Last week a landmark decision came down from the Supreme Court of California declaring that same sex marriage is a constitutional right. This decision was rendered in a 4 to 3 decision by a group of unaccountable judges. Black robed tyranny is still a problem in 2008. This ruling overturned Proposition 22, the state’s Defense of Marriage Act, which was passed in 2000 by 61% of the voters of the State of California. The ruling has the potential to reopen the debate on gay marriage nationally.

Similar to the Ohio campaign four years ago, California will have a marriage amendment on the ballot during this November. Could this moral tug of war once again send shock waves throughout the nation? John McCain could be seen as the champion of many Christians if he voices out rage at the mockery of justice being demonstrated by California’s highest court. His Friday statement about the ruling is commendable but failed to offer a rallying cry for conservative Christians.

It is ironic that this decision would come during the same period as a national gay rights initiative called the “Family Outing.” Gay activist couples from a group called SoulForce are visiting 6 major churches in the U.S. - attempting to encourage them to change their stance on the inclusion of gay families in their churches. The combination of this initiative and the Supreme Court ruling may once again cause a large number of evangelicals to push the cultural panic alarm.

I first learned that my church was scheduled for a visit by SoulForce last December. The PR campaign about the event was announced long before this group asked for an opportunity to have a discussion on this topic of gay inclusion in the Church. This tactic seems to be a continuation of a four-year strategy. They have continued with the following clear agenda:

1.) Label anti-gay ballot measures as divisive

2.) Equate pro-family values arguments with racism

3.) Enlist celebrity backing and endorsements

4.) Question traditional biblical prohibitions against homosexuality

5.) Seek to introduce primary school children to the gay life style

The other churches targeted for a visit are Pastor Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church (May 11), T.D. Jakes’ Potter’s House (May 18), Bishop Eddie Long’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church (June1), Bill Hybels’ Willow Creek Community Church (June 9), Rick Warren’s Saddleback Community Church (Father’s Day June 16), and my church, Hope Christian Church (May 25).

The mission statement of this organization was surprising to me. It reads as follows:

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