Pennsylvania Pastors Network: County Council’s Vote is Example of Anti-Christian, Anti-Patriotic Attitudes in America

PHILADELPHIA—Allegheny County lawmakers in Pittsburgh have said “no” to even acknowledging God in the courthouse.

Democrat Rich Fitzgerald, Allegheny County Executive persuaded other Democrats on the Council to vote against displaying the national motto of “In God We Trust” at its courthouse. He said that posting the motto in public buildings is “a movement by the right-wing evangelical Christians across the country basically to impose Christianity.”

Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net), which encourages pastors to bring together biblical and constitutional principles in their sermons and provides resources to pastors throughout the state, says that the vote and comments are examples of increasingly anti-Christian and anti-patriotic attitudes permeating America that must be opposed.

“It is unacceptable that some elected officials in positions of leadership around our great state and nation are so embracing the religion of secular humanism that they are violating their oath of office, denying the veracity of American and Pennsylvania history and becoming vehicles for persecution of those who understand the role God has had in our nation,” said Sam Rohrer, President of PPN and the American Pastors Network (APN, www.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net). “These types of actions and attitudes are so unbecoming and inconsistent of an elected official in Pennsylvania and our nation, that unless there is an apology and change of attitude, the voters should replace these officials at the next election with people who will not be ashamed to publicly post what is by law, our national motto – ‘In God We Trust’.”

Council members voted 8-6 to defeat the measure, which would also have included the display of Pennsylvania’s state motto “Virtue, Liberty and Independence” and another U.S. motto, “E Pluribus Unum.” The Democrat who sponsored the bill, Councilman Charles Martoni, voted against his own measure, saying that after further consideration, he found it “unnecessary.”

Fitzgerald emailed other Council members before the vote, saying that “Support and passage of [the proposed legislation] tells our residents and visitors that if they are Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, Muslim, Islamic or any other non-theistic group, they are not welcomed here. We are disrespecting other religions and beliefs by promoting one above all others. If this legislation were to pass, we are telling everyone that our motto is that not all are welcome here.”

Republican Councilwoman Sue Means drove the push for the display of the motto in the Gold Room of the Allegheny County Courthouse. “It’s our national motto,” she said. “It’s patriotism. It’s history.”

For more information on Pennsylvania Pastors Network, visit www.papastors.net or call 610.584.1225.

The Pennsylvania Pastors Network is a group of biblically faithful clergy and church liaisons whose objective is to build a permanent infrastructure of like-minded clergy who affirm the authority of Scripture, take seriously Jesus’ command to be the “salt and light” to the culture, encourage informed Christian thinking about contemporary social issues, examine public policy issues without politicizing their pulpits and engage their congregations in taking part in our political process on a non-partisan basis.

The American Pastors Network is the largest, national network of pastors who believe in the authority of scripture, who boldly preach the whole counsel of God with a disciplined application of a biblical worldview to public policy and who are building a permanent infrastructure of biblically faithful pastors and lay leaders and mobilizing congregations to participate in the political process. For more information on APN, visitwww.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net.

Pennsylvania Pastors Network is a state chapter affiliate of the American Pastors Network. The American Pastors Network is a Ministry Program Affiliate of Capstone Legacy Foundation (a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian Public Community Foundation registered nationwide).

The American Pastors Network is a Ministry Program Affiliate of Capstone Legacy Foundation (a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian Public Community Foundation registered nationwide).