Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage, CAAP President William Owens announced that he and others were prepared to engage in civil disobedience in order to defend marriage. Below you’ll find media coverage of both the Court’s decision and CAAP’s response.
Christian Pastors: “Prepare for Massive Civil Disobedience” if Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
Breitbart
At a press conference in Memphis, Tennessee, held in the Church of God in Christ’s historic Mason Temple, Rev. Bill Owens, president and founder of the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP), said, “If they rule for same-sex marriage, then we’re going to do the same thing we did for the civil rights movement. We will not obey an unjust law.”
“The politicians and the courts have tried to take God out of this country,” he continued. “This country was founded on Godly principles. We will not stand back and be silenced.”
Owens urged Christians of all churches to prepare for civil disobedience if the Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage and requires them to obey its decision.
“We stand today to put America on notice that we will not obey an unjust law,” he asserted.
In an interview with Breitbart News, Owens said that, should the Supreme Court decide in favor of same-sex marriage, he envisions another civil rights movement of Christians of various churches and massive civil disobedience.
“I see the way forward, it’s the civil rights movement all over again,” he said. “Most gospel preachers will not obey such a decision.”
Owens has said many times that militant LGBT activists have hijacked the real civil rights movement – led by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. – and claimed it as their own.
“We wanted equal rights in the original civil rights movement I was part of. They wantspecial rights,” he continued. “Before this is over, it will take civil disobedience. We will not set aside our religious beliefs over this. We will urge Christians to massively disobey any law that invades our religious freedom.”
Owens said that leadership in the United States has taken the nation into a “downward spiral.”
“President Obama overrode the will of the people,” he said. “The people voted for marriage between a man and a woman. Our votes were stolen from us.”
“We celebrated the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, but now they are allowing politicians and courts to take that vote away,” Owens added. “We will not be silenced.”
Owens warned LGBT activists will be very surprised by the repercussions of a Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the U.S.
“Millions of people in this country will not stand by and see our civil rights violated, our right to religion, our right to worship,” he continued. “We will go to jail – I see it coming.”
Coalition of African-American Pastors Threaten Civil Disobedience If Supreme Court Passes Gay Marriage Law
Christian Post
At a press conference in Memphis, Tennessee, members of the Coalition of African-American Pastors joined Christian ministers at the Church of God in Christ’s historic Mason Temple to warn the Obama administration to prepare for massive civil disobedience among pastors and clergy if state bans on gay marriage are deemed unconstitutional.
“If they rule for same-sex marriage, then we’re going to do the same thing we did for the civil rights movement,” said Rev. Bill Owens, president and founder of CAAP. “We will not obey an unjust law.”
“The politicians and courts have tried to take God out of this country,” continued Owens. “This country was founded on Godly principles. We will not stand back.”
Black Pastors Vow Acts of Civil Disobedience if Supreme Court Approves Same-Sex Marriage
The Root
CAAP has been fighting same-sex marriage for years. The organization openly rebuked President Barack Obama on this issue. Owens told U.S. News & World Report that the organization was proud to have a black president but that the “pride has turned to shame.” He added, “The man holding the most powerful position in the world is stooping to lead the country down an immoral path.”
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Owens added, “The politicians and courts have tried to take God out of this country. This country was founded on godly principles. We will not stand back.”
Black Pastors Promise Uprising If SCOTUS Approves Same-Sex Marriage
Uptown Magazine
“If they rule for same-sex marriage, then we’re going to do the same thing we did for the civil rights movement,” said the Rev. Bill Owens, president and founder of The Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP), at a press conference. “We will not obey an unjust law.”
CAAP and other Christian ministers announced at a press conference their plans to engage in civil disobedience across the nation, according to the Christian Post.
CAAP has been an opponent of same-sex marriage for years, even going as far as rebuking President Barack Obama and former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for their stance on the issue. “The man holding the most powerful position in the world is stooping to lead the country down an immoral path,” Owens told U.S. News & World Report.
The pastor group even promoted impeaching Holder and chastised the NAACP for being in favor of same-sex marriage.
Black Pastors’ Group Urges Civil Disobedience Against Gay Marriage Ruling
Newsmax
The head of an organization of African-American pastors told Newsmax Saturday that Christians must oppose the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling through civil disobedience because “you do something to get arrested to call attention to the injustice.”
“I was in the civil rights movement, so I know how to do it” the Rev. Bill Owens, president of the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP), said in an interview. “When we sat at the counters at restaurants, we knew we were going to be arrested. You do things to get arrested, to call attention to it.
“So many people were silent,” he added. “The church people were absolutely silent on this issue. A few leaders spoke out, but the masses of the church people were silent.”
When asked why people were unwilling to speak against President Barack Obama when he came out for gay marriage in 2012, Owens responded: “The whites didn’t want to come out against Obama since he endorsed it so strongly and they didn’t want to be called bigots — and the blacks didn’t want to say they were betraying a black man.
“I came out very powerfully against Mr. Obama when he stood for same-sex marriage.”
In April, the group called on liberal Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Elena Kagan to recuse themselves from the case because of their “stated bias” on the issue.
“Their positions were already known,” Owens told Newsmax. “That takes away from the credibility of the court’s decision.
“They got it wrong in the Dred Scott case,” he added, referring to the 1857 court ruling that blacks were property and not American citizens. “The Supreme Court doesn’t always get it right. This is one time they really got it wrong.”
