This week I’ve been posting the resolutions passed by the Southern Baptist Convention last week in its annual meeting. I meant to post my thoughts on each one, but failed to allot the time to do so. I wanted to mention at least a brief word about this one.
In the days leading up to the SBC annual meeting the media focused almost all of its attention on one particular proposal concerning homosexuality in the public schools. The resolution urged Southern Baptists to remove all their children from any public school that promoted homosexual tolerance. The authors of the resolution tried to propose a more audacious resolution in 2004 which called Southern Baptists to pull all their children from all public schools across the board. That proposal didn’t make it to the floor and so this year’s effort focused more on an issue that they knew Southern Baptist would get riled up about - homosexuality. The proposal even had Al Mohler talking about an “Exit Strategy.”
Resolution On Homosexuality In Public Schools
Whereas, many adult members of our congregations work and witness in government schools, this resolution should not be construed to discourage adult Christians who labor as missionaries to unbelieving colleagues and students;
Whereas, the Bible clearly teaches that homosexual behavior is sin (Leviticus 18:22, 1 Timothy 1:8-10, Romans 1:24-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11);
Whereas, homosexual activists are aggressively working to transform the moral foundation of our culture by promoting homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle and advocating legalization of “homosexual marriage”;
Whereas, homosexual activists have attempted to hijack the language of the civil rights movement by falsely claiming that disapproval of homosexual behavior is the equivalent of racial prejudice;
Whereas, homosexual activists are devoting substantial resources and are using their political influence to shape the curricula and institutional rules of public schools to promote acceptance of homosexuality among schoolchildren as a morally legitimate lifestyle because, as one pro-homosexual author has written, “Whoever captures the kids owns the future”1;
Whereas, thousands of public middle and high schools have officially sanctioned homosexual clubs;
Whereas, homosexual activists and their allies, such as the National Education Association and its affiliates, are pressuring state legislatures and bureaucrats to transform public school sex education curricula to promote acceptance of homosexuality as a legitimate lifestyle in grades k-12;
Whereas, many public schools are promoting acceptance of homosexuality as a legitimate lifestyle through programs that use such deceptive labels as “Safe Sex,” “Diversity Training”, “Multicultural Education” , “Anti-Bullying”, and “Safe Schools”;
Whereas, there is evidence that the homosexual lifestyle reduces life expectancy more than smoking;
Whereas, homosexual behavior is associated with a drastically increased risk of contracting various cancers, venereal diseases, and other diseases and physical afflictions;
Whereas, studies have shown that homosexual identity is associated with increased risk of self-destructive behaviors such as illegal drug use, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and “domestic” violence;
Whereas, any school district that recognizes homosexual clubs or treats homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle is a clear and present danger to all of its children and is violating the community’s trust;
Whereas, Christian parents should not place their children under false teaching and must remember the warnings of Scripture that “a student is not above his teacher, but when he is fully trained, he will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40 NIV);
Whereas, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution in 1996 urging Baptists to boycott Disney because of an employment policy that “accepts and embraces homosexual relationships”, the promotion of a book “aimed at teenage homosexuals”, and its promotion of “Gay Days”;
Whereas, the promotion of homosexuality as a legitimate lifestyle in the public schools constitutes a far greater risk to far more children than the “Gay Days” and other pro-homosexual practices of the Disney Company;
Whereas, the Baptist General Association of Virginiarecently severed its ties to Averett Universityover a “gay pride week” held at that school;
Whereas, the Baptist General Association of Virginia also severed its ties to the University of Richmond in 1999 over that university’s giving tacit approval to homosexual behavior by extending its “anti-discrimination” policy to “sexual orientation;”
Whereas, just as Baptists cannot support institutions that promote acceptance of homosexual behavior as a legitimate lifestyleto 18 to 22 year-olds, Baptists cannot countenance educating children in k-12 schools that promote acceptance of homosexual behavior;
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved that the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention commends the Christian teachers, administrators, and other school employees that work and witness in the public schools;
Resolved, Further, that the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention urges Baptists to pray for the salvation of homosexuals and their deliverance from their same-sex attraction;
Resolved, Further, that the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention rebukes homosexual activists for slandering minorities by claiming that homosexual behavior has any authentic connection with the civil rights movement;
Resolved, Further, that the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention encourages every Baptist church to investigate diligently whether the school district in which the church is located has either one or more homosexual clubs or curricula or programs in any of their schools that present homosexuality as an acceptable “lifestyle”;
Resolved, Further, that the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention recommends that every Baptist church located in a school district with either (1) curricula or programs that treat homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle or (2) one or more homosexual clubs inform the parents of this fact and encourage them to remove their children from the school district’s schools immediately;
Resolved, Further, that the 2005 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention encourages all churches to work vigorously, both individually and in collaboration with other churches, to provide or generously support (1) Christian schools, (2) homeschooling, and (3) alternative models for providing Christian education such as University Model Schools and Christian One Room Schoolhouses, giving particular regard to the needs of children from low income and single parent families.
