Oklahoma Southern Baptists reaffirm stance against legal gambling
Members of denomination encouraged to take ‘silent stand’ next year
BY CARLA HINTON
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Published: November 11, 2009
MOORE — Oklahoma Southern Baptists — who have long denounced the state lottery and other forms of legalized gambling — reaffirmed their opposition against gambling at the denomination’s annual meeting Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Moore.
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"We don’t want any legislation that seeks to silence our ability to stand with our Bibles in hand and proclaim the Word of God."
The Rev. Anthony Jordan
Baptist congregations were encouraged to take their opposition to the streets next September as part of a "silent stand” of opposition outside legalized gambling establishments in the state.
The gathering of 887 registered delegates at the
Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma’s meeting approved a resolution acknowledging the "harsh realities” of gambling and other "legalized vices” as destructive to families and society. The resolution stated that Baptists seek the revocation of gambling throughout Oklahoma and oppose any expansion of gambling in the state.
Most of the various resolutions brought to the fore Tuesday were approved without discussion. However, a Wilburton delegate urged the convention to do more than promote next year’s "Anti-Gambling Sunday.”
Dale Allen requested the resolution be amended to encourage churches to participate in a silent stand against gambling.
"My appeal is that we do more than put this in writing ... that we stand up and do something,” Allen said, prompting applause from several people in the audience.
The resolution with Allen’s suggested amendment was approved, along with resolutions on traditional marriage, sanctity of life and freedom of speech.
The
Rev. Anthony Jordan, the convention’s executive director-treasurer, acknowledged the convention has previously proclaimed its stance on the issues of marriage and sanctity of life.
"Usually we will come along every few years and just address them and reaffirm them,” Jordan said Tuesday.
The resolution on traditional marriage states the convention’s belief that the biblical definition of marriage is the unity of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.
"We uphold traditional marriage as the only context for appropriate sexual expression. Holy Scripture condemns all other sexual acts,” the resolution said. Traditional marriage, the statement said, is under attack at the state and national levels.
The sanctity of life resolution commended the efforts of Oklahomans who are active in the passage of "pro-life legislation” and encouraged
Oklahoma Baptists to uphold the sanctity of human life in any proposed state or federal legislation.
Delegates also approved a resolution regarding freedom of speech, stating they strongly oppose any legislation that would potentially criminalize speech and beliefs and threaten their First Amendment rights.
Douglas Baker, the convention’s communications director, said the resolution was not created in response to the
Matthew Shepard and
James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act recently passed into law by Congress. Among other things, the law classifies crimes motivated by someone’s sexual orientation as hate crimes.
"It is more of a perennial concern for so many Baptists,” Baker said.
"There is a looming danger that those who preach what we believe to be Holy Scripture could be censored at some point by the government,” particularly regarding Baptists’ opposition to homosexuality.
"We don’t want any legislation that seeks to silence our ability to stand with our Bibles in hand and proclaim the Word of God,” Jordan said.
Meanwhile, the convention elected officers Tuesday. The
Rev. Emerson Falls of
Oklahoma City was elected to his second one-year term as president. The
Rev. Blake Gideon was elected first vice president, and the
Rev. Mike Williamson was elected second vice president.
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The Baptist want to insure their freedom of speech, however curtail other’s freedom to gamble or engage in consensual matters between two people. It would be fine if they kept these rules to themselves – their members, however all too often they find ways to get our government to legislate morality. Find out where our freedom is headed at www.GreggTunison.com