Some high-profile public policy issues of interest to Christians included in this week's edition of "The 3", as a worldwide climate change summit has brought concerns of evangelicals to the forefront. Also, the health care reform debate continues, as a key pro-life amendment was tabled (essentially defeated). Plus, efforts in 2 states to change the definition of marriage to allow same-sex marriage were brought to a halt this week.
3 - Evangelicals voice caution regarding climate change
As world leaders met in Copenhagen beginning this week to discuss some sort of agreement on reducing so-called "global warming", a term which has been swapped out with the term, "climate change", this has given evangelical leaders and organizations the opportunity to develop a perspective on the topic from a Biblical worldview. The Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation issued a declaration last week in association with a new report on the topic of climate change, and this week, many added their signatures to it. Essentially, the Alliance extols the stability of the earth, as it was created, and warns against the rising costs of trying to combat a concept that has some shaky scientific foundations, stating that it could adversely affect the poor. You can check out the work of the Alliance by going to www.cornwallalliance.org.
On The Meeting House this week, I discussed this study and declaration with Dr. Calvin Beisner, National Spokesman for the Cornwall Alliance. It's available at www.meetinghouseonline.info/download.
2 - Pro-life provision turned back in health care legislation
This week, in order to make a health care reform measure more palatable to some moderate Democratic senators, there was an attempt to attach an amendment to eliminates one of the objectionable aspects of the plan, which would keep taxpayer funds for being used for abortion. This is a measure that increases costs, dramatically expands the size of government, and gives government greater control in health care decisions which could lead to rationing and the denial of life-saving care to society's most vulnerable. The Nelson-Hatch Amendment was tabled by a 54-45 vote, and would have provided some political cover to Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who apparently supports the overall concepts that are being forwarded, with the exception of Federal abortion funding and the so-called public option.
While those that supported that amendment are being applauded, rightly so, by a number of pro-life groups, nevertheless we must now watch to see if those Senators throw their support behind the overall bill, even without this provision. In an interesting twist, the defeat of this Amendment may reduce the likelihood of health care reform being passed, which, to me, is a good thing, in light of some of the objectionable aspects of the big-government legislation.
Read some of the details on the tabling of the amendment from CitizenLink.
1 - Gay marriage provisions in 2 states halted
Going into this week, analysts could surmise that the Legislatures of New York and New Jersey stood a pretty good chance of moving closer to allowing same-sex marriages in their states. After all, the governors of both states support it, and there is a significant number of lawmakers in both states that also advocate this redefinition of marriage. However, by week's end, both states are actually further away from this recrafting of the Biblical definition.
In New York, the Senate there defeated, by a significant margin, a bill that would have allowed gay marriage there. Read The Christian Post's report.
In New Jersey, a Senate committee narrowly approved a bill supporting gay marriage there, but stunningly, before a Thursday vote in the full Senate on the legislation, it was suddenly pulled by it sponsors, perhaps fearing the political fallout of pushing such a measure through with such narrow support. From the state, here's the report from nj.com.
Now, with 31 states possessing constitutional amendments defining marriage as one man and one women, as well as these 2 setbacks, perhaps it appears that support of same-sex marriage might be waning. However, with the traction that the gay agenda continues to build throughout our nation, vigilance is very important as we seek to affirm the values of traditional marriage.
You can affirm traditional marriage, as well as the sanctity of life and religious freedom, by being one of the thousands signing the Manhattan Declaration - go to www.manhattandeclaration.org to learn more.
Supreme Court to hear case of Christian student group's ability to choose Christian leaders for one of its chapters
Anti-gay measure in Uganda stirs up evangelical opposition
Mt. Soledad cross case goes to 9th Circuit
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