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Last
week, the Blue Dog took a leap of faith and enrolled
in the Shenandoah Valley-based Family Forum
organization's Capstone, a 10-week training seminar
on "The Christian's Role in Public
Policy."
Valley
Family Forum founder Dean Welty wrote, "Family
Forum Capstone begins with a review of the Biblical
basis for Christians to be salt and light in all
areas of life, including government. It then
examines the growing cultural and civil threats to
our faith, family, and freedom, and the reasons why
we must speak out."
"Finally,
it offers effective suggestions for how to respond
to these threats and to fulfill our Biblical mandate
to shape our culture. Capstone also includes a study
of key issues and successful models for making a
difference - especially in the public-policy arena.
"Resources
include the book “Why You Can’t Stay Silent”
by Tom Minnery, vice president of Focus on the
Family, as well as videos, handouts and special
guests."
Did
somebody say General Assembly field trip? Hmmm....
The Valley Family Forum is associated with the
statewide Virginia Family Foundation organization
and associated nationally with Dr. James Dobson's
Focus on the Family. (Visit the Valley Family Forum website.)
Welty
noted the 12th edition of the Valley Family
Forum’s Capstone, held at the First Presbyterian
Church on Court Square in Harrisonburg, was probably
the best attended session he had witnessed since the
inception of Capstone.
Welty
went on to conduct our Capstone seminar with a few
pointed questions, in concert with the attendees'
personal introductions.
"Why
are you interested in public policy and what are
your specific concerns? And what key verse or text
inspires and guides you towards public policy
involvement?"
Most
attendees' voices concerned the drift of the United
States toward a godless and humanist society with no
moral or ethical standards and little value for
human life - basically, a society based on
selfishness and self-centered goals with diminutive
love and grace bestowed on their fellow man.
Valley
residents are no different than people from the rest
of the country, who are tired of unchecked judicial
mandates, the harboring of illegal aliens, the
threat of same-sex marriages on the family, the
harmful toll of abortions on women and the nation
and, lest we forget, Hollywood's leftist agenda of
moral decay and deprivation and sanctioning of
disgusting and lewd behavior.
For
God, the Almighty Father, is public enemy number one
with these social-engineering bureaucrats and
politicos and the bottom feeders of society.
We
then took the Valley Family Forum Challenge, a test
consisting of 20 questions dealing with Christianity
and social issues. The Blue Dog was bowled over by
the statistics. It saddens my heart to consider the
truth. In 15 of the largest U.S. cities,
out-of-wedlock babies constitute 90 percent of all
births by teen mothers. Seventy percent of America's
teen murderers and long-term prisoners come from
fatherless homes. Since Roe v. Wade, more than 45
million abortions have been performed. Thirty
million Americans daily visit pornography Web sites
- and the pornography industry generates $14 billion
annually.
Pornography
contributes to 50 percent of failed marriages.
Ninety-eight percent of sexual-abuse cases against
minors are associated with pornography. Pornography
Web sites involving children is 20 percent. Welty
told us that one of seven phone calls to the Family
Foundation's national headquarters is about
pornography and the detrimental effects the lurid
business has with men and women and their families
across this nation.
Shame
on those who equate First Amendment rights with
pornography distribution, including library
associations that actively work to prevent porn
filters and the mass media for selling humanity's
flesh and soul - it's a national disgrace!
Welty
ended the night saying something about next week's
homework being due. The Blue Dog thought to himself
- who said anything about homework?
By
the way, Dean, you forgot to ask the Blue Dog his
favorite Bible verse, which is from the Book of
James, 1:2-3: "Consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith
develops perseverance." Say Amen,
and pass the cornbread.
–
March 20, 2006
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