KS Christians Urged to Wield Their Influence in Culture Wars
by Allie Martin
April 11, 2005
(AgapePress) - A non-partisan organization is trying to encourage and equip Christians in Kansas to become involved in the political process in order to have a positive, pro-family impact on culture.
Last week, Kansas became the 18th state in the U.S. to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex "marriage." The grassroots effort to pass the amendment was spearheaded by the Christian activist group One Voice of Kansas.
Bob Hanson, executive director of One Voice of Kansas, says the group exists to encourage Christians to become involved in the culture war by beginning "to teach stewardship of our citizenship, if we could put it that way, as well as being watchdogs in the State of Kansas for religious liberty and religious freedom."
Hanson, who also pastors Shawnee Heights Baptist Church in Topeka, says One Voice is "pretty concerned" about the issues of religious liberty and Christian citizenship, as well as about "the erosion of moral values by laws and things that are done from our State capitol." For that reason, he adds, the pro-family group is actively involved in the legislative process at the state capitol as well.
Although the One Voice spokesman is encouraged that voters in his state passed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, he says he is concerned about other efforts by homosexuals to force their lifestyle on the public. While the measure affirming traditional marriage in Kansas passed by a decisive margin of 70 percent to 29 percent, the pro-family advocate points out that there are many other battles on the horizon.
For instance, Hanson notes, "Several of our universities, which are state-controlled universities, are already offering domestic partnership benefits and those kind of things. And the University of Kansas has already got folks talking about polygamy and polyamory and group marriage."
One Voice of Kansas initiated voter registration drives and conducted numerous informational campaigns leading up to last week's vote on the state marriage amendment. Hanson believes it is important to continue urging Christians to exercise their rights as citizens and to promote values in society.
Allie Martin, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
