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Richard Cizik of National Association of Evangelicals Resigns Over Gay Marriage

“WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 /Christian Newswire/ — The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) announced today that its longtime lobbyist and spokesman has resigned. Richard Cizik, Vice President of Government Affairs for the NAE, met with NAE President Leith Anderson and the two mutually concluded that his resignation was “a difficult but appropriate decision.”

The resignation follows Cizik’s recent controversial comments on National Public Radio, in which he said that he is “shifting” on the issue of marriage and now favors same-sex civil unions, if not same-sex marriage outright. For several years, Cizik has generated criticism for his activism on Global Warming….

… Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals, explained in a letter to the members of the board of directors of NAE that “in a December 2, 2008 broadcast interview on National Public Radio, Richard responded to questions and made statements that did not appropriately represent the values and convictions of NAE and our constituents.  Although he has subsequently expressed regret, apologized and affirmed our values there is a loss of trust in his credibility as a spokesperson among leaders and constituents.” 

Anderson also wrote that “because Richard traveled to a previously scheduled international conference in Europe shortly after the airing of the broadcast it was not possible to meet with him until his return.  He and I have recently met together and mutually concluded that his resignation is a difficult but appropriate decision.”

December 12, 2008 - Posted by endtimespropheticwords | National Association of Evangelicals, News, Politics, Richard Cizik | , , | 8 Comments

8 Comments »

  1. What’s bizarre about this is that Cizik was a signer of the ‘No Mob Vote’ ad that the Beckett Fund (a right-wing “religious liberty” group) ran in the New York Times last week. The ad chastised GLBT groups and persons for the explosion of protests that occurred after Prop 8 passed in California. Additionally, the ad attributed acts (such as the sending of white powder to two Mormon Temples and some church vandalism) to GLBT persons, something the police have not done.

    I don’t get it. Why would he sign an ad that was a veiled attack on GLBT political aspirations and then say he was changing his mind on civil unions or same-sex marriage? Something is not right here. Something is VERY bizarre here.

    For the record, I have no problem with same-sex marriage. And to answer those who say, “It’s against my religion,” I’d only point out that 50 years ago interracial marriage was also against your religion in the American South. Our Supreme Court didn’t think much of the religious argument used by the judge in Loving v. Virginia (1967). (It’s also worth noting that when Barack Obama’s parents got married in 1961, their marriage was illegal in 16 states, including Virginia.)

    There’s so much more that can be said about so-called “traditional marriage,” and from the historical perspective of women, most of it is not very good. I don’t know about you, but I would suppose that most married women do not want to go back to a time when they were considered children under the law, under the legal control of their husbands and unable to make decisions for themselves–or could have their decisions undone by the word of their husbands. Women are not property, but hundreds of years of marriage law prior to the 20th century indicates that’s exactly how we were seen. So, for me, “traditional marriage” is a joke. It’s more like legalized slavery…and the early suffragists in America equated their cause to that of slavery for that reason.

    Comment by mirele | December 12, 2008

  2. Mirele *******I don’t know if you are a Bible believer, but did you ever read this? In Romans (New Testament),chapter 1, verses 22 to 28; the Bible seems to say that homosexual activity is UN-Godly, or it is not God’s plan for humankind. Here it is: Romans 1:22 “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. v23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. v24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: v25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. v26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: v27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working tthat which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. v28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient,…”. *******This means that when we reject God and do things our own way, He ‘gives us over’ to a depraved, unGodly mindset. That is scary, in my opinion. The gays cannot save us from hell, only God Almighty can, through accepting Jesus christ as our Saviour. He loves us all, and he loves the gays, most of which were reportedly abused as children. He will heal them and help them and He wants to reveal His love to them. But… He hates all of our sin, because it hurts us. FATHER KNOWS BEST!

