From Iowa Family Policy Center:
6/1/10 – Des Moines, IA – A minister’s letter and a petition stating strong support for real marriage, signed by a total of 834 Iowa pastors and ministry leaders, are being distributed to candidates from both parties ahead of the November election according to comments made in Des Moines today. With the state capitol serving as their background, several Iowa pastors joined with representatives of the Iowa Family Policy Center and Purpose Ministries at a press conference to highlight widespread support among Iowa Christians for preserving marriage in Iowa.
The letter and petition, which were circulated independent of each other, both contain a message of support for maintaining one man and one woman as the legal definition of marriage in Iowa code. The Purpose Ministries petition contains 422 names of Iowa pastors and ministry leaders, and the IFPC Minister’s Marriage Letter contains the names of 485 Iowa Pastors and ministry leaders. While 73 leaders signed both petitions, taken together 834 unique names appear in support of marriage.
Rev. Brad Sherman, pastor of Solid Rock Christian Center in Coralville, founder of Purpose Ministries, and an Iowa Christian Alliance Board member, said “These petitions, signed by hundreds of church leaders from all over Iowa, send a loud clear message to any candidate running for office in Iowa: Don’t deny the people their right to vote on this issue or you will lose our votes.”
Rev. Keith Ratliff, pastor of Maple Street Missionary Baptist Church in Des Moines, said, “To deny we the people our right to vote on an issue as important as marriage is simply unacceptable. Today we stand unified as ministers of the Word of God, and citizens of the state of Iowa, to say to those who are asking for our support in the upcoming elections, that unless you commit to let us vote on the marriage amendment when you enter this Capitol building, we will not support you when we go to the ballot box.”
Iowa Family Policy Center President, Chuck Hurley said, “The Word of God is clear concerning the definition of marriage, and the Iowa Constitution is clear when it says that all political power is inherent in the people. Today, we are reminding those who are running for office that as Christians and as Iowans we are looking for candidates who understand those clear truths.” He went on to say, “We are each entrusted with one vote, and I for one will not cast that vote in a way that does not honor God. So if you refuse to honor God with your service you should not expect to get my vote.”
Copies of the letter and the petition are being sent via e-mail to all candidates running for statewide office, along with those seeking to serve in the Iowa House or Senate, with a request for each candidate to make their position on the marriage issue clear for all voters.
See letter & attachment below:
