Schlafly warns Christians rightly fear persecution over 'gay marriage'

Phyllis Schlafly

As the Supreme Court considers whether to impose homosexual marriage on the entire country, Phyllis Schlafly warns Christians are right to be worried about persecution.

In an exclusive interview with WND, the legendary activist who is credited often with stopping the Equal Rights Amendment and author of "Who Killed The American Family," said the Obama administration is giving Christians legitimate cause for concern.

"I think it's really shocking that so many pastors are even worried about this. What kind of a country do we have when dozens or scores of pastors are worried if they practice their religion they are going to be subject to some kind of penalty? I mean, who knows where it could go? Obama's own lawyer said penalties against Christian institutions could follow homosexual marriage."

During Supreme Court hearings, U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli admitted "it would be an issue" when asked if legalization could result in the government stripping the tax-exempt status of Christian institutions that opposed homosexual marriage.

Schlafly also highlighted the danger posed to private individuals and businesses because of homosexual activists looking for targets for lawsuits. And she mourns the loss of the free country she says she has lived in "all of my life."

"Persecuting Christians … that's not the country we live in. We have the First Amendment. We have freedom of religion. That was a basic element of American policy. And now many, many people think we are about to lose it, and Obama is doing nothing to calm their fears."

Carl Gallups, a radio host, pastor, and author of "Final Warning: Understanding the Trumpet Days of Revelation," is one of those people. He says American pastors may face a real test of faith.

"If the Supreme Court declares homosexual marriage to be the law of the land, pastors will have a lot of important decisions to make. If the government were to focus in on the churches and say you have to perform gay weddings or give up tax-exempt status, what will these preachers do? Will they stand on the word of God, and with the historical foundation of civilized societies, or will they cave in – in the name of financial and political expediency?”

Gallups recalls he predicted homosexual marriage 20 years ago and was largely mocked for it.

He jokes, "I wish I could say they were right and I was wrong, but sadly that is not the case now."

Based on his experience, Gallups argues the political narrative can shift quickly and Christians may soon face choices they never thought they would have to make.

"Christians should not underestimate the long term legal consequences of homosexual marriage," he said. If anything, the loss of tax-exempt status would be the "least invasive" result. What is more important, he said, is what the government would do next.

"Of course, whatever a government can tax, it can eventually 'control.' The biggest consequence that pastors and Christians might have to face would be stringent legal sanctions potentially resulting in imprisonment, loss of one's livelihood or even their life. These possibilities would have been considered far-fetched just a few decades ago – but not now."

Gallups warns what is at stake is the creation of nothing less than a new legal and religious order built upon the destruction of the First Amendment.

He maintains, "If the government can force a church to perform homosexual weddings, then in effect the First Amendment to the Constitution has been completely destroyed. At that point, the government is creating a new religion, a new state church, because they are saying what Christianity is and is not.

"They are saying what we 'can believe' and what we cannot believe. They are saying that the Word of God is no longer relevant to our faith and must be interpreted by decree of the government. That would be no different than ordering us when, and if, to perform the Lord's Supper or declaring certain holy days that must and must not be observed – under government penalty."

Paul Kengor, a university professor and author of "Takedown: From Communists to Progressives, How the Left Has Sabotaged Family and Marriage," agrees and says Christians fearing persecution are "totally justified."

He predicts the Supreme Court legalizing homosexual marriage will simply pave the way for future legal battles and attacks on people of faith.

Kengor cites the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court warning, "Redefining marriage as a matter of constitutional law would needlessly create church-state conflict for generations to come."

If anything, says Kengor, "that's an understatement given the left's militancy and ferocity on this issue."

Kengor says: "I've been warning people for years now that they should not and cannot trust the political left with gay marriage. If you give liberals and progressives the right to redefine marriage, and allow them to succeed in creating gay marriage as a constitutional right, you better watch out. We've seen how emotional and aggressive and militant they are behind their cries of 'tolerance' and 'diversity.'"

Kengor foresees homosexual activists using homosexual marriage "as a club to beat religious believers with."

"They will sue out of business bakers and florists and photographers. They will picket and boycott and demonize companies like Chick-fil-A simply because the owner holds true to his faith's ancient teaching on natural-traditional-Biblical marriage. Pastors are right to be afraid, because if you disagree with these people on gay marriage, they will ruin your life, even when your position has been the Judeo-Christian standard for 2,000 years," he said.

Gallups looks to history for examples of how Americans can resist the kind of possible "enslavement" he sees coming for Christians.

He asks believers: "When the First Amendment is gone – trampled in the dirt under our nose, and we are forced to submit to godlessness at gunpoint or economic destruction, will we roll over and put ourselves under the tyranny of those who would desire to enslave us and dominate us? Or will we take measures like our Founding Fathers took?"

He continued, "Never forget, our Founding Fathers stated in the Declaration of Independence that it was our duty to take the same stand that they took should a future 'regime' threaten to do to us what King George did to the colonies. Many believe that day might quickly be approaching. That's a tough thing to consider, but I think pastors, Christians, and every freedom loving, Constitution-loving American had best consider the possibility.

"[The Founding Fathers] began with every peaceful means at their disposal, until violence was eventually threatened and inflicted upon them. At that point it came time to defend their lives, the lives of their families, church families, and neighbors – and their freedom.

"I hope and pray that this never happens. That's why I, and so many others like me, are working fervently to restore and preserve our constitutional republic with every peaceful and prayerful means possible. Because as long as the Constitution, and especially the First Amendment, is upheld, the government cannot force us to perform a homosexual wedding – in so doing they would be establishing our religious tenants with government decree and sanction. We can easily co-exist with people of different beliefs. But once the First Amendment is gone and the government can tell people what to do in the deep matters of biblical faith that is tyranny – and that is something different altogether."

Phyllis Schlafly does not believe it will come to anything like that because "the American people won't put up with it."