Pastor Supports Amendment 2

On an ordinary Sunday service at Central Bible, Pastor John Stocker delivers his sermon after the offering is collected. After the church's usher collected the regular tithes and offerings, instead of turning to a Bible verse, Pastor Stocker spoke his mind about politics.

Hinting towards Barack Obama, Stocker said, "Any candidate that does not cherish human life, should not be the leader of our country." He was referring to Obama's opposition on a federal ban on partial-birth abortions. "I will not say names, but as Christians, we need to fill in the circle at the very top of the ballot," said Pastor Stocker in a stern voice. As he said that comment, the majority of the congregation began to clap and nod their heads up and down. Simultaneously, as some proudly said "Amen," others looked down feeling ashamed.

The most passionate part of the politically inspired sermon was focused on voting yes on Amendment 2 on Election Day. Amendment 2 does one thing. It defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman as husband and wife in the Florida Constitution. "God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve," said Pastor Stocker. According to him, voting yes on this Amendment lets the people of Florida decide how marriage is defined in our state and will also help prevent homosexual groups and activist judges from redefining marriage as the have in Massachusetts and California.

In Massachusetts and now California, activist judges have ignored the will of the people and re-written marriage laws to legalize same-sex marriages. "Marriage is under attack and the general population has no idea what will happen to their second Amendment right's if this law does not pass," says Stocker. In the next six months, Governor Charlie Crist will replace four of the seven members of the Florida Supreme Court, and Stocker expressed his fears to the church congregation. He fears what happened in those two states could easily happen in Florida over the next year as the make up of Florida's high court changes.

"If this does not pass, marriage could mean anything," Stockers says. "It could mean two men, one man three women, one man and a child, or even a man and an animal."

With the Election only days away, Pastor Stocker was not the only one with politics on the mind.

The whole church choir was wearing red, white, and blue as they sang their praise and worship songs. As church let out, you could hear the whispers as people left the. "Mom, I'm still voting for Obama," said one young lady.

By Monique White