John K. Amanchukwu Sr.
The Christian Post
With the Republican National Convention set to be held this summer, this means that also on the horizon is the decision of whether or not the Republican Party keeps in place its current party platform adopted in 2020 or puts forward an updated version with changes.
Aside from its pro-life stance against abortion, the platform’s support for natural biblical marriage is a major distinction that has always set Republicans apart from Democrats — the saints from the sinners. We are the party of rule and law, civility and decorum, discipline, and honor; not debauchery, rioting, lewdness, or indecency. This is because we stand for truth. But if Republicans compromise on the fact that marriage is only between man and woman, this would mean a departure from Truth. It would create such an irreversible crack away from our core principles that the party would lose its way and ultimately lead to breaking apart. Therefore, any attempts to weaken our platform’s position on traditional marriage should be squashed at the outset.
The possibility that the GOP’s current language on marriage could be challenged is very real. Conversations and debates among leadership and delegates about the Republican Party’s platform occur every four years and coincide with the timing of the party’s convention, which is planned this year for July 15-18th, in Milwaukee. When the last Republican Convention was held in 2020, the Republican Party leadership and delegates came to an agreement to not amend but keep in place the platform’s language in its entirety that had been adopted in 2016 — and which still is in place today. Our current platform has language that upholds traditional marriage and properly states: “[t]raditional marriage and family, based on marriage between one man and one woman, is the foundation for a free society and has for millennia been entrusted with rearing children and instilling cultural values.”
Amen.
Behind-the-scenes discussions are underway about whether or not to keep the current Republican platform in place as written or to make changes to it, so if any debate and negations occur, this will all be done prior to the actual main convention gathering. But make no mistake — there is a contingent within the Republican Party plotting to change our position on traditional marriage. After all, the woke agenda to soften Christian teachings on marriage has crept into American churches — so no place is off limits to this sinful agenda.
LGBT advocates will likely cite and point to the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision from 2015 and make a false claim that this is now the law of the land, set in stone, and therefore conservative Republicans should move forward and let others in the party modernize the platform and appeal to more voters. But the Republican platform’s current language rightfully addresses this argument and outright “condemn[s]” the high court’s past ruling against marriage, which is worth pointing out, was made during the Obama administration. In fact, when the current Supreme Court decision decided to reverse Roe v. Wade, in his opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that Obergefell v. Hodges should also be reconsidered, which implied overturned. And his suggestion is not such a long-shot possibility.
Many may recall the bravery shown by Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky, who rightfully stood by her moral convictions and refused to write out a marriage license to two gay-identifying men. And while she has faced enormous persecution since then, being slapped with a penalty of $360,000 (and just last month was denied appeal), her lawyers plan to take her case to the Supreme Court; the same path that was taken to overturn Roe v. Wade.
While having pro-marriage language included in our platform is no guarantee that all Republican elected leaders will fall in line (as we saw when 12 Republican U.S. Senators voted against natural marriage and supported the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act), if this critical language were to be removed, then it is all but guaranteed that our Republican representation becomes even weaker in fending off the Democrats’ side to turn all of America into Sodom and Gomorrah. This is because the Republican platform that is decided and written this year will serve as a guide for influencing current and future Republican candidates and elected leaders, both at local, state, and federal levels.
This is why any born-again believer who disconnects themselves from American politics and thinks that the fight for marriage within the Republican Party has nothing to do with them, needs to understand this is delusional thinking and they are only lying to themselves.
There is no other matter before us more important than the cultural fight for marriage. Supporting marriage, as created by God, is the starting point from which all other policy issues flow. This one matters most because it affects children. By natural design, children need to be reared by both a mom and dad, and for their mental and physical well-being, they need their parents to be married to each other. As a national advocate to protect children from being exposed to perverse drag queen story hours and pornographic materials in school, I can make the argument that there is a direct correlation between the growing trend to legitimatize the homosexual lifestyle on par with marriage, to children being sexually exploited and abused.
This means that the time for all true born-again believers, including American pastors, to engage and rise up publicly in support of traditional marriage is now and well past overdue.
Our democratic system involves various levels of engagement. Voting on Election Day (which is absolutely critical) is just one piece of the process. Engaging in the court of public opinion is another, and it is something we can do. And it starts within our inner circle of friends and family. Turning a blind eye and self-censuring oneself in conversation about marriage is the wrong choice. Speaking up in defense of natural marriage is a good thing and nothing to be embarrassed about. As Psalm 119 shows us, if we truly love the Lord, then we love His law, including His Natural Law.
Most informed born-again Christians, especially those of older age, align with the Republican Party, and the reason that the platform has always upheld both marriage and a pro-life position (two fundamental biblical principles) is due to countless faceless Christian believers who have over the years served as delegates and made sure of this. What is vitally important to recognize is that the ability to withstand any upcoming challenges to water down our solid stance on traditional marriage (or our pro-life position) can be eased with the help of fellow believers.
Writing op-eds, speaking from the pulpit, doing media interviews, and attending local and state political meetings to advocate for marriage can make a big difference and are small prices to pay when taking into account how we are beyond privileged to live in this nation, thanks to the selfless Americans who have gone before us and sacrificed life and limb.
American pastors in particular can help turn the tide and use their influence and public forums to speak up; though some may try to use the Johnson Amendment as an excuse not to. But the fact that LBJ authored this law as revenge against conservatives who believed him to be a communist, should be enough revelation to make the case that the Johnson Amendment should be repealed. And considering how liberals faced no real obstacle in getting the Defense of Marriage Act repealed, it should be sufficient proof to show just how far behind the eight ball most American churches are.
None of us can afford to be lackadaisical anymore. Marriage is primary to the foundation of America and fundamental for a functioning healthy society. If we don’t stand for marriage, then we stand for nothing. The Republican Party must continue to support traditional marriage. Keep the language as written and add no language to it that would compromise this position.
This article originally appeared in The Christian Post.
John K. Amanchukwu Sr. is an influential preacher, author, and activist who spreads God’s truth. Along with serving his local church in North Carolina, John travels nationally to speak, preach and confront school boards.
