Soulforce
Responds to Pat Roberston’s Prayer Campaign and Encourages “Active”
Participation to Ensure Equality for All People
Soulforce,
July 17, 2003
For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Montgomery Rutt
Cell 717-278-0592
http://www.soulforce.org/main/pr071703robertson.shtml
On Monday, July 14, 2003, televangelist Pat Robertson launched a campaign
to encourage his audience to pray for the early retirement of several Supreme
Court justices. This “prayer offensive” is in response to the recent
decision by the United States Supreme Court in overturning both Texas’s
sodomy law in Lawrence v Texas and the 1986 Supreme Court decision in the
Bowers v Hardwick case that upheld Georgia sodomy laws.
Soulforce, a national interfaith movement committed to ending spiritual
violence perpetuated by religious policies and teachings against gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people issued the following statement:
“Asking people to pray for the retirement of Supreme Court justices after
the Court overturned the Texas’s sodomy law, Pat Robertson is, in fact,
fueling anti-gay religious bigotry that leads to discrimination, prejudice and
spiritual violence.
In the Lawrence v. Texas ruling, the Supreme Court justices awarded to all
people what was rightfully theirs to begin with, as the government never
belonged in anyone’s bedroom in the first place.
Obviously, Pat Robertson and other religious right conservatives feel they
need the US Supreme Court to be able to implement their interpretation of
Biblical law in the United States, despite the fact that the laws of the
United States are based on the Constitution—not the Bible.
The “miracle” Pat Robertson seeks is, in essence, hoping his God will
interfere to undermine equality for people that do not agree with him. And
now, Pat Robertson’s anti-gay bias and prejudice not only extends to gays
and lesbians, but to Supreme Court justices as well.
We believe this “prayer offensive” is Pat Robertson’s way to continue
to fuel anti-gay bigotry disguised as religion. GLBT people and allies should
be concerned about conservatives’ attempts to undermine equality and fuel
anti-gay bigotry, whatever form it takes.
We believe that the best way to counter this anti-gay bigotry is to take an
ACTIVE role to ensure equality for all people, such as getting involved in
local Soulforce or PFLAG groups, calling congress people about legislation,
contacting elected officials to hold them accountable for their stand on
equality, donating to organizations and churches that support GLBT rights, and
refusing to be complicit in one’s own oppression.
And despite what Pat Robertson believes, we know that God loves GLBT people
just the way we are and that equality for all people will someday be
realized.”
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