Black Pastors Coalition: 'We're Going to Keep the Heat on Obama'
The Coalition of African-American Pastors, a group of leading black clergy, says they will continue to apply pressure on President Obama, by protesting the NAACP's recent support for same-sex marriage at the its national convention Thursday.
"We're going to keep the heat on President Obama. He thinks we're going away but we're not," the Rev. Bill Owens, president of the CAAP, told The Christian Post as he was boarding a flight to Houston on Wednesday.
The group's relationship with the NAACP is tenuous. The CAAP plans to host a press conference at a convention hotel at midday.
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"The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People needs to be recalled to its founding purpose," Owens said. "Black people face acute and urgent needs, from unemployment to education, family fragmentation, discrimination and crime.
"We are calling on the NAACP, a beloved organization in our eyes, to reclaim its mission. The black church founded the NAACP, and it is not the organization for the advancement of gays and lesbians – whatever the merits of that movement. Return to your roots and stand with the black church on marriage. The black church in our eyes remains the conscience of America.
"To the board of NAACP we say, 'Do not worry about the money, God will provide.' Stand with the Church and the Bible and the natural law, as our brother with whom we marched, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., called on us to do."
The coalition demanded on July 3 that President Obama meet with the group to address his stance on same-sex marriage. So far, the White House has refused to acknowledge the group's request but leaders say they plan to "turn up the heat" by asking black Christians to sit on the sidelines for the time being.
"We have requested a meeting with President Obama and until he meets with us, we are going to ask black Christians to withhold their support until he personally hears our concerns," Owens, told The Christian Post in a recent interview.
"More than anything, this is an issue of biblical principles and President Obama is carrying our nation down a dangerous road. Many African Americans were once proud of our president but now many are ashamed of his actions."
Owens added, "You have to stand on the Word of God regardless of your race or political affiliation. If the president is serious about his faith then why would he not meet with men of faith of his own race?"
The Coalition of African-American pastors is calling on supporters to visit www.100000signatures4marriage.com to sign their petition.
