedom. … It denies religious liberty to
business owners. … And the bill goes even further to establish 'a
program of public education calculated to eliminate attitudes upon which
practices of discrimination because of sexual orientation are based,'"
he wrote.
"People who view homosexual conduct as wrong, sinful and or unhealthy
will see their tax dollars at work against their own moral code."
Crowe said the results of the bill would be to "limit your free speech
rights and rights of conscience; require public schools to teach that
homosexual/lesbian/bisexual behavior is 'okay' and 'moral'; impact your
rights as a business owner; and put judges in authority on certain
church matters."
"The law – and this is onerous – has a clause that talks about
developing a program of education to change our attitudes," Crowe said.
"To change our attitudes? Is it the government's business to change
attitudes? But that's precisely what's in the bill."
Nearly 500 Christian pastors, including one leader representing the
30,000 people in his organization's many churches, have opposed the
proposal but have been fighting an uphill battle in a legislature
dominated by Democrats.
Crowe called the plan "the most sweeping and culturally devastating law
in Oregon history, establishing pagan morality under the guise of a
'civil right,' and imposing it upon all Oregonians under the cover of
'law.'"