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Most of the time when one hears about religious groups converging on Washington, DC, it involves conservative Christians gathering to make their voices heard. But that's not always the case. A coalition of liberal Baptist groups rallied on the U.S. Capitol grounds this week in support of their agenda.The major focus of the liberal Baptist rally was to remember the words of "Baptists and Religious Liberty," a 1920 sermon delivered by Dallas preacher George W. Truett on the east steps of the Capitol. Excerpts from Truett's sermon were read at yesterday's "Baptist Unity Rally for Religious Liberty."Brent Walker is executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, which sponsored the event. He urged the crowd to resolve to make Truett's challenge "a reality today and for generations to come.""Historically Baptists have had a hard time sticking together, and some things have not changed much" he stated. "But one thing that does bind us-including the 14 Baptist bodies that comprise the Baptist Joint Committee-is a fervent dedication to defending and extending religious liberty not just for ourselves, but for everyone; and to stand up and say that church-state separation is the best means we know of to ensure it."Representative Chet Edwards (D-Texas) told the gathering that some conservative politicians are "doing great harm to religion" by "tearing down the wall of separation between church and state." The nine-term congressman denounced congressional initiatives he claims would reinstate "government-sanctioned" school prayer, "legalize religious discrimination in job hiring," and "provide direct tax funding of houses of worship.""Human history has proven time and again that politicians, if given the temptation, will fall sway to the siren song of using religion as a means to their own political ends," said Edwards. "When that happens, the rights of religious minorities are diminished and religious liberty for all is put at risk."The rally also heard from Congressman Bobby Scott (D-Virginia), who told his listeners that conservative Christians and politicians are violating the so-called separation of church and state by forcing their religious views on others. Religious liberty is "in grave danger," said Scott."We're in danger of a religious majority trying to impose its views on others," he claimed. "For almost half a century, the line separating church and state has been fairly constant, but now there's a major but quiet effort to move that line."And that campaign is deceptive because many of the battles don't seem to be very much of a big deal in and of themselves," he continued, "but the success of the campaign would change the principles and guidelines by which we measure church and state controversies."Scott alleges that "campaign" against church-state separation is being waged by conservative justices on the Supreme Court who upheld President Bush's faith-based initiative, as well as by individuals who advocate school prayer and keeping the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and on U.S. coins.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/06/liberal_baptists_hold_demonstr.php
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