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Upcoming election critical in ‘gay marriage’
debate, pro-family leaders say during rally

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BOSTON, Mass. (BP)–Pastors and pro-family leaders warned Oct. 15 that America is at a critical moment in the nationwide debate over “gay marriage” and that the upcoming election could have a significant impact.

Speaking at a pro-family “Liberty Sunday” rally hosted by the historic Tremont Temple Baptist Church, conservative religious leaders called on Christians to stand up for natural, traditional marriage and to make their voice heard. The rally, organized by the Family Research Council and broadcast to churches nationwide, was held just a few blocks from the building that houses the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, which issued a decision that legalized “gay marriage” two years ago.

The rally was held barely three weeks before Election Day, when eight states will vote on constitutional amendments protecting the natural definition of marriage, thus banning “gay marriage.” Homosexual activists protested the Liberty Sunday rally outside the downtown Boston church.

FRC President Tony Perkins said the four Massachusetts justices in the majority “rejected the precedent set by the very God that the founders of this nation and this state appealed to.”

“These four judges discarded 5,000 years of human history when they imposed a new definition of marriage on this state and potentially upon the entire nation,” Perkins said. “It is a definition that says there is no legal difference between two people of the same sex and a man in woman in marriage.

“This is a decision that if allowed to stand may very well alter the course of our entire nation.”

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Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, speaking in a video to rally attendees, said the November election represents a “crisis point” in the United States.

“What happens on Nov. 7 will have profound implications for the future of our country,” Dobson said.

“Homosexual activists and the liberal media have decided they have a much better idea [about marriage],” he said. “They are hoping to change the age-old definition to include not only same-sex marriages but also polygamy and perhaps group marriage -– and who knows what else. If all this becomes law the family as we know it will die and with it will go everything else that sits on that foundation.”

Wellington Boone, founder of the Fellowship of International Churches, echoed Perkins’ warning about what impact alteration of the marriage definition will have on the United States.

“We are dealing with issues in this country,” Boone said, “but we may have to deal with God if we let this issue go. God is raising up the church now to be the salt and light. We’re not going to be intimidated by an issue like this.”

Boone challenged pastors not to be intimidated by such threats as losing their federal tax-exempt status. Christian attorneys say churches can speak out about “gay marriage” and marriage amendments without losing tax-exempt status.

“If God calls homosexuality an abomination, if He calls it a vile affection, if He calls it wickedness … I can’t call it inappropriate behavior,” Boone said.

Boone noted that 20 states already have passed constitutional marriage amendments. Such an amendment has yet to fail at the ballot.

Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney said activists judges “struck a blow to the foundation of civilization –- the family” by redefining marriage.

“What [judges] ignored is that marriage is not primarily about adults. Marriage is about the nurturing and development of children,” Romney said. “Every child deserves a mother and a father.”

Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, said he “knows” there is an agenda by the homosexual movement to silence the truth.

“But they are lost,” said Chambers, a former homosexual. “They just don’t know. This is why it is so important for us to have a strong church. We are [Christ’s] flesh in this time.

“They [homosexuals] are not deserving of our ridicule, our hatred, They are deserving of the same thing we’ve got -– a relationship with our Savior -– Jesus Christ.”

Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin are scheduled to vote on marriage amendments Nov. 7.
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Copies of the “Liberty Sunday” DVD can be ordered at www.frc.org or by calling (877) FRC-4545.