The Southern Baptists are Making History

I an not a Southern Baptist, nor any kind of Baptist. But I am a Christian who considers all Christians my brothers and sisters. But today I am pleased to see that the Southern Baptists have cut through the false rhetoric of Gay rights activists to rightly affirm that homosexual marriage is a moral and spiritual issue, not a civil rights issue. The Southern Baptists have the distinction today of being the largest Protestant denomination in America. This has not always been the case, but it is so now. So when they speak as a group they represent a lot of Americans. They have also made history this week by electing an African American pastor as their leader for the first time in their history. Good work, people! For the sake of clarity I reproduce here the part of their document on homosexuality that shows their resolutions:

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, June 19–20, 2012, oppose any attempt to frame “same-sex marriage” as a civil rights issue; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we deny that the effort to legalize “same-sex marriage” qualifies as a civil rights issue since homosexuality does not qualify as a class meriting special protections, like race and gender; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage Southern Baptists everywhere to fight for the civil rights of all people where such rights are consistent with the righteousness of God; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we express our love to those who struggle with same-sex attraction and who are engaged in the homosexual lifestyle; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we stand against any form of gay-bashing, whether disrespectful attitudes, hateful rhetoric, or hate-incited actions toward persons who engage in acts of homosexuality; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we affirm that pastors should preach the truth of God’s word on human sexuality, marriage, purity, and love with all boldness and without fear of reprisal; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we proclaim that Christ offers forgiveness of sin for those who turn from their sins and believe on Christ for the forgiveness of sin.