Leading clergymen representing 106 congregations across North Central Ohio held a press conference at the Richland County Courthouse calling for a restoration of religious freedom and an end to judicial tyranny.
Standing outside the very courthouse where a poster with the words of the Ten Commandments was ordered taken down by a federal judge in 2001, five pastors stood together on Friday with a 90-pound depiction of the Ten Commandments on prominent display.
The clergymen released an open letter sent to Ohio Congressional members and state lawmakers sounding the alarm over federal court injunctions that silence voters and judicial prejudice directed against citizens of faith.
Reverend J.C. Church, leading pastor of Victory in Truth Ministries and a director with the Family Research Council asked, “Why have a legislature when one elected judge can strike down any law that does not fit his political agenda? Unaccountable judges in the federal court system have suppressed the voices of freedom in our nation- starting with people of religious conviction. Judicial supremacy has ultimately created a culture of dictatorship.”
The clergy letter boldly declared “Absent of any constitutionality, these 600 unelected bureaucrats are silencing voters by establishing their own court opinions as law of the land, and micromanaging public policy against the will of the governed. “
One example the clergy letter cited was a recent case in March 2018 when unelected Federal Court Judge Timothy Black struck down an Ohio law passed by 84 elected state officials prohibiting abortion of unborn babies with Down syndrome. Black stated that the court opinion Roe v. Wade was actually the law of the land and could not be rescinded.
The clergy pointed out that Black should have recused himself since he was a former Director of Planned Parenthood, writing “We do not excuse Judge Black’s conflict of interest, and we believe Judge Black’s politically-biased arguments justifying the taking of life are unbecoming for a federal judge and hold no merit.”
Reverend Aaron Rose of Fusion Community Church called Timothy Black’s opinion “a gross overreach of the judiciary, coming from somebody with obvious political bias.”
Rose shared how he and his wife have raised their 10-year-old son Kaleb, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
“After Kaleb was born, geneticists said our baby would have diminished quality of life and that we would grieve our child as if losing our son; I was shell-shocked that those were the first words that exited his mouth.
“My son will be 11 years old this Christmas, and he is a healthy child. He is here today because he is normal—he will do anything to miss school. Kaleb sings almost every morning at the top of his lungs. He hugs you when you are sad, and he hugs when you are happy. His favorite gift to receive is potato chips and Hershey chocolate. This is what we would have missed if Kaleb had not entered this world.”
Rose went on to say, “No one told us these things because they are not the science of Down syndrome, but they are the truth of Down syndrome. Today, I stand not just for my son but for the voiceless who may never be given a chance to breathe air. Our quality of life as a family has increased ten-fold because of our son. I would not change one thing about my son Kaleb.”
As the clergymen publicly read the correspondence, Reverend John Bouquet of Bethel Baptist, Reverend DeWayne Smith of Main Street Methodist and Reverend El Akuchie of the Richland Community Prayer Network quoted Bible verses from Psalms 94:20-22 about wicked rulers devising evil by law and Isaiah 1.26 regarding the restoration of righteous judges.
The clergy believe that reliance on the Ten Commandments as a social compact for a multicultural nation can unify the country and reduce the need for a federal judiciary.
Constitutional truths listed in the letter for the legislators to ponder included that federal judges do not serve for life but only during good behavior and only serve “from time to time” as Congress “ordains and establishes.” Also noted was the fact that the term “separation of church and state” does not exist in the Constitution.
Several dignitaries attending the press conference included Judge James DeWeese, County Commissioner Marilyn John, Chief Civil Assistant County Prosecutor Andrew Keller and Tammie Puff, regional director representing Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. {eoa}
Benjamin Mutti is a coordinator with the Richland Community Prayer Network based in Richland County, Ohio and is a faith-based advocate for the advancement of family values within culture.
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