NASHVILLE - Hundreds of Christian conservatives rallied Thursday at the Tennessee Capitol as ministers, politicians and activists warned that America's religious freedoms and values are under siege.
Among the speakers featured at the "Stand in the Gap for Truth" event was Joe Davis, husband of Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk jailed for five days after refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Attendees cheered at the rally, hosted by the Tennessee Pastors Network, shouting "Amen!" with many holding their hands aloft in prayerful expression. Other speakers included Rafael Cruz, father of GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz; Dr. Richard Land, past president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; and Bishop E.W. Jackson, president and founder of Staying True to America's National Destiny.
Members of the crowd cheer during a Christian conservatives rally outside the Tennessee Capitol on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015, in Nashville. The event featured Joe Davis, the husband of Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, and Rafael Cruz, the father of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican presidential candidate. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig)Read more
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"Guess what? The Devil is knocking on the door of your church," Jackson told the crowd.
Other topics included abortion and Planned Parenthood, immigration, Obamacare, and "Islamic indoctrination." The event was timed to coincide with Constitution Day, the date in 1787 when the U.S. Constitution was adopted.
Cruz denounced the Supreme Court's same-sex ruling and, continuing the theme struck earlier by Jackson, declared "the Devil overplayed his hand" on it.
While not mentioning his senator son, Cruz said the nation needs a constitutional conservative as president. Seeking to galvanize religious conservatives he said, "We've been silent for too long. We'll be silent no more. This nation was built on religious freedoms."
And, the elder Cruz announced, "religious persecution ends in January 2017" when a new, presumably Republican president, takes office.
Davis, wearing denim overalls, said he isn't big on public speaking but told attendees, "I really do appreciate each and every one who's here today to show support for God, first, and for me and my wife."
"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," he added.
Earlier, Land, who is president of Southern Evangelical Seminary and once pastored two Chattanooga-area Baptist churches on an interim basis, said "America's future is being decided - one family, one child, one state at a time." He later added: "We want revival."
Speaking with reporters later, Land said the Supreme Court ruling and other concerns like abortion will motivate religious conservatives to head to the polls in 2016, presumably to elect a Republican who can reshape the court with new appointments.
"The good news for America is that Supreme Court decisions are never final," he said, pointing to past decisions.
Some 30 or so Republican state legislators, mostly House members in town for a GOP Caucus meeting, introduced themselves to the crowd. Among them were Reps. Patsy Hazlewood, R-Signal Mountain, and Marc Gravitt, R-East Ridge.
In the crowd was Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project, which advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Tennesseans. Sanders said part of the event's purpose was aimed at generating enthusiasm for the 2016 presidential race.
"But," he said, "I think the people who put on the rally are the true believers and want to see the state resist the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage."
Among the speakers was Rep. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon. He and Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mount Juliet, introduced legislation this week stating that "natural marriage between one (1) man and one (1) woman as recognized by the people of Tennessee remains the law in Tennessee, regardless of any court decision to the contrary."
It requires the Tennessee attorney general defend any state or local official from any lawsuit regarding the official's recognition of "natural marriage."
Pody cited the legislation before the audience. He later said "my goal is to find a way to get this back in front of the Supreme Court."
With the high court's ruling based on the 10th and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution, Pody said he believes religious freedom issues under the First Amendment on free speech and religious expression "allows a way to come back in."
Sanders said that while "I don't think there's much the Legislature can do ... [the bill] gives us a sobering sense of what we're in for this legislative session."
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550.