Why Not?

Our elected national government officials spending money, that they don't have and didn't earn, like irresponsible college students with their parents' credit card while they take away our blood-bought freedoms, enforce their left-wing Socialist agenda and deny God His indisputable place in our country's history and governmental structure.

Our state leadership continues the trend by promoting homosexuality, immorality, and redefining marriage with no regard for the God who gave them the freedom to even voice their opinions of such ungodliness.

Now our local Lompoc city government, driven by fear, cowers to the subtle threats of the left-wing minority by boldly declaring to remove sectarian prayer from the opening ceremonies of the City Council meetings, all the while forgetting the blood shed of countless American sons and daughters to insure freedom of speech and the right to proclaim our faith, yes even in Jesus Christ.

What happened? How could so much fall apart so quickly? Only two-hundred and thirty-four short years ago our national leaders were fasting and praying for days at a time imploring the God of the Bible for wisdom in the development of a governmental structure that would bring glory to Him and offer freedom to those of other faiths to serve without the fear of persecution! No, really... "What Happened?"

Here we are in 2010 and although it might be a little more difficult for us to make immediate changes on Capitol Hill than it used to be, especially with the landslide of seemingly irreversible blight that has been imposed on the people of our nation, can't we at least start in our own homes? Can't we begin to speak out in our own communities?

The politicians say they are for the people. Okay then! The people of Lompoc spoke loud and clear on February 16, 2010 in the presence of the entire City Council and Mayor. Fifteen out of sixteen citizens of Lompoc stood up and very humbly and articulately shared their heartfelt, well thought out feelings in favor of allowing the invited clergy the freedom to open City Council meetings by praying to the deity of their faith. Although those who spoke were bold enough to express that their personal faith was in Jesus Christ, they were clear in their petition that they were not promoting a particular belief, only the freedom to invoke the deity of the individual's faith presenting the invocation.

The citizens who attended the aforementioned council meeting brought solutions to calm the fears of the council by providing offers of personal support as well as that of pro-bono legal counsel from a non-profit legal organization in the event of a possible lawsuit by opposing organizations. These individuals also brought to the table insight from both long and short term Lompoc citizens regarding the issue. In addition to the voice of the general public we heard from the entire body of our local spiritual leaders comprised of both the Christian Ministerial Association and the Inter-Faith Alliance, as represented by a minister appointed by the groups. This individual presented a solution that was agreed upon by both bodies and was previously approved by the city council of an even larger city in Southern California that uses the proposed disclaimer to this day. Surely all of this would have been enough to convince the Council that the citizens of Lompoc, the thousands represented by their local spiritual leaders and the city clergy themselves truly desire to defend our freedom of religion coupled with our freedom of speech.

Sadly, this is not the case. Our local city government has succumbed to the fear of political correctness rather than choosing to honor the faith of our establishing forefathers. Why? No one really knows; no reasonable explanations were given as to why. Sadder yet, was the gross misrepresentation of our governmental process that was displayed that evening. The local citizens who took the time to attend and prepare their statements, the ministerial groups represented who had spent many hours discussing the best way to approach the issue, even the time one particular City Council member took to meet with and discuss the issue with the local ministers, all of these efforts were discounted in a moment; dismissed as though they had no authority at all or for that matter even value in regards to the decisions that effect the city in which they live. Instead these citizens were demeaned by the Council, even being told by certain Council members that "surely these few don't represent the citizens of Lompoc", and even suggesting that these would "dare to ask the Council to break the law". Those sitting in the Council Chambers that evening, as well as those observing from the television sets in their living rooms watching these meetings live on our local public access provider (TAP TV), witnessed a travesty that night.

But, Why Not? I mean really, Why Not? Why not watch as local citizens' voices are no longer heard and decisions are passed down right in front of them as though they are only statues observing with no authority, no value, only show pieces of sort. Why Not? This is exactly what we are seeing on the front page every morning. Open your web browser, pull out the daily news, or turn on your television set. There they are as big as life, our national leaders pushing through legislation regardless of the countless millions who have voiced opinions in opposition to a particular issue, only to fulfill their self-serving agendas. How can I blame our local government for acting as they are when their mentors of political leadership are teaching them so well? The fact is, I don't. I don't blame our local officials for acting as they do; they are sadly but accurately embodying the mold of the "politician" that we have come to expect. And although I don't blame them, I do and will continue to hold them accountable for their personal and political choices that affect our freedoms to worship and our rights as American citizens to exercise free speech as well as every other privilege afforded to us by our forefathers' prayerful structure of this great nation and I pray that you will too.

My prayers are with those who have been elected to make decisions for the good of our local community and its residents. I pray that they will once again open their eyes and ears to hear the still small voice of the God who formed them into being and placed them in their positions. I pray that it will be His voice they hear far above the multitude of voices that surround them, even above the noise of this writing and its concerned author.

There is only One Truth, there is only One God, and He is the One who framed this nation as a place where His own creation, whether they chose to acknowledge Him or deny Him, could do so without threat of persecution.

Dear City Council members, please release back to us the freedoms we have been afforded which allow us as free American citizens to call upon the deity of our faith to open our local government sessions without the threat of censorship. Please show us that you truly are the leaders you were elected to be who will lead us in the preservation of our country's great and Godly heritage.

City Council, Stand for what is Right, not necessarily for what is Politically Correct! Citizens of Lompoc, revisit and return to the heritage of our forefather whom God used to form this great nation and let your voice be heard!

Sincerely in the glorious name of my glorious King and Saviour, Jesus Christ,

Rev. Robert D. Kee

"i chooseCHRIST!"

Riverview Church of God
1000 North 7th St
PO Box 3540
Lompoc, CA 93438
(805) 735-1000
Office@RiverviewCOG.com
www.RiverviewCOG.com