1 Patricia Nell Warren, “Future Shock”, The Advocate, October 3, 1995, p.80, as quoted by Paul E. Rondeau, “Selling Homosexuality to America”, Regent University Law Review, Vol. 14, No. 2, Spring 2002, at p. 470.
The above proposal stirred a great deal of controversy. I should have book marked all the blogs that I noticed commenting on the issue. The PCA discussed a similar proposal and the Jolly Blogger has dedicated three thoughtful posts on the subject of Christians and Public Schooling. (part I, part II, part III)
When the convention finally met in session, the document coming out of the SBC resolutions committee bore little resemblance to the one being discussed in the media and blogosphere. The following resolution passed.
Resolution on Educating Children
WHEREAS, Children have been entrusted to parents by the Lord and represent our nation’s future and our spiritual legacy; and
WHEREAS, God has given parents the responsibility for the upbringing and education of our children (Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:6-7); and
WHEREAS, Many negative influences are attempting to transform the moral foundation of the culture by reshaping the core values of our children, undermining historical truth, and promoting promiscuity, violence, and other immoral behaviors; and
WHEREAS, Children are vulnerable to marketing and entertainment campaigns that redefine truth, morality, and family relationships; and
WHEREAS, Homosexual activists and their allies are devoting substantial resources and using political power to promote the acceptance among schoolchildren of homosexuality as a morally legitimate lifestyle; and
WHEREAS, Educational institutions are often an effective gateway to children’s hearts and minds; and
WHEREAS, Parents have access to textbooks, curricula, special programs, teachers, and other school personnel, giving them tremendous power to effect change in schools; and
WHEREAS, All citizens have the right and responsibility to participate in local, state, and national elections and to use their influence to effect change; and
WHEREAS, Involved parents are the ultimate influence in the lives of their children; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 21-22, 2005, urge parents and churches to research and monitor the entertainment and educational influences on children; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge parents and churches to exercise their rights to investigate diligently the curricula, textbooks, and programs in our community schools and to demand discontinuation of offensive material and programs; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge our churches to assist and support parents as they investigate community schools and as they train and disciple their own children; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commend godly teachers and students who feel called by God to take a stand for Christ in secular schools as a light shining in the darkness; and be it further
RESOLVED, That as citizen Christians we commit to hold accountable schools, institutions, and industries for their moral influence on our children; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we urge Christian parents to fully embrace their responsibility to make prayerful and informed decisions regarding where and how they educate their children, whether they choose public, private, or home schooling, to ensure their physical, moral, emotional, and spiritual well-being, with a goal of raising godly men and women who are thoroughly equipped to live as fully devoted followers of Christ.
ON EVANGELISM
WHEREAS, Man, as a special creation of God, the only creature uniquely created in His image, chose to sin against his Creator through willful disobedience and is therefore guilty before God and deserving of eternal wrath; and
WHEREAS, God so loved man, even in his fallen state, that He sent Jesus, His sinless Son, to suffer the consequences of man’s disobedience by dying a cruel death on a criminal’s cross; and
WHEREAS, Christ’s death paid the penalty for man’s sin, and Christ’s resurrection three days later secured salvation for those who repent and place their faith in Christ; and
WHEREAS, Since salvation is a free gift of God and lost people matter to God, He has commissioned believers to share the gospel; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 21-22, 2005, express our deepest appreciation to our current president, Bobby Welch, for leading our denomination to refocus itself to reach, win, and baptize one million people through the “Everyone Can! Kingdom Challenge”; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge individual Southern Baptists to recognize their responsibility to reach lost people with the gospel of Christ and recommit themselves to be witnesses of the love of Christ by participating in the “Everyone Can! Kingdom Challenge”; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we encourage our churches to make reaching the lost a preeminent ministry priority; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we encourage each of the entities of the Southern Baptist Convention to maintain as its ministry priority the encouragement of individual Southern Baptists and Southern Baptist churches to be active participants in fulfilling the Great Commission; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to obey the commission of God and depend on the Spirit of God through the power of prayer and the gospel.
