Eleven conservatively dressed protesters stood silently along the busy boulevard in front of the fashionable First Southern Baptist Church of Scottsdale, Arizona on Sunday morning November 10th.  They were demonstrating opposition to the Southern Baptist Convention’s policy on War in the Mideast.  Each protester held a prominent sign, some marking the five parking lot entrances offering complementary literature where members arrived and departed.  This may not be the first anti-war protest held at a church, but the sponsors assert it will not be the last. 

Most demonstrators held large yellow and black signs identifying “PROJECT STRAIT GATE” (Matthew 7:13).  This passage contains an allegory about a difficult path narrow gate at the end describe the way to spiritual life, as compared to the easy path and wide gate the leads to spiritual destruction.

The sign messages included:

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS

DEMAND PEACE

IRAQ? WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

CHOOSE LIFE, NOT WAR

The demonstration was nearly silent with no chants or bullhorns.  The only conversation occurred when the Pastor W. Berry Norwood and a few congregants spoke to the protesters about the local church’s position. 

Some church members heatedly asked the obvious question, “WHY ARE YOU AT OUR CHURCH?”  They were given 12 printed pages of a research report entitled, THE SOURCE OF THE WAR PROBLEM: WHY JUDEO-CHRISTIANS DO NOT DEMAND PEACE, and a flier entitled BUSH WARS…LIKE FATHER LIKE SON. 

The Pastor invited all the protesters to come inside to hear his message. Ironically, according to the program, the sermon was about “This Church and the Future.”  Inside the service, a good bit of time was spent discussing the unexpected visitors.  The Pastor repeated his theme many times that this church is not political and takes no position on war. But he asserted that he thought most of the members support the “Commander and Chief.”   He also claimed that Southern Baptist Churches are independent and therefore not bound by the positions of the hierarchy.

During the church’s service, the Protesters met for a devotional time in a neighboring parking lot.  Before the day ended, new volunteers had doubled the size of the movement.  The Strait Gate Coordinator, Terry Marshall, plans to split the group into several teams to cover two or more churches at the next war protest.  He states that only two or three persons are needed to make an effective showing at many churches. 

Those wishing information about participating in Project Strait Gate should contact the sponsors and ask how to get started.

(The following letter is being sent to area church leaders)

Dear Pastor:

PROJECT STRAIT GATE WILL SOON VISIT YOUR CHURCH.

This letter is about morality, not politics.  Our purpose is to influence fellow Christ-followers to oppose the continued slaughter of innocent persons of every race and religion in this endless chain of serial wars that now seem to entrap America.  We believe that any nation, no matter how noble its history, is doomed to mediocrity, immorality and national bankruptcy if it allows its leaders to push for one war after another.  We hope you have taken a firm position for peace in our land, and we trust you have found a way to let your congregation know how you feel on this vital issue. 

Our Strait Gate founders are for the most part 3rd and 4th generation Americans who venerate the founding documents of our country. Not one of our group is a pacifist.  Most have served our country honorably in the military one or more times.  This writer served twice. 

We know that Christ’s followers are responsible not only for their own children, but for all of God’s creatures who are being victimized.  Only Christians can be expected to understand this.  Anti-war demonstrations are erupting in record numbers all over the world, but unfortunately many are appealing to the least moral element, Washington politicians.  The most moral voters in American should be found in churches.  It is in the church that the education must be done, and the change for peace made.

A nation-wide movement has begun to visit America‘s churches with a message of peace and brotherly love as taught by our Savior in a similar time of war and hatred.  Christ calls the leaders of the church to be “peacemakers” but many are ignoring His words.  Others simply think war is too “political” to talk about. 

Our published report The Source of Our War Problems: Why Judeo-Christians Do Not Demand Peace, reveals the terrible truth.  It is available free to you if you request it.  We also present programs about the wars in the Mideast, some based upon our own research trip to the Gaza Strip in March 2002, now available to churches.  Lack of knowledge is not forgivable in the information age.  Imagine a Charlton Heston God booming out, “you say you didn’t know, why do you think I gave you the Internet?”

Sadly, many of America‘s Christian leaders have become facilitators of “Serial Wars.”   “Facilitator” is a term applied to those who unknowingly, often in the name of love, make it possible for an addict to conceal his addiction.  The facilitator is often a wife or mother who thinks she is helping by extending sympathy when discipline is needed.  Much of America‘s Christian Right are facilitating politicians’ “serial wars” in the Mideast. In the last 13 years, a million or more innocent persons have already been killed.  Killing is killing, be it an Afghan family, an Iraqi mother, Palestinian children, or an unborn American child. 

We are committed to ending Serial Wars before America is destroyed from within, as other warmaking civilizations have thusly been destroyed.  Unless we do this, our society will soon collapse it’s economy into irreparable financial ruin and with it many churches will fall to bankruptcy and disgrace. 

Prominent Church leaders, including national leaders Richard L. Land and Reverend Jack Graham of the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as most broadcast celebrities, by their own words, have publicly declared themselves and their followers to be facilitators of the Final Crusade against Islam.  These spokesmen have declared for you that the Palestinian people must abandon their homes and get out of the territory known since 1948 as “Israel.”  This is un-Christian, and it is also anti-Christian because some of the Palestinians are Christians!   This position insures perpetual killing and unlimited injustice. 

Is yours a “pro-life” church supporting every act of peace?   Hear Jesus’ words, ” ….For as much as you have done to the least of these (brothers) you have done to me,” and, “suffer the little children to come unto me,” and not least, the great and humble Beatitude, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”   We invite anyone to show us where Jesus ever made even one statement that justifies taking the life of a Palestinian or Iraqi, especially a child?

On October 30th in tiny Taos, New Mexico, two thousand demonstrators marched on the summer home of Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. Children wore Halloween skull masks and older people carried signs pushing for peace.  Those marching included the Mayor and hundreds of children.  I wonder how many were pastors of Taos‘ Christian churches?  I hope everyone was there. 

An estimated 300,000 Italians marched for peace in Florence on Saturday, November10; and the Church of England announced it official opposition to the War in Iraq on Veterans Day.  It referring to Britain and US political leaders as “keen to go” to war.

Righteousness must start with the church.  Peace is of God.  War is manmade.  This is why we will soon visit your church.  We invite you and your advisory board come out to join us in protest.  Please let us know if you wish to schedule a moral, non-political educational program on the Mideast, or call if you wish to confer with us.

Toward the strait gate,

C. E. Carlson, Director
Project Strait Gate

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate,
and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction,
and many there be which go in thereat:
Matthew 7:13

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For a more detailed account of Christians complicity read: THE CAUSE OF THE CONFLICT, FIXING BLAME and Take A Stand… In Front of A Church That Will Not Take A Stand