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Religious right presses for Roberts

NASHVILLE — Mixing sermons with Senate politics, a multitude of conservative Christian activists congregated at the Two Rivers Baptist Church here Sunday night for a multi-media revival meeting aimed at getting churchgoers to proselytize for like-minded Supreme Court nominees.

"For way too long, the Supreme Court has been handing down decisions that people of faith cannot accept," former Georgia Sen. Zell Miller told about 1,800 casually dressed congregants and the nationwide TV audience of "Justice Sunday II: God Save the United States and this Honorable Court."

"Cover this confirmation process with prayer," Miller urged. "When they make it harder for us to pray, we just pray harder."

"Amens" rumbled through a full sanctuary where two American flags flanked the cross behind the pulpit.

The carefully staged event was not just about getting religious conservatives to lobby their senators to vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, one of the sponsors.

The movement's broader goal is a federal judiciary and Supreme Court that reverses 40 years of "anti-religion" rulings and that regards the Constitution with the same reverence that a fundamentalist church holds for the Bible, said organizers.

"The importance of the Bible to a church is to keep the church on track," said Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals. "The role of the Constitution in government is to keep the government on track."

Organizers said