Elected Officials Breaking the Law Encourages Rampant Lawlessness

PHILADELPHIA – Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network (PPN, www.papastors.net) is urging pastors across Pennsylvania to speak out against the increasing tendency among executive and judicial branches of government, both state and federal, to ignore Constitutionally enacted laws, instead imposing their own will upon the people who elected them. It has already happened twice in Pennsylvania in the last two weeks.

The Montgomery County register of wills, D. Bruce Hanes, is following state Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s actions, who has refused to defend the state law against a federal lawsuit, and the Obama administration, which declined to defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Hanes has decided to violate the Pennsylvania law that bans same-sex marriages across the Commonwealth.

According to Philly.com, Hanes’ decision could have statewide implications, bringing gay and lesbian Pennsylvanians to Norristown for licenses that could then be used for weddings anywhere in the state.
The legality of those licenses would remain in question, however. Under Pennsylvania law, the recognition of marriage is restricted to one man and one woman.

Sam Rohrer, President of the Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network says, “I am greatly concerned for the very pillars of law underpinning our Republic. I see a dangerously developing trend when in just the past four years, most notably when the California State Executive Branch , the U.S. Supreme Court, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Kane, and now, Montgomery County Register of Wills, D. Bruce Hanes, arbitrarily decide to simply ignore or override the will of the people in regard to their Constitutional obligations. It is likely not coincidental that this move into lawlessness is tied directly, in these examples, to a direct attack on the family and religious freedom in America. A defiance of Constitutionally-passed civil law starts with a defiance of God’s Moral Laws.”

According to Rohrer, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Kathleen Kane acted unconstitutionally when she openly refused to uphold her oath of office to defend Pennsylvania state law. Just recently, Kane, who is an open supporter of homosexual rights activists, stated that she could not and would not defend Pennsylvania’s Defense of marriage Act, which was enacted by large margins in the state legislature in 1996.

Rohrer adds, “When elected officials, whether state or federal, are no longer held accountable to the respective Constitutions to which they are sworn, and under which their very offices are created, then political anarchy and lawlessness are assured. We are encouraging pastors everywhere to earnestly preach the Absolute Truth of God’s Word and to teach that civil freedom can only survive when people do as William Penn made clear right here in Pennsylvania – self govern their own actions according to the Commands of God. Obedience to the law with accountability to the people and to God is essential for limited government to survive. The answers to our problems are not political. They are in every way spiritual and that starts with recognizing the Absolute Truth of God’s Word. When the law and oaths of office are cavalierly discarded for passing considerations, all of our guaranteed rights are threatened.”

In her statement, Kane claimed ethical reasons for refusing to uphold her sworn duties. Hanes also expressed his personal ethics and his conflict with not issuing same-sex marriage licenses to those who now request them.

Rohrer points out, “If one cannot ethically defend the Biblical and historical definition of Natural Marriage as being between one man and one woman, then it is legitimate to question the source these ‘ethics.’ Kane’s definition of ethics stands in clear and direct contrast to a Biblical standard of right and wrong. Kane’s view reflects that of popular culture, which states that there is no absolute truth, that right and wrong are relative, that there is no moral compass and therefore no God to whom we will give an account. What is right today is wrong tomorrow, and vice versa. It is this Post-Modern view that is in conflict with, and is undermining, the Rule of law, our Constitution, self-government and our very freedoms. It is this view that empowered Bruce Hanes to act out of order.”

Rohrer concludes, “I believe that unless this distinction is acknowledged and there is a return to the concept of ethics and morality as defined by God in His Word, which provides an absolute, universal standard by which to judge right and wrong, we will lose the freedoms we have so long enjoyed and which are reflected in our Declaration of Independence and our PA and US Constitutions.”

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 Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network website continues to offer a wealth of resources to pastors to help them equip their congregations to live a Christian life, from sermon notes to corporate prayers for our nation, to resources for laypeople, covering everything from preparation to finances.

The 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 C3 non-profit). To contact them visit. www.papastors.net or call 610-584.1225.

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To schedule interviews with Sam Rohrer, President of the PA Pastors’ Network, contact Deborah Hamilton at dhamilton@hamiltonstrategies.com, 215-815-7716 or 610-584-1096.