WHEREAS, The Bible teaches that all human life is sacred (Genesis 1:26-27); and
WHEREAS, Humans have a sacred trust to care for the most vulnerable among us (Matthew 25:31-46); and
WHEREAS, Current trends in stem cell research promise great benefit to some and threaten great peril to others; and
WHEREAS, Stem cell research using non-embryonic stem cells offers tremendous hope for millions of people and has already produced many successful results in humans, such as relieving the symptoms of juvenile diabetes, reversing Parkinson’s disease symptoms, regenerating heart tissue, and restoring feeling and mobility to people with spinal cord injuries; and
WHEREAS, Embryonic stem cell research currently requires the destruction of human embryos; and
WHEREAS, Embryo-destructive research has not produced any positive results or cures; and
WHEREAS, Even if it does, it is never morally acceptable to prey on some humans to benefit others; and
WHEREAS, We do not believe that the issue of world competition in embryo-destructive research justifies our nation’s entry into this barbaric activity; and
WHEREAS, The United States House of Representatives has voted to provide federal funding for human-destructive research on embryos being stored at fertility clinics; and
WHEREAS, The United States Senate is preparing to vote on this issue; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 21-22, 2005, wholeheartedly support efforts to find cures and therapies for human maladies that respect the sanctity of all human life; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we strongly support stem cell research that does not require the destruction of human embryos or put them at risk in obtaining human stem cells; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we deplore embryo-destructive research, since it kills human beings in their earliest stages of development; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we express our deep disappointment in those members of the United States House of Representatives who voted in favor of embryo-destructive research for their abject failure to protect the lives of these innocent human beings; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commend those members of the United States House of Representatives who voted against embryo-destructive research for their courageous stand on behalf of these voiceless human beings; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the United States Senate to reject any legislation that calls for embryo-destructive research, regardless of the origin of the embryos, beyond the cell lines which are currently approved for federally funded research; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commend the president for his commitment to veto any bills that call for federal funding of embryo-destructive research beyond the cell lines he has already approved; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we encourage Southern Baptists to consider ways they can become involved in life-affirming activities, including adopting embryos being stored at fertility clinics.
WHEREAS, Human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27); and
WHEREAS, Being created in the image of God endows humans with great dignity and inestimable worth; and
WHEREAS, More than four hundred thousand Americans die every year from tobacco-caused diseases; and
WHEREAS, Every day in our nation, five thousand children under the age of eighteen, including adolescents of childbearing age, smoke their first cigarette; and
WHEREAS, Every day in our nation, two thousand children become regular daily smokers, one-third of whom will die prematurely as a result of tobacco-caused diseases; and
WHEREAS, Approximately one out of five pregnant teenagers passes the risks of smoking on to her baby directly or through exposure to secondhand smoke; and
WHEREAS, Preventing and reducing smoking and other tobacco use among teenagers and other children requires a strong commitment from a broad, diverse range of organizations and individuals concerned about our nation’s youth and public health; and
WHEREAS, According to the American Cancer Society and other national health organizations, one of the most effective ways to reduce smoking and other tobacco use, particularly among adolescents, is to raise the price of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and other tobacco products through tax increases; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 21-22, 2005, commit to add our efforts to those of such national organizations as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and the American Lung Association to work to reduce tobacco use, especially among teens; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we encourage our churches to redouble their efforts to educate our youth about the dangers of tobacco use; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we applaud those jurisdictions that have helped reduce teen smoking with substantial tax increases on tobacco products; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to seek ways, through personal efforts and coalitions, to become more involved in our communities and states to prevent and reduce smoking and other tobacco use, especially among teens.
I’m not really going to Disney world. I can’t afford it. I just couldn’t help saying that in light of the Southern Baptist Convention’s end to the Disney Boycott. 
Anyone familiar with the SBC knows about the controversial boycott of the Disney corporation and all its subsidiaries. People seem to know Southern Baptists more for what they stand against, rather than what they stand for… but I digress.