    Comment by wakemeup | December 12, 2008

  3. Oh, what a surprise he actually used the term “shifting.”

    Comment by lavrai | December 12, 2008

  4. wakemeup: I’m not sure I understand why you ask if Mirele ‘believes in the Bible’, indicating that you don’t know the answer, and then steamroll ahead with a bunch of verses. It seems kind of pointless to continue unless Mirele ‘believes in the Bible’, whatever you intend that to mean. No?

    Comment by Bill | December 12, 2008

  5. wakemeup: Thanks, but no thanks. If all that Jesus and Christianity is to you is a Get Out Of Hell Free card, then I don’t want any part of it. As I’ve expressed on this blog before in the past, I’d rather go to hell than worship a deity whose behavior is alleged to be worse than that of the worst historical tyrants human beings have ever produced. After all, I have standards. If the behavior is unacceptable in a human being, then why should I accept it from the god I’m being told I must worship, or I will fry for eternity? No thanks.

    As for your scripture from Romans 1, I’d like to follow it up with what Paul says at the very beginning of Romans 2, the scripture that pretty much everyone forgets when they’re quoting Paul’s list of Most Heinous Sins:

    Romans 2:1: You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

    Go back and read that list, and then finish it off with: “You who pass judgment do the same things.” You are not guiltless, stop trying to make yourself look better at the expense of your fellow human beings.

    Comment by mirele | December 12, 2008

  6. Bill*******I was unsure of Mirele’s beliefs, but obviously I see (that) he/she approves of same-sex marriage. I was politely trying to write what the Bible said about how God views this issue. IMO, I did not think it was pointless to post what I thought was an appropriate, relevant comment. I did not intend to ’steamroll’ with scripture, just write what part of the Bible said about homosexuality.

    Comment by wakemeup | December 13, 2008

  7. Mirele*******Jesus is not just a ‘get-out-of-hell’ pass. He is everything. He is God. His Holy Spirit makes Him real to us. He made the universe(s), galaxies, stars, earth, animals, flowers, trees, sunshine, Heaven and us humans. He is the purpose to everything. He has revealed Himself to me, and given me new life. He is real. He has let me feel love. He is the only reason I have not killed myself. He gives me hope when I run out of all my hope. He does NOT shield me from pain, but I live through it, and am stronger for suffering. He has delivered me from a horrific, shame-filled life of booze, pot, promiscuity, stealing, lying, vandalism, abortion, pornography, fighting, smoking, hating, losing my temper, and many other stupid and evil actions. I have been sober for over 20 years. I am not guiltless, I still struggle with many issues and sinful habits and old mindsets and traumatic damage. (From rape, beatings, etc) I do not judge anyone. I do fear hell. I do not want a frightening lonely and tormenting eternity. I do not pretend to understand hell or eternity, but I am wise enough to not want to go there. I think I see why you think the way you do, and I have gotten angry with God too. I think we all do. He knows we are just flesh. He made us. We all get tempted and we all want to do things our own way: the way which seems right, and socially and politically correct. This is not always the best choice. But, it is our choice. We have free will.

    Comment by wakemeup | December 13, 2008

  8. I have no words but seriously sodomites need to be moved out they are a sickness!

    It’s a mind thing not a natural born thing they are to be torn down!

