Posted on 08/13/2019 8:13:07 PM PDT by Morgana
After Governor Bevin said that Baptists should be “insulted” by Andy Beshear’s first campaign ad, due to Beshear’s stance on abortion, a group of faith leaders that included Baptist ministers called out the governor.
In a press conference held in front of Douglas Boulevard Christian Church, a group of faith leaders across the religious spectrum spoke of their faith and of reproductive rights, and accused the governor of using abortion as a tool to divide Kentuckians, rather than bring them together. And, they emphasized the ability and the rights of women to make their own healthcare decisions, calling the shaming of women a religious issue in its own right.
The press conference was opened by Tamarra Wieder, public affairs and policy director for PPINK Advocates. She was followed by five faith leaders who spoke, of the nine that were in attendance. Here are selected quotes from their remarks. The entire press conference is linked at the end of this article.
Tamarra Wieder, PPINK Advocates
"Our political leaders have no business dictating what goes on in our exam rooms, nor in our places of worship."
Dr. Derrick Penwell, Douglas Boulevard Christian Church
"When Governor Bevin publicly raises doubts about Attorney General Andy Beshear’s ability to be both Christian and pro-choice, he is not only being nakedly political but theologically reductive, assuming a moral high ground he does not in fact occupy.
…
In the absence of a consensus on when life begins, perhaps we ought to take as the overriding concern the respect we owe to the moral deliberations of the one person in this equation whom the pregnancy most urgently affects, and whom we can all agree is already alive.
…
I find it offensive as a pastor to hear men like Governor Bevin lecture everyone else about how real Christians value life, when the governor has such a dismal track record when it comes to valuing the actual lives of the people in this state. Were he as good at understanding the Christian position on virtually anything, he would spend less time criticizing his political rivals about their positions on the unborn, about which Jesus had nothing to say, and more time looking after the needs of the poor and the vulnerable, who have been born, about which Jesus had a great deal to say."
Wayne Gnatuk, retired Presbyterian minister and chair of KY Coalition for Reproductive Choice
"For anyone to stand up and talk, as our governor has, about how important life is, while simultaneously refusing to support fullness of life with the social safety net and benefits that are necessary, is just hypocritical."
Sharon Hordes, Keneseth Israel
Ms. Hordes began by reading “A Woman of Valor” from Proverbs 31. She then continued,
"In this poem, the ideal woman is portrayed as strong and capable, not weak, subservient, or incapable of making decisions for herself. Rather, she is described as the personification of wisdom, with a great deal of responsibility, both within and outside of her household. I ask you, is this an individual who should not be entrusted with the important choices regarding her reproductive rights?"
Dr. Jason Crosby, Crescent Hill Baptist
"I stand here in solidarity with other religious leaders and those who support choice for women when it comes to abortion. Now, according to Governor Bevin, I am not a Christian, because I believe that this is in tune with my theological understanding and my scriptural interpretation. However, I am here today to tell Governor Bevin I am not only a loud and proud Christian standing up for choice, I am a Baptist preacher."
Dr. Crosby explains the ABCs of being a Baptist: Autonomy, Baptism, and Church-and-State Separation. Then he goes on to note:
"Church-state separation means that those in governmental or political offices of authority do not have the ability to dictate how people will practice their religion."
Lauren Jones Mayfield, Highland Baptist Church
"Last week we heard our governor attack Andy Beshear for a television ad that names his grandfather and great-grandfather as Baptist ministers. Governor Bevin seized this opportunity to polarize us even further. He audaciously questioned us through a Facebook video, “Which side are you on?” He asked “Do you stand on the side of life?” after accusing Beshear of using “blood money” to fund his campaign. And then he invited Baptist pastors to weigh in and tell us where they stand on the issue of abortion.
So here we are, Mr. Governor — Baptists, UCC, Disciples of Christ, Jewish, and so forth, responding to your question. But before I respond, Governor Bevin, you do not have the monopoly on what it means to be Baptist. Like my colleague Jason reminded us, and like the Baptists I know and love, the way that I was raised as a Baptist, it does include autonomy of thought and action – the ability to differentiate from authority in order to come to one’s own conclusions, be it theological or political.
The Baptists I know respect the dignity of all people, which includes the dignity of women who are entitled to safe, legal abortions, as well as their right to well-informed medically-based decisions made with their doctor and, if desired, with their family and their pastor.
The Baptists I know cherish the priesthood of all believers, an idea that each individual is connected to the Divine through their very personhood, which is created in a holy image.
The Baptists I know resist the temptation to categorize people as politically in or theologically out of God’s grace.
In other words, the governor started out in his video with a misunderstanding of what it means to be Baptist.
…
"Mr. Governor, stop shaming women. Stop making non-abortion issues about abortion. And trust pastors to have a difference of opinion in ways that bring us together rather than further divide us. We are Kentucky. I support reproductive rights because I am a person of faith, not in spite of my faith."
**Pictures on link warning before you click**
These so call people of faith are sell outs.
Not surprised what came back.
The Rev. Jason Crosby, a controversial local Baptist gay rights advocate whose church was kicked out of the Kentucky Southern Baptist Convention last year for agreeing to officiate same-sex marriages, spent the weekend celebrating.
These faith leaders are Pharisees. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Never heard of any of them. Take a look at the picture on the linky they are a motley looking crew. Nothing you find would surprise me.
But Lord, didn’t we kill babies in your name?
Eff em all.. they dont know how to repent and talk to God on a personal level so they form a congregation in a building and tell yall gullible arses how to... and yall all fall for it
It was in 2014 that the Kentucky Baptist Convention kicked him out, FYI.
Democrats place their deranged political agenda before any fiber of Faith.
The murder of babies, born or not, is not HEALTHCARE. Those who say it is are liars who take their cue from the Father of Lies, or they are deceived themselves.
In his up coming add to President Trump Julián Castro said that, “words have consequences”.
How true. Words like ,’unborn child’ verses ‘just another lump of flesh’.
Aborting a lump of flesh is like cutting a toe nail.
Aborting an unborn child is like killing the person next to you.
Matthew 23-27
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees.........
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.