Messengers at the 192nd annual meeting of the South Carolina Baptist Convention approved a slate of resolutions on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 13, voicing their support for adoption, religious liberty and the nation of Israel, while decrying the infiltration of “sweepstakes gambling” machines across the state and the influence of foreign laws on American court proceedings.
Messengers cast their ballots during a business session at the 2012 SCBC annual meeting.(To view the full text of the resolutions, click here.)
Adoption
Noting that more than 1,400 children and youth in South Carolina are in need of permanent adoptive families, messengers approved a resolution calling for governments to streamline adoption procedures and for churches to foster “transcultural adoption” by encouraging “moral, emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial support for those who undertake this Gospel work.”
The resolution also called for Christians to consider adopting because “children are being adopted into homes where they will not be exposed to the Gospel.”
Foreign law
Affirming the “Judeo-Christian principles of law that make up the very foundation upon which [W]estern civilization stands,” messengers approved a resolution calling on state and federal elected officials to “insure laws be litigated” according to the constitutions of South Carolina and the United States.
The “Influence of Foreign Law on Legal Proceedings” resolution acknowledged that the U.S. “has always been open to immigrants from cultures, races and religions,” but stated that Americans “understand the danger of allowing foreign law to supersede American law.”
Religious liberty
Messengers approved a resolution declaring South Carolina Baptists’ support for America’s “full and free exercise of religious liberty” while voicing concern for the “suppression of religious expression and Christian views” in the U.S.
The resolution calls on Congress to “reverse the trends of hostility toward Christianity by passing laws that place no greater restrictions on individual Christians than on others.”
The resolution further noted a “growing anti-Christian bias” in network television programming and urged advertisers to cancel their support for any programs that promote such a bias.
Support for Israel
Citing scriptural references to the “unconditional covenant” between God and the Hebrew people, South Carolina Baptist messengers declared their support for the “sovereignty of Israel to exist as a nation.” The resolution also recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and calls on South Carolina Baptists to pray for “the peace of Jerusalem.”
The resolution asks South Carolina Baptists to pray for Israel as well as for “those who seek her destruction, that God would change hearts and bring peace through the work of grace in His Son, Jesus Christ.”
Sweepstakes gambling
A “new face” in the gambling industry that has “infiltrated all corners of South Carolina” prompted messengers to approve a resolution calling on lawmakers to close loopholes that allow the sweepstakes gaming industry to “mirror the dark video poker industry that plagued South Carolina for so many years.”
Similar to video poker, sweepstakes games are “permanent high-stakes games” where customers are “coerced into gambling money.” The resolution noted that the sweepstakes gambling “has mushroomed in South Carolina nearly overnight with locations in bars, restaurants, convenience stores, business centers and Internet caf?s.”
The resolution urges South Carolina Baptists to “pray for and be a witness to anyone operating gambling machines that may prey on vulnerable citizens.”
Appreciation
Messengers expressed appreciation to SCBC officers, staff, committees, platform personalities and to the staff of the TD Convention Center in Greenville.