    SOD*O*MITES IN THE LIGHT OF ISLAM

    Nabi SAW has also said: “Lesb*ianism by women is adu*ltery between them.” (Tabrani). Once Abul Aswad RA brought a letter which he showed to one of his students and said: “I bear witness ”that this letter was dictated by Ali bin Abi Tâlib RA, to Abul Aswad: “When men (i.e. sod*omites) will (se*xually) satisfy themselves with men and, women (i.e. les*bians) with women, then earthquakes will occur, faces will become transformed and stones will rain down from the skies.”
    The aim of natural se*xuality is procreation. Lawful and natural se*xual relations between man and woman has been designed by Allah to preserve the human race here on earth. Hom*ose*xuality is negatory of the natural role and aim of se*xual activity.
    The “experts” on hom*ose*xuality and other forms of se*xual deviation advance a series of groundless assumptions in their discussion on the causes of such unnatural se*xuality. They attribute it to hereditary taints, genetic causes, environmental influences, animal instincts in man, etc. In certain cases, e.g. ‘transient hom*ose*xuality’ where men are separated from women such as prisons, same se*x institutions, etc. they argue that the criminal’s blame will be considered as diminished in view of his circumstances.
    Islam does not accept any type of justification for the unnatural sin of hom*ose*xuality regardless of any biological, psychological or environmental factors which may influence a man to indulge in this type of grossly unnatural immorality. This should not be interpreted to mean that Islam does not recognize the reality or validity of the existence of the various factors which influence man to commit homo*se*xuality. However, the presence of any destructive influences which lead man towards this unnatural and bestial act of immorality does not constitute a valid excuse for indulgence in acts of deviation, perversion and inhumanity. Just as forn*ication, ra*pe and other criminal acts of immorality cannot be condoned because of biological, psychological, environmental, factors, etc, which may be the causes which occasion the crime, so too, can these factors not be cited in favour of diminished blame for the act of hom*ose*xuality. In spite of the existence of the factors (described as causes) of adu*ltery, human culture does not permit man and woman to indulge in this crime notwithstanding the naturalness of heterose*xuality. They are required to restrain themselves and behave within the bounds of chast*ity and morality.
    In like manner, man is required to exercise restraint and overcome his emotional, biological demands, etc. and manage the disturbances within him. He, as a member of the highest species of Allah’’s creation, is under moral obligation to control the dictates of his lu*st – whether such lu*st directs him towards unnatural or natural avenues – and refrain from smearing his soul and intellect in such loathsome indulgence.
    Modern studies and the many consequent theories regarding the crime of hom*ose*xuality lend to convey a blurred conception of the Biological disturbances as well as some environmental factors are even tendered as mitigating circumstances to reduce the stigma and the blame from the hom*ose*xual. This idea has made hom*ose*xuals daring and revengeful of their unnatural crimes. They have come to regard their misdirected lu*st as morally acceptable. They, as well as the “experts” who have undertaken research in hom*ose*xuality, have deceived themselves into believing in the idea of diminished, blame and moral acceptance, of this unnatural act. As long as man’’s intelligence is not inflicted with insanity, he is held responsible for his actions and he is Islamically under compulsion to restrain his perv*erted cravings so that he does not descend into a sub-human level of existence.
    Man’’s gratification of his se*xual appetite with another man has a long history of its own. The Qur”an bears testimony to the fact that the people of the Prophet Lut (Alayhis salaam), the nephew of Ibrahim (Alayhis salaam), sent as a warning to the people of Sod*om and Gomorrah, were those who initiated this heinous crime. Before them it was unknown. In this connection the Qur”an mentions:
    “We also sent Lut. He said to his people, ”Do you commit indecency such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? For you practice your lus*ts on men in preference to women; you are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.”
    These Sod*omites even indulged in their hom*ose*xual org*ies publicly. Today we see some claiming to have ‘come out of the closet’ or ‘deciding to out themselves’. Their wickedness had attained the level where the mere sight of a handsome young man made them so agitated that they pounced upon him as famished people would fall on food. Even honoured guests did not enjoy immunity or any privileged position. They did not hesitate in even resorting to violence in achieving their lus*tful object.
