Support Family Research Council: Brethren at the Front Battle Lines!

Stand with FRC in support of religious freedom. If you believe Christianity can transform lives, and that biblical values bless Americans,  I need to hear from you today. And, if you believe that Christianity is so valuable it should be defended rather than stamped out . . .  I pray you will respond immediately. What’s the urgency? Recently, an influential New York Times reporter, Josh Barro, wrote this about those like you and me who oppose the pro-homosexual agenda, and the forcing of same-sex “marriage” on America. In his own words . . . “we need to stamp them out, ruthlessly.” Stamp you out. “Ruthlessly.” Yes, he’s writing about you. Your family. Your fellow church members.  Your pastor. Your favorite ministries. When confronted, he claimed that he was “not saying we should kill people.” Okay, but what does “stamp them out, ruthlessly,” mean? At best, it means drive you out of your job, take away your rights, and suppress any ability to live out the expression of your beliefs. Did The New York Times make Mr. Barro apologize? No. Discipline him? No. Did President Obama admonish The New York Times to be respectful to fellow citizens? No. And that’s why I’m writing you today. If anyone is going to stand up for Christ, for His Word, and for the freedom of His people to bless America with biblical truth . . . it will be you and fellow believers who are the only ones who will. Powerful institutions like The New York Times, the White House, the IRS, the ACLU, and others are on the other side and agree with Josh Barro! For that reason, I’m asking you to please answer Mr. Barro by sending a donation to help Family Research Councileffectively, powerfully counter the growing attempts by the elite media, government officials, and organizations to make the open expression of Christianity unacceptable and penalize it in America. FRC  aggressively defends your freedom of religion in the halls of power. FRC is challenging The New York Times to apologize and suggest Mr. Barro attend “sensitivity training” —we’d recommend his going to four services at a church of FRC’s choice that believes the Bible is God’s inerrant Word, and which holds to a biblical view of marriage. We’d also like him to volunteer for community service with a ministry like that of our friend, Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse, which impacts lives with compassion. Let Mr. Barro see and meet the families he wants to see “stamped out, ruthlessly.” Let him hear and experience the love of Jesus Christ, who died for his sins as well as yours and mine, and decide if he still wants us stamped out. And let The New York Times and others understand that Christians like you and me aren’t going to just sit quietly while they deprive Americans of the only true hope for their lives and the only source for moral order in our society. Yes, Jesus said we must “turn the other cheek” when insulted. So we’re not advocating “stamping out”  Mr. Barro, and we won’t insult him back. But Jesus also said we are to oppose those who “shut up the kingdom of heaven” to others through spreading false beliefs (Matthew 23:13), and to not let our good be evil spoken of (Romans 14:16). We have a responsibility to stand against those whose policies would harm families and keep children from hearing the gospel—forcing them to hear damaging falsehoods such as the “gospel” of same-sex “marriage.” And beyond that, please understand that such hateful rhetoric by those like Mr. Barro can indeed cost  the lives of fellow Christians . . . right here in America. I know this because my FRC colleagues and I were targets of an assassin. One staff member was  actually shot by a homosexual activist who volunteered at a local LGBT cultural center. On August 15, 2012, Floyd Corkins walked into FRC’s Washington offices and opened fire. His intent was to kill as many FRC employees as he could. And he had the ammunition to murder or maim dozens. But thanks to divine intervention, and the quick actions and bravery of the unarmed Leo Johnson, who took a bullet as he subdued Mr. Corkins, no one else was hurt. What instigated this unprovoked attack? The website of the wealthy liberal organization misnamed the Southern Poverty Law Center. You see FRC was targeted on the SPLC “hate map” for its stand against same-sex “marriage.” This type of animosity is right out of communist agitator, Saul Alinsky’s, Rules for Radicals. By dehumanizing Christians, they can be more easily marginalized and persecuted. We have seen this tactic at work throughout  history in totalitarian takeovers. And we are seeing it employed here today. Christians are persona non grata in the new “sexually liberated” America. Don’t believe it? Just look at what happened to these individuals simply for upholding natural marriage. Broadcaster Craig James was fired by Fox Sports. (Today he is on the staff of FRC.) Phil Robertson was booted off Duck Dynasty. (But the public outcry forced the show producers to bring him back.) The Benham Brothers had their HGTV show canceled. (Today they’re a major force in the pro-life movement.) But not all of those who stand up for their faith are so fortunate. Servicemen and women have had their careers ruined . . . business owners have been forced to close their doors . . . college students have been  given poor grades by professors . . . schoolteachers have been censored . . . and newspaper editors have  been fired—all for refusing to deny biblical truth and affirm same-sex “marriage.” But what makes the current climate in America today even more troubling is that the persecution of Christians is now an all-but-official policy of the Obama administration. Until the Supreme Court weighed in, the HHS mandate in ObamaCare would have forced businesses owned by Christians to provide health care plans that covered contraceptives and drugs that can induce abortion. Christian chaplains in the military are sometimes prohibited from praying in the name of Jesus and crosses have been taken down in military chapels. Sex reassignment surgery is now covered by Medicare. The Justice Department is pressuring states to legalize same-sex “marriage.” Government contractors must now accommodate all forms of homosexuality and gender identity in the workplace.  No objections on religious grounds will be tolerated. You’d expect such official animus against the Christian faith in Putin’s Russia or in Iran, but not in America. But I must warn you . . . We really are in grave danger of losing religious liberty if we do not defend it! It would certainly be tragic to have the constitutional right to freely live our faith taken away by the brute force of government. But what would be even worse is if we freely surrendered our First Amendment rights—freedom of religion and freedom of speech—because reporters like Josh Barro intimidate us. That’s why FRC is making the defense of religious liberty its top priority in the months ahead. FRC has increasingly become the “go-to” organization when Christians are attacked for their faith.  For example, the Benham brothers turned to FRC when they were banned from HGTV. David Benham stated that, “one of the very first calls we made was to Family Research Council. We had folks from FRC constantly emailing and texting us, encouraging us to not back down, to stand strong.” Through Washington Watch, our nationally syndicated radio program, our online newsroom, and expert analysis of the pressing issues of the day, FRC has become a widely respected alternative source of information and news. Most importantly, FRC’s team of experts exert major influence in U.S. government. We are on Capitol Hill every day. Members of Congress and other government agencies turn to FRC for timely, accurate research and support.No other organization does more at the state and federal level to further the cause of faith, family and freedom. And when it comes to the Christian response to the Josh Barro attacks, FRC will, with your help, take the lead here too.  So . . . Make a generous donation to help FRC defend biblical Christianity in the public square—including you, your family, your church and favorite Christian ministry—against those like The New York Times, the ACLU, the Obama administration, and others who are taking actions to “stamp out” Christian influence and freedom. Please let me hear from you today. If you and I don’t stand up to sustain biblical truth and Christian influence in America, who will? Not The New York Times or President Obama. It’s up to us . . . and by God’s grace, we can and will be victorious! May God bless you for standing up when it counts. Standing (Ephesians 6:13), Tony Perkins President P.S. P.S. Those on the receiving end of religious persecution rely on FRC when they don’t know where to turn. No other organization has the unique visibility and expertise of Family Research Council. When you support FRC, you support the national leader in the fight to preserve religious freedom in America. Please give your generous gift today.