From the Swinging State of Ohio

It dawned on me when I was sitting and watching with anticipation of the next news bulletin on Election Day the irony of where I was. The Lord had given me an opportunity to preach a Gospel Meeting in Ohio. It had been planned for some time but only then, seated in a rocking chair facing the television and holding my, laptop reviewing my lessons did it all come together! “I am in the very state that will decide this election at the very time of the election!”

The importance of this I learned during Hurricane Ivan when we fled the storm’s path and found refuge some 300 miles away. Trying to find information—any information—about home was near impossible. Everyone was talking about the coastline but nothing else.

This time I was sure to be in the loop and to have a clue. Interestingly, the southeast corner of the state, which was where we were, was predominately “Kerry country.” But across the Ohio River in West Virginia, there were many Bush signs. This illustrates in a small way the deep division that exists in our country.

Reflections from the Election

Never before has one election meant so much to our young country; never before have so many people turned out to vote their conscience. There was a lot riding in this election, both morally and politically. Recalling the trouble some exit polls, moral values ranked at the top as the primary reason for voter turnouts.

There were three major issues on the moral front: homosexual marriage, abortion, and stem cell research. President Bush and Christendom are both against this evil trilogy. The president has promised support for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, has already signed into law a ban on partial birth abortion, and has staunchly opposed the federal funding of stem cell research citing ethics reasoning.

The Bible, likewise, is as clear as the president in its explicit condemnation of homosexuality (Gen. 19; Jud. 7; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). We know that the family is the fabric of our society. Homosexual unions will unravel that structure. What will churches do when couples who are married in the state of Massachusetts desire to place their membership with those churches? One may say, “That will never happen!” We should watch out and be careful. We should not be guilty of sticking our head in the sand. The fact is that it will happen—soon! A little over two years ago in Lynchburg, Virginia, a gay male couple moved across the street to Thomas Road Baptist Church and was very antagonistic in their dealings with Jerry Falwell and that church. This occurred before the Massachusetts State Supreme Court’s infamous decision to legalized homosexual marriage. What will happen across this country in the next five years? Ten years? Twenty years? We need to be thinking ahead. Homosexual unions need to banned. Some states have already perceived and have made provisions to curb such growing dilemmas. On Election Day, 11 states proposed amendments to their state constitutions and their citizens overwhelmingly voted in favor of those amendments. Christian people are encouraged and welcome the great awakening that is apparently happening in America.

The other two issues, abortion and stem cell research, revolve around the right-to-life battle. The question which presides: When does life begin? Does it begin at conception or at birth? If life starts at birth, then there are no moral predicaments with either issue. But the Bible promotes life’s origin at conception (Jer. 1:5; Ps. 51:5). Therefore, the destruction of life after conception, no matter the time frame (one day—i.e. morning after pill; a few days/weeks—i.e. embryo stem cell harvest; a few months—i.e. partial birth abortion), is still murder. Who knows what California was thinking when they passed proposition 71, authorizing the use of state funds for the research of embryonic stem cells. Then again, who know what California is thinking much of the time? Woe to any of us who have hands that shed innocent blood (Prov. 6:17), in the hospitals and clinics or in the voting booths.

Another battle very soon to make its way to the forefront of the moral (and political) arena is that of the nomination of potentially four U.S. Supreme Court Judges. In a time when we are seeing our democratic republic turn into an oligarchy (society run by a few) we are witnessing the need for term limits for those judges. But religiously speaking, time is of the essence! If there are any hopes for overturning Roe vs. Wade and the ungodly deeds of the Massachusetts State Supreme Court in legalizing homosexual marriage, it lies in the hands of our conservative president and Congress to nominate and appoint likeminded justices to the highest court in our great land. It also lies in the hands of all American citizens to continue flooding the phone lines, e-mail accounts, mailboxes, and offices of any and all persons in power and influence.

Ohio was one of the eleven states which passed the ban on homosexual marriage. From my seat in a private home, I saw great hope for our country, our people, our religion, and our way of life. That day was a day of great anticipation and ominous gloom. Like many, I watched the events unfold with great concern. It was a day of prayer and reflection. For all faithful Christians, we should not lose hope that our God is in control. In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Phil. 4:6). May our prayer be that God will continue to bless America.

~David A. Paher

Andalusia, AL

Printed on November 14, 2004

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