"Southern Baptists Convention Resolution on the Federal Judiciary"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Resolution No. 3
ON THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY

WHEREAS, Some federal judges have undermined and supplanted the United States system of limited government by presuming to write and impose new laws upon America’s citizenry rather than interpreting law according to constitutional intent; and

WHEREAS, This tendency by some unelected judges to legislate from the bench subverts the foundation of our democracy, “a government of the people, by the people, and for the people,” and moves the nation closer to being governed by an elite class, unaccountable to the American people; and

WHEREAS, Some of the worst decisions put into law during the last half century have been handed down by federal judges who hold no valid constitutional or legislated authority to make such decrees; and

WHEREAS, Examples of this judicial activism include, but are not limited to, the United States Supreme Court’s approval of abortion on demand in Roe v. Wade (1973) and its declaration that a popularly held moral disapproval of homosexual sodomy was insufficient grounds for laws prohibiting that behavior in Lawrence v. Texas (2003); and

WHEREAS, Judges increasingly invoke foreign courts and foreign law as partial justification for their opinions, e.g., Atkins v. Virginia (2002); Lawrence v. Texas (2003); Goodridge v. Massachusetts (2003); and, most recently, Roper v. Simmons (2005); and

WHEREAS, In recent years the president has appointed judges he believes are strict constructionists, who would interpret the Constitution rather than make law; and

WHEREAS, The Constitution is clear regarding the nomination and confirmation process: “He (the president) shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court and all other Officers of the United States” (U.S. Constitution, art. 2, sec. 2); and

WHEREAS, Many United States senators have recently defaulted on their explicit constitutional responsibility to vote as a body to confirm or deny the president’s appointees to various positions in the federal court system by filibustering the confirmation of some of the president’s judicial nominees or by engaging in other acts of obstruction; and

WHEREAS, These obstructionist activities have disproportionately targeted nominees who hold biblical convictions on issues such as the sanctity of life and the definition of marriage; and

WHEREAS, This dereliction of duty constitutes a deplorable and intolerable impediment to good government; and

WHEREAS, It is likely that the president will have the opportunity to appoint one or more Supreme Court justices during the remainder of his term, setting off an intense battle unless fairness is restored to the judicial confirmation process; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 21-22, 2005, call on the United States Senate to return to the constitutionally established principle and two-hundred-year-old practice of basing “advice and consent” decisions on a simple majority vote of the Senate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call upon all future presidents to nominate strict constructionist judges who will interpret rather than make law; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call upon Southern Baptists and all members of the Body of Christ to provide their United States senators with verbal and written encouragement to stop the obstruction of judicial nominees; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we commend Tennessee Senator Bill Frist for courageously standing in the gap in his position as Senate majority leader, defending the appointment of fair and impartial judges to the federal bench and insisting upon their right to a vote of confirmation by the full Senate.

http://www.sbcannualmeeting.org/sbc05/resolutions/sbcresolution.asp?ID=4

[BamaLefty]

1. Shut Up And Go Help The Poor

Bastards.

[Frances]

5. I listened to a lot of Baptist sermons when I was growing up

and I never heard much about helping the poor. The focus back then was personal salvation. The preacher would say that each of us is a sinner, but you can be saved if you accept Jesus as your personal savior. I have to admit I loved how we would sing hymns like Bringing in the Sheaves at the end of the sermon and between verses the preacher would ask people to come forward to accept Jesus. The only reason I didn't go forward was that I was a Methodist.

I don't know what the focus is today although my mother told me that the current Baptist preacher preached a lot of anti-women minister sermons when the Methodist Church got a woman minister.

[BamaLefty]

7. Probably Still Is

Most of my family are Southern Baptists. But, they vote Democrat and don't buy into the Repub smear campaigns that go on WITHIN THE WALLS OF THEIR CHURCH.

[bballny]

2. They hated

the activist judges who ruled against jim crow laws

[Frances]

3. I'm curious

Does this document mean that the Baptist Church has crossed the line and should lose its tax-exempt status?

[racaulk]

4. WTF?

"RESOLVED, That we call upon Southern Baptists and all members of the Body of Christ to provide their United States senators with verbal and written encouragement to stop the obstruction of judicial nominees;"

Where the hell were these people when the Republican minority in the Senate was filibustering Clinton's judicial nominees? Seems to me that they are only concerned with ending the "obstruction" of nominees that will interpret the law in a manner that suits their interests.

And I could be wrong, but isn't the SBC a nonprofit organization, like all other organized religious groups? Call me crazy, but until they start paying taxes at the organizational level to fund our government, then they need to seriously STFU about how it's run.

:grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad:

[ktowntennesseedem]

6. And this from a group that supposedly affirms church-state separation.

At least that's part of what "Baptist" means in my book. SBC resolutions are non-binding, at least officially, but they often paint a very clear and vivid picture of the current Southern Baptist mindset, and statements such as these reveal just how far they have strayed from their heritage. Their Baptist ancestors are rolling in their graves right now, and this recovering Southern Baptist is equally ashamed of them.

[Bluerthanblue]

8. stupidity, hyprocricy, and ignorance all

combined in one neat package-

i'll be willing to bet not one single person who "resolved" even read the recent SCOTUS decision on 'Kelo vs State of Conn.'

They (the 'bad' guys) ones who don't wear their 'religion on their sleeves- did EXACTLY what they are appointed to do- they did NOT make law- they affirmed the right of STATES to 'rule' unless there is federal law (and precidents) that make it illegal to do what the state desires.

The Supreme court did NOT rule that the city of N.L. Conn. was "economically depressed" and in need of 'special' remedial efforts- The STATE of Conn. did- and the SCOTUS did not decide that the riverfront property was the 'best place' to locate a 'more lucritive' re-development plan- the city of NEW LONDON Conn. did-

This 'religious' association, should not 'resolve' anything that doesn't involve 'church members' - that is, if they are TRULY going by biblical law- (ha, ha,) nor should they speak on matters they clearly have incomplete knowledge of.

The STATES can 'remedy' this kind of thing (that has been happening without all the 'fan-fare' ... a right wing distraction????)
And the LEGISLATURE can pass laws that will end its occurance for all-

AND- if no 'man' should be deprived of 'life' how can 'they' support the death penalty- and worse yet WHY is there no guarantee to QUALITY HEALTH CARE, and HOUSING, and FOOD for ALL MEN??? (because it would 'cost' money- which is "GOD" to far too many, who confuse God, and 'earthly riches')

Ignorance is not bliss- it's bullshit, disguised as 'meat'- and digested by fools

[slay]

9. I call upon Southern Baptists to shut the fuck up

and to stop using the name of "God" to promote an entirely Republican agenda. What happened to separation of church and state? Make no mistake - religious nuts like these want to tell all of us how to live our lives. These are not "live and let live" types of people. What they are is mean, hateful, and vindictive. They love to spend their time moaning about gays and abortions - and will vote for any idiot who will pretend to be on their side about it. These are sick, scary people.

[msongs]

10. whereas the southern baptists ran the slave trade......n/t