Despite the court’s ruling, “I absolutely would not do a gay marriage,” Owens declared. “Absolutely.”
“I think of our children,” Owens continued. He is the father of two young adopted children. “What it’s going to do to our children. What kind of world are they going to grow up in?
“I’ve said for two years that we’re going to have to have civil disobedience. They were very cunning in the way they did it,” he said, referencing gay-rights advocates.
“Since I was in the civil rights movement, I know that if the people come together in force, things will happen. How they will happen, I don’t know.”
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Owens reiterated his call for civil disobedience, acknowledging that “our work is cut out for us.
“It’s going to be much harder, because we’re going to have to go from state to state. It’s going to be hard to do, but it can be done.
“Remember, blacks worked for 300 years for civil rights in the courts. Three-hundred long years. It’s not something that we’re going to win overnight.
“There is no quick fix, but I think now the church will rise up,” Owens added. “All the Christian churches in the United States that believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, they need to rise up.”
The organization is asking those who believe in traditional marriage to sign a petition on its website.
“We’re asking people to rise up and be ready to go to jail,” Owens told Newsmax. “Why go to jail? To let it be known that we will not bow down, we will not give up, whatever the costs.
“It’s the new civil rights movement, because they are taking away our rights. They are taking away the Christian’s rights. This is just a start.
“We have nothing against homosexuals,” Owens added, “but when you start talking about marriage, and then indoctrinating children, where are we going? Where is this society headed?”
Pastors’ group urges action to oppose court ruling on same-sex marriage
Christianity Today
The Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP) is encouraging Christians to oppose the US Supreme Court’s recent ruling on same sex marriage through civil obedience, since people need to “do something to get arrested to call attention to the injustice.”
“I was in the civil rights movement, so I know how to do it,” Rev. Bill Owens, president of the CAAP, told News Max. “When we sat at the counters at restaurants, we knew we were going to be arrested. You do things to get arrested, to call attention to it.”
“So many people were silent,” he said. “The church people were absolutely silent on this issue. A few leaders spoke out, but the masses of the church people were silent.”
Owens believes that people need to speak out against President Barack Obama’s support for gay marriage. White people refuse to oppose Obama out of fear of being called bigots, while black people do not want to appear betraying a black man, so Obama is getting away with it, he said.
“He deceived the American people, because the black community would not have backed him had he come out the first time for same-sex marriage. Some people just didn’t want to speak against Obama,” Owens said.
The church leader said he fears for the future of his children, and everybody else’s since same sex marriage is now allowed and America is on an immoral path. But he said he for one would still refuse to officiate a gay wedding even if the government allows it.
“What it’s going to do to our children? What kind of world are they going to grow up in?” he said. “Since I was in the civil rights movement, I know that if the people come together in force, things will happen. How they will happen, I don’t know.”
Black pastors urge civil disobedience over Supreme Court gay marriage ruling
Syracuse.com
Rev. Bill Owens, president of the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP), said he would “absolutely not do a gay marriage.” He invoked the Civil Rights movement and called on fellow pastors to protest the decision through a massive display of civil disobedience.
“I’ve said for two years that we’re going to have to have civil disobedience,” Owens told Newsmax. “We’re asking people to rise up and be ready to go to jail. Why go to jail? To let it be known that we will not bow down, we will not give up, whatever the costs.
“It’s the new Civil Rights movement, because they are taking away our rights. They are taking away the Christian’s rights. This is just a start,” Owens said. “When we sat at the counters at restaurants, we knew we were going to be arrested. You do things to get arrested, to call attention to it.”
Owens was joined by other ministers and pastors at a press conference in the Church of God in Christ’s historic Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, Breitbart reported.
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Owens said the pastors’ group has “nothing against homosexuals,” but feared that the ruling would “take this country down a very immoral path.”
“What is it going to do to our children? What kind of world are they going to grow up in?” Owens asked.
“They got it wrong in the Dred Scott case,” Owens added, referring to the 1857 Supreme Court ruling that blacks could not be American citizens. “The Supreme Court doesn’t always get it right. This is one time they really got it wrong.”
Christian Leaders Mobilize for Civil Disobedience Following Same-Sex Marriage Ruling
Breitbart
Christian pastors told Breitbart News last week they are calling for massive civil disobedience among pastors and clergy of every denomination in the wake of the legalization of same-sex marriage.
“I see the way forward, it’s the civil rights movement all over again,” Rev. Bill Owens, president of the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP) said. “Most gospel preachers will not obey such a decision.”
Owens has reiterated many times that militant LGBT activists have hijacked the real civil rights movement – led by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. – and claimed it as their own.
“We wanted equal rights in the original civil rights movement I was part of. They wantspecial rights,” he continued. “Before this is over, it will take civil disobedience. We will not set aside our religious beliefs over this. We will urge Christians to massively disobey any law that invades our religious freedom.”
Owens said that leadership in the United States has taken the nation into a “downward spiral.”
“President Obama overrode the will of the people,” he said. “The people voted for marriage between a man and a woman. Our votes were stolen from us.”
“We celebrated the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, but now they are allowing politicians and courts to take that vote away,” Owens added. “We will not be silenced.”
Owens warned LGBT activists will be very surprised by the repercussions of the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the U.S.
“Millions of people in this country will not stand by and see our civil rights violated, our right to religion, our right to worship,” he continued. “We will go to jail – I see it coming.”
