Rick Warren has been asked to offer the invocation at Barak Obama’s inauguration on January 20, 2009. The Southern Baptist pastor has drawn fire for his stance against Proposition 8 in California. The people voted for it and defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. Now gay rights activists have said they are feeling betrayed that Warren was invited to pray.
However, very little ink has been given to the man asked to deliver the benediction. The Rev. Joseph Lowery is a retired United Methodist pastor. He is called the Dean of the Civil Rights movement. Ebony magazine calls him one of the 15 greatest black preachers. If you have ever heard him you will agree he is a powerful speaker. After marching with Dr. Martin Luther King he was a founder and later president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1977 until 1998. He led the Cascade Methodist Church to great things during his days of pastoral leadership in Atlanta.
Dr. Lowery believes marriage is a civil right and should not be denied to gays or lesbians. He has also called for the ordination of gay clergy in the Methodist church. Along with over 51% of voters in California and over 60% in Florida, I disagree with his stance. Both states voted for marriage to remain as defined being between a man and a woman. This is a moral issue. It is a Bible issue. While you can count on Dr. Lowery praying a soul moving prayer to close the inauguration, he is wrong on this marriage issue. Rick Warren has it correct. If a man can marry a man then the logical next step is toward polygamy and then allowing a man to marry a child. On and on the slippery slope falls. Without a doubt it is time for America to pray.
However, very little ink has been given to the man asked to deliver the benediction. The Rev. Joseph Lowery is a retired United Methodist pastor. He is called the Dean of the Civil Rights movement. Ebony magazine calls him one of the 15 greatest black preachers. If you have ever heard him you will agree he is a powerful speaker. After marching with Dr. Martin Luther King he was a founder and later president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1977 until 1998. He led the Cascade Methodist Church to great things during his days of pastoral leadership in Atlanta.
Dr. Lowery believes marriage is a civil right and should not be denied to gays or lesbians. He has also called for the ordination of gay clergy in the Methodist church. Along with over 51% of voters in California and over 60% in Florida, I disagree with his stance. Both states voted for marriage to remain as defined being between a man and a woman. This is a moral issue. It is a Bible issue. While you can count on Dr. Lowery praying a soul moving prayer to close the inauguration, he is wrong on this marriage issue. Rick Warren has it correct. If a man can marry a man then the logical next step is toward polygamy and then allowing a man to marry a child. On and on the slippery slope falls. Without a doubt it is time for America to pray.
Remember to pray for Rick Warren as he gives the opening prayer on January 20. Pray he will be a bright light for Jesus and will be used of God for the Christian faith.
Bro. Ron
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