by Terry Barone

Two things we jokingly say not to discuss among friends and family - religion and politics. Yet these topics seem to come to the forefront of daily conversation more frequently as differing worldviews make their way into our culture.

So, comes along Rick Warren - a longtime California Southern Baptist - who sits down with the presumed presidential nominees from both major political parties and asks them questions about faith and politics, not in the privacy of his home, but in a packed church, broadcast live to the nation.

Where does he come off doing this sort of thing? Doesn't he know this may put his church and its non-profit status in jeopardy? NOT!

I applaud our brother in Christ for taking such a bold step and modeling for Southern Baptists, other evangelicals and conservative Christians how churches can address political and faith issues.

For too long, churches have been bullied by the American Civil Liberties Union, People for the American Way and other liberal social, political organizations into believing that the church has no place in politics and if it cross the line in any way, it will be stripped of its non-profit status. This simply is not true and Rick's recent nationally televised Saddleback Civil Forum on the Presidency is a prime example to prove the notion false.

In other articles in this issue of the California Southern Baptist you can read about the forum and what the candidates had to say as well as learn about the opportunity for Saddleback members and others to hear from the candidates. I'm primarily going to deal with the issue of what churches can and cannot do related to elections and the political process.

It is important for Southern Baptists and other evangelical churches to know what their rights are concerning involvement in the political process in 2008. Not only is it an election year for president of our nation, but Californians are faced with deciding how we will define marriage. Will Southern Baptists and other evangelicals speak up and change the state's constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, or will we sit idly by and let the courts decide and thereby overrule not only longstanding societal and cultural views of marriage, but God's Word.

Let me be straightforward: churches can freely preach on biblical, social and moral issues, such as the definition of marriage. This year it is important that churches educate their members about the issues and encourage them to pray about and vote their convictions on Nov. 2, election day.

Lists of what churches can and cannot do are posted on California Family Council's Website:
www.californiafamily.org.

Ron Prentice, executive director of the California Family Council and chairman of ProtectMarriage.com, said "no church has ever lost its federal tax-exempt status for advocating for a ballot initiative."

These rules apply to all political activities. It is important that churches actively advocate passage of Proposition 8 to amend the California constitution and affirm that only marriage "between a man and woman" is valid or recognized in the state.

The proposed constitutional amendment is in no way discriminatory since California has a domestic partner law that affords same-sex couples every legal right the state can grant without redefining marriage as it is traditionally understood.

I believe the California Supreme Court was wrong in overruling Proposition 22, which passed by a 61 percent margin and defined marriage as between a man and a woman. It is once again time for the people to speak up and let activist judges know we do not approve of their attempts to legislate from the bench. Voting yes on Proposition 8 will give the voters of California a strong voice in this debate on marriage.

During the Saddleback Civil Forum, both Barack Obama and John McCain said they would define marriage as a union between a man and woman, and both said they believe it is the state's right to make such decisions, not the federal government.

Now is the time for California Southern Baptists and other evangelicals to speak up and make their opinions known. The best and most effective way for an individual to do that is in the voting booth on election day. Don't let this opportunity pass you by.