Voters plan rally against 'pagan morality'

Voters plan rally against 'pagan morality'
Legislature could decide Monday on mandate to change 'attitudes'

A rally is planned on the steps of the Oregon Capitol Monday afternoon as Christian individuals and leaders from across the state will protest the legislative plan to adopt as state law a "pagan morality" that would include public education to "eliminate attitudes" that oppose the homosexual lifestyle choice.

David Crowe of Restore America ministry is publicizing the event as well as coordinating a petition against the state's Senate Bill 2. He told WND Christians' efforts to contact their legislators to express opposition must be making a point.

"Reports by phone and e-mail to Restore America indicate open hostility from both Legislature operators and aides to those representatives who are supporting these bills," he said. "When they want support for their bills, they welcome the calls. Otherwise, it appears, public input is not welcome."

But Crowe urged opponens to "Call them anyway! Remind them that their vote affects all Oregonians and that their vote will be known throughout their district."

He said the plan's introduction to the full House of Representatives originally was scheduled about mid-week, but has been moved up.

"The 'mid-week' vote is somehow moved to Tuesday, and after hearing there will be a major opposition rally on the steps of the Capitol on Monday afternoon, the governor's train to 'moral nowhere' may reach its destination this ... Monday!" Crowe said.

House Speaker Jeff Merkley, Majority Leader Dave Hunt and Rules Committee Chairwoman Diane Rosenbaum "are all Portland liberals, determined, along with their cohorts in the Senate and governor's office, to ignore the will of the people, favoring instead a vocal immoral minority who are equally determined to force the rest of us to accept a different morality, a morality that is detrimental to both emotional and physical well being of our citizens, and the future of our children," Crowe said.

"May this renegade, runaway train to moral confusion get sidetracked to nowhere before we the people, the citizens of Oregon become subjects of a new tyranny," he said.

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.'"

It's already approved by the Senate, and a House committee, and Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski has expressed his support.

The plan provides special protections to anyone choosing the homosexual lifestyle by categorizing them as a civil rights minority. It would give broad new powers to homosexuals and would impact churches, businesses, individuals, school children and others.

Crowe said if it is approved, very shortly will follow arguments that even churches should be forced to hire homosexuals. That already would be a given for business owners, as would a new educational program.

"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."

Crowe says he has documented that the entire issue is built on false pretenses. In Oregon, while there have been about 170 cases of such discrimination reported since 2000, a state agency has confirmed the validity of only a handful of cases.

He also said many questions still remain unanswered, including who defines sexual orientation and what is that definition; will pedophiles be protected; and what sexual acts will be protected.

Churches would be exempted under the affirmative action-type program only if the situation "is closely connected" to the "primary purposes" of the church. Making that determination already would be assigned to the court system.

Hundreds of pastors representing tens of thousands of Oregonians are opposing the plan.