    The Qur”aan has depicted the scene when the angels of punishment sent to Lut (Alayhis salaam) as his guests in the guise of handsome young men. Hadrat Lut (Alayhis salaam) did not recognize them in the first instance. But he knew the shameless habit of his people. He was extremely distressed and he apprehended that his people would certainly demand unnatural and shameful se*xual activity. His apprehension was correct. They could not sit silently at the news of such “boys” of excellent beauty. These sod*omites recklessly rushed to the home of Lut (Alayhis salaam) to gratify their unnatural desires. Lut (Alayhis salaam) found himself in a difficult situation. He prompted them to legally satisfy their se*xual appetite with women even offering his daughter in lawful marriage to the most gentle of them, and not insisting on this unnatural outlet. Then he very effectively appealed to them, in the name of Almighty ALLAH, that they should abstain from disgracing him by dishonouring his guests.
    The Qur”an states:
    “And his people came rushing towards him, and they had been long in the habit of practising abominations. He said: “O my people! Here are my daughters: they ore purer for you (if you marry)! Now fear Allah, and cover me not with shame about my guests! Is there not among you a right-handed man?”
    But the accursed people inflamed with evil pass*ions turned a deaf ear to all his reasoning with them. They had lost all sense of morality and were blind in their volup*tuous sentiments. On this occasion they even taunted him for his frequent protests in the past against their sins. Hadrat Lut (Alayhis salaam) seemed helpless in the situation in which he found himself, – alone against a rabble of people inflamed with lust*ful passions. He wished he had the strength to suppress them himself or had some powerful support to lean on! But the powerful support was there, though he had not realized it till then. It was the support of the Almighty ALLAH. His guests were not ordinary men, but Angels who had come to test the people before they inflicted them with a harsh punishment. They now declared themselves and gave him directions to get away before the morning, when the punishment would descend on the doomed cities. Even in Lut’’s (Alayhis salaam) household was one, i.e. his wife, who detracted from the harmony of the family. She lagged behind and looked back, i.e. one whose mental and moral attitude, in spite of association with the righteous was to hark back to the glitter of wickedness and sin. Finally, the wrath of Almighty descended upon them, their cities were turned upside down and showers of stone rained on them. Regarding this the Qur”aan mentions:
    “Then when Our decree came to pass. We turned the cities upside down, and We rained thereon stones of baked clay, piled up.”
    The punishment of turning upside down given to this people resembles outwardly their shameless deed of hom*ose*xuality. The shower of stone was very thick so as to form layers. It is also said that the name of each man was written or engraved on those stones which were the cause of their annihilation. The inversion of cities by way of punishment was the task which was assigned to Jibraaell (Alayhis salaam). Hom*ose*xuality is also a form of se*xual inversion, hence the type of punishment was most befitting in that it also symbolized their unnatural acts of imm*orality. Showers of stones (not hail-stones, but real stones) are not a normal occurrence. So too, the punishment of the inversion of the cities (was quite rightly justified). Thus, unnatural forms of punishment were prescribed by Allah for the unnatural sins of the hom*ose*xual community.
    The community of Lut (Alayhis salaam) was a prosperous nation materially and they inhabited five cities: Sod*om, Gamurah, Udmah, Laboobem and Sughar. The Qur’aan refers collectively to these five cities with the term Mu’tafikaat (the inverted cities). The cities are so designated because of the perverted crimes of se*xual inversion of their inhabitants and because they were physically inverted and eliminated by the command of Allah.
    Before the people of Sod*om, never did this evil even enter the mind of mankind, let alone practicing it. The Umayyad Khalifah “Abdul Malik said that if this episode of the hom*ose*xuals was not mentioned in the Qur”an, he would not have conceded the reality of this crime since it was unthinkable that man will descend to such a degenerate level and debase himself in a type of act which is not indulged in by even the overwhelming majority of lowly beasts.”
    Nevertheless, even after the community to which prophet Lut (Alayhis salaam) was sent as cautioner, met their catastrophic end, sod*omy continued and even sometimes flourished. It is now known that hom*ose*xuality existed before the pre-Christian era among the so-called ”civilized” nations of the world especially the Greeks and Romans. It was not only confined to common masses, but even legendary and prominent figures such as Socrates, Aristotle, Julius Caesar and many others practiced it. (Miftahi)
    In thirteenth century France, hom*ose*xuality was the great craze of the day and the government of the country had to enact a law that those found of guilty of this unnatural crime will be put to death. And Germany was not far behind in the pursuit of this craze. Before Nazi Germany there was a famous person, Dr Magnus Herschefield, (who had been the president of the society for the Reformation of Se*xual behaviour), who launched powerful propaganda in favour of sod*omy for six years. Finally ‘democracy’ acceded to this demand and the strictly forbidden became approved. It was decided by majority vote that hom*ose*xuality among the males was no longer an offence provided it was indulged in with mutual consent of the parties involved and in case of the object of the unnatural love being a minor, his guardian had to give his consent. In the Orient, Iran has been notorious and Persian poetry amply supports it. Karachi has also been named in this regard. It is said there were three centres there, where eunuchs carried on that ‘unnatural business’. Afghanistan (then under Communist influence) has also been mentioned. India, too, is not so clean in her records in this field, although the common people are involved in it to a limited extent. It is the educated and the sophisticated people who take to it as a diversion. The educational institutions, schools, colleges and centres of oriental studies too are not free from this curse.
    Islam strictly forbade this detestable deed and prescribed the severist punishment, relenting not in the least in making it a deterrent. The Qur”aan cautions that once people take to hom*ose*xuality, they sink to the depths of moral degradation. The admonitory punishment meted out to these transgressors was described in such a moving way that those reciting the Qur”an may learn the harsh consequences of this evil, and may protect themselves from this outrageous crime. To deter the Muslims from evil, the Qur’aan initially declared to those participating in this perversion:
    “If two men among you are guilty of indecency, punish them both.”
    Once Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) expressed his anticipated fear by stating that among the evils that his ummah can take to, he feared sod*omy most. In fact, this was a forewarning measure that the ummah may guard against, realizing that the prophet himself had forbidden it. On one occasion Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) declared:
    “Whoever gratifies his se*xual urge with another (individual} of his own se*x,, Almighty ALLAH will not so much as look at him.”
    Undoubtedly, sod*omy is one of the most repulsive acts, NOT even observed among beasts. Therefore, the sight of a hom*ose*xual will be so disgusting to Allah that it will intensify His anger to heights where He will not even consider glancing at a sod*omist. Through this act, man degrades his humanity and announces extermination as his policy. Moreover, it implies wretchedness and misery of the womenfolk and he himself is prone to so many diseases: the basic organs of his body, brain, heart, liver and kidneys become deficiently immune (AIDS), his face lacks the sparkle of health and he looks off-colour and melancholy, with the result that such an incapacitated criminal becomes worthless and disgusting to women. This wretched outcast deprives himself of the bounty of proc*reation and the priceless jewel of morality.
    Ponder over these verses of Al Qur’aan and Hadith:
    “And such is the grasp of your Rabb when He seizes a community while it transgresses! Certainly His grasp is very painful ” (Surah Hud verse 102)

    Our beloved Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Certainly the thing I fear most on my Ummah is the (wicked) practice of the people of Lût AS.” (Tirmizi, Ahmad, Ibn Hajr AI-Haythami, Ad-duri and Al-Âjuri)

    Hazrat Ali bin Abi Tâlib RA relates: “Whoever allows himself to be used se*xually (by becoming a sod*omite), Allâh Ta”âla will expel from him the natural desire for women.”

    Najeeb As-Sirri RA, says: “They (i.e. our pious elders) would even dislike looking at handsome young boys.”

    Nabi SAW has also said: “May Allâh curse him who does what Lût’’s AS people did.” (Ibn Hibbân)

    “And (We also sent) Lût AS (as a messenger). Behold, he said to his people, do you do what is shameful even though you see (that it is wrong)? Would you really approach men in your lu*sts rather than women? Nay, you are a grossly ignorant people! ”

    “Do you approach the males of humanity, leaving the wives Allâh has created for you? But you are a people who transgress. (Surah Ash-Shu”ari verse 165-166)

    Comment by alfaarooq1 | December 15, 2008


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