Politicizing Pulpits – A Response from the Pew

To whom it may concern,

I am writing in regards to the sermon that I witnessed on October 25, 2008. I attended the Murrieta Springs Seventh-Day Adventist Church where Pastor Lyndon Parsons gave the sermon (podcast).

The sermons topic was our duty as Seventh-Day Adventist Christians to have a voice in our voting system and not stand by without protest against what is immoral.

He proceeded to state his views on proposition 8 and how as Seventh-Day Adventist Christians we need to vote “yes on prop 8.” He referred to homosexuals as “the gays” in a hateful and distasteful manor saying that they were “wicked” people.

He compared allowing rights for homosexuals to marry with allowing pedophilia and incest. He stood on the pulpit judging what was right and wrong and then turned to the congregation with conviction and said that if we did not vote for what was right, being yes on prop 8, that we would be judged.

He then proceeded to read a list of Seventh-day Adventist leaders and professionals in our school and church system that wrote a letter saying that they felt that proposition 8 should be left alone and to “vote no” for the reasons listed in the letter. He looked at the letter with anger and disgust that they could write such a thing, condemning them for doing so.

I quote directly from the sermon listed online, “We cannot condone what God has condemned.” ”You are doing no favor to wicked people by providing them an avenue to excel in their rebellion against God.” “The wicked will not receive the kingdom of God.” If we support them “we will share in their punishment.” “It is wickedness.” “Pure and simple, well, impure and simple.”

I write with great concern for what I have just witnessed. I have been a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist church for ten years, I have gone to Seventh-Day Adventist schools throughout my high-school and college career, graduating from Loma Linda and supporting our church throughout my life. I am writing because what I have seen this past sabbath is unnerving, I have never had a pastor with all of the authority behind him tell a congregation how to vote and do so with such anger and hate.

In addition, I do not feel the pastor should be using his position to impose his political views on the congregation.

Sincerely,

Jenae Kerbs-Ciuffreda