I voted against the original call to boycott. I’m not a proponent of boycotts to begin with, but I would have supported it if the resolution would have been restricted in scope and duration. I thought limiting the boycott to Disney branded products for a specific amount of time would have been more targeted and more noticeable. As it stood the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention had to publish a several page document listing all the Disney Corporation holdings. I thought that asking Southern Baptists to boycott everything Disney touched until the end of time a little unrealistic. Interestingly, this years resolution noted my original concerns by recognizing, “For a boycott to be effective, it must be specifically targeted and of limited duration.”
My family did not legalistically abide by the boycott, although we did curtail our Disney consumption a bit. For example, I stopped wearing the couple of Mickey Mouse ties that my daughter had bought me. I did not want anyone to misunderstand my wardrobe as a protest against the SBC stance, nor did I want anyone to think I favored the homosexual and anti-traditional family leanings of Michael Eisner & Company. I’ll have to check with my now 13 year old daughter to see if she deems those ties still in style. I have a feeling she will give me two thumbs down. Maybe I’ll ship them to Wiley Drake.
1996 Resolution On Disney Company Policy
WHEREAS, Southern Baptist and their children have for many decades enjoyed and trusted The Disney company’s television programming, feature-length films and theme parks which have reinforced basic American virtues and values; and
WHEREAS, The virtues promoted by Disney have contributed to the development of a generation of Americans who have come to expect and demand high levels of moral and virtuous leadership from The Disney Company; and
WHEREAS, in recent years, The Disney Company has given the appearance that the promotion of homosexuality is more important than its historic commitment to traditional family values and has taken a direction which is contrary to its previous commitment; and
WHEREAS, In recent years we have watched the world’s largest family entertainment company with growing disappointment as Disney company’s moral leadership has been eroded by a variety of corporate decisions, which have included but are not limited to:
(1) Establishing of an employee policy which accepts and embraces homosexual relationships for the purpose of insurance benefits;
(2) Hosting of homosexual and lesbian theme nights at its parks;
(3) Choosing of a convicted child molester to direct the Disney movie Powder through its subsidiary Miramax Productions;
(4) Publishing of a book aimed at teenage homosexuals entitled Growing Up Gay: From Left Out to Coming Out through its subsidiary Hyperion, connecting Disney to the promotion of the homosexual agenda;
(5) Producing, through its subsidiary corporations, of objectionable material such as the film Priest which disparages Christian values and depicts Christian leaders as morally defective;
WHEREAS , These and other corporate decisions and actions represent a significant departure from Disney’s family-values image, and a gratuitous insult to Christians and others who have long supported Disney and contributed to its corporate profits; and
WHEREAS, Previous efforts to communicate these concerns to The Disney Company have been fruitless; and
WHEREAS, Boycotts are a legitimate method for communicating moral convictions; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, We as Southern Baptist messengers meeting in annual session on June 11-13, 1996, go on record expressing our deep disappointment for these corporate actions by The Disney Company; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we affirm the employees of The Disney Company who embrace and share our concerns; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we encourage Southern Baptists to give serious and prayerful reconsideration to their purchase and support of Disney products, and to boycott The Disney Company and theme parks if they continue this anti-Christian and anti-family trend; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we encourage the Christian Life Commission to monitor Disney’s progress in returning to its previous philosophy of producing enriching family entertainment; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we encourage state Baptist papers and national Southern Baptist publications to assist in informing the Southern Baptist family of these issues; and
FINALLY, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Convention requests the Executive Committee to send a copy of this resolution to Michael Eisner, CEO of The Disney Company, and to encourage the Southern Baptist family to support this boycott with our purchasing power, letters, and influence.
1997 Resolution On Moral Stewardship And The Disney Company
WHEREAS, Everything Christians possess of time, money, and resources is given to them by God as a stewardship for which they will give an account before a holy God; and
WHEREAS, Those who serve the public in any manner also have a stewardship before God regarding their service, and those who have greater influence have greater responsibility for their stewardship and must give a greater accounting; and
WHEREAS, Many entertainment providers including, but not limited to, The Disney Company are increasingly promoting immoral ideologies such as homosexuality, infidelity, and adultery, which are biblically reprehensible and abhorrent to God and His plan for the world that He loves; and
WHEREAS, The 1996 Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution regarding these issues with a specific appeal to The Disney Company, which had long been a respected leader of family entertainment in keeping with traditional moral values; and
WHEREAS, The aforementioned resolution called for our Christian Life Commission to monitor Disney’s progress in returning to its previous philosophy of producing enriching family entertainment and the Christian Life Commission has now reported that The Disney Company has not only ignored our concerns, but flagrantly furthered this moral digression in its product and policies; and
WHEREAS, We realize that we cannot do everything to stop the moral decline in our nation, but we must do what lies before us when it is right through a proper use of our influence, energies, and prayers, particularly when it affects our nations children;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, That the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Dallas, Texas, June 17-19, 1997, urge every Southern Baptist to take the stewardship of their time, money, and resources so seriously that they refrain from patronizing The Disney Company and any of its related entities, understanding that this is not an attempt to bring The Disney Company down, but to bring Southern Baptists up to the moral standard of God; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we encourage Southern Baptists to refrain from patronizing any company that promotes immoral ideologies and practices, realizing that The Disney Company is not the only such provider; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we ask our pastors and church leaders to become informed regarding these issues and teach their people accordingly, and that we urge all Southern Baptists to graciously communicate the reasons for their individual actions to The Disney Company and other companies; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, That we pray that God would use these actions to help the employees of such companies to respect the enormous stewardship they have before God, and we affirm those employees who embrace and share our concerns.
2005 Resolution on the Disney Boycott
WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention rightly and appropriately adopted a resolution in 1997 calling for Southern Baptists to refrain from patronizing The Disney Company and its related entities; and
WHEREAS, The boycott has communicated effectively our displeasure concerning products and policies that violate moral righteousness and traditional family values; and
WHEREAS, For a boycott to be effective, it must be specifically targeted and of limited duration; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 21-22, 2005, declare a conclusion to our boycott of The Disney Company; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge The Disney Company to serve the families of America by providing only those products that affirm traditional family values; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we pledge to continue to monitor the products and policies of The Disney Company; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptists to practice continued discernment regarding all entertainment products from all sources.
The 2005 Southern Baptist Convention convened in Nashville this week. Several interesting things took place, but I have not had time to blog about them yet. I’ll try to catch up over the next few days. Steve McCoy collected a helpful list of links to those blogging the convention.
I regret not being able to attend as a messenger and vote against the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary sole membership issue, not that my one ballot would have made a difference. The messengers voted 5,627 to 1,528 to overrule the council of NOBTS trustees, the seminary’s bevy of Louisiana lawyers, and the reasoned appeal of president Dr. Chuck Kelley.
In a nut shell, the issue dealt with the best way to ensure the seminaries ties to the Southern Baptist Convention in perpetuity. The Executive Committee (the entity charged with doing the conventions bidding while the convention is not in session) felt that making the SBC the “sole member” of the NOBTS corporation would provide the security they desired. The NOBTS board of trustees disagreed citing the uniqueness of Louisiana law, ascending liability, and other concerns. See the NOBTS web site for more on the Sole Membership Issue.
Many expressed a fear that if the SBC didn’t force sole membership on the current loyal trustee board, then perhaps one day a more hostile board would be in place who would wish to break away from the SBC. Some people cited Baylor and the Missouri Baptist entities as examples of what could happen at NOBTS one day. These scare tactics seemed to work even though president Chuck Kelly explained that the comparison didn’t apply. The legal issues between those colleges and the NOBTS situation were like apples and oranges. NOBTS could not pull away from the SBC even if it wanted to.
When Baylor broke away, the school did not depend on the baptist state convention for support. A very different situation exists with NOBTS and the SBC. The majority of the seminary’s operating budget comes from the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention. Breaking ties to the SBC would be financial suicide. NOBTS could not survive without the SBC.
Also, no one seemed to acknowledge the fact that the NOBTS board of trustees gets appointed by the SBC itself. In order for NOBTS to ever have a board antagonistic to the SBC, the SBC itself would have to appoint it. A friend of mine said that anyone who believed that a hostile board with nefarious motives could never sneak into place was being “foolhardy.” That may be true, but I think its just as likely that a hostile board could one day take over the executive committee - and that’s the main reason I opposed the sole membership deal. Now that all our eggs are in one basket, a rogue Executive Committee board wouldn’t be in control of one entity, they would be in control of them all. The SBC has taken a dangerous step toward an unbaptistic centralized hierarchy. Only history will tell, but I’m afraid one day future generations of Southern Baptists will look back at this action as one of the conventions most tragic mistakes.
