Hundreds of Christian conservatives rallied before Tennessee's state Capitol today as ministers and elected officials urged them to defend religious freedom from a multi-faceted attack and called for a "revival" of faith in upcoming elections.
Hundreds of Christian conservatives rallied before Tennessee's state Capitol today as ministers and elected officials urged them to defend religious freedom from a multi-faceted attack and called for a "revival" of faith in upcoming elections.
Tennessee CapitolNASHVILLE -- Hundreds of Christian conservatives rallied before Tennessee's state Capitol today as ministers and elected officials urged them to defend religious freedom from a multi-faceted attack and called for a "revival" of faith in upcoming elections.
"We have ideological war on our hands," warned Pastor Lyndon Allen of Woodmont Bible Church in Nashville. "Prepare."
At least 400 people stood in sweltering heat on Legislative Plaza for the event, called "Stand in the Gap for Truth." It was sponsored by the Tennessee Pastors Network, part of a national group, which is seeking to engage pastors and citizens in what they say are moral issues ranging the U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage to immigration and what they see as weak anti-terrorism efforts.
Speakers included Dr. Richard Land, the past president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, who denounced the same-sex marriage ruling.
"America's future is being decided -- one family, one child, one state at a time," said Land, now president of Southern Evangelical Seminary, later adding, "we want revival."
Also appearing was Joe Davis, husband of Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk jailed for five days after refusing to issue same-sex marriages licenses following the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling legalizing such unions in June.
"I really do appreciate each and everyone who's here today to show the support for God, first, and for me and my wife," said Davis, appearing in denim overalls. "I love each and every one of you. I love Tennessee and I love everybody. Y'all just keep praying for me and my wife for God to give us the strength to fight this battle until it's over with."
Other speakers included Rafael Cruz, father of Republican presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, told the audience "we've been silent for two long. We'll be silent no more. This nation was built on religious freedoms."
State Rep. Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma, said the country is "clearly the target of violent jihadists," pointing to the July attack in Chattanooga by Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez which left four Marines and a Navy petty officer dead.
Matheny said "non-establishment conservatives" such as himself plan to introduce legislation next year ranging from trying to protect religious freedoms in the case of same-sex marriage to what he called bias in state-used history textbooks critics charge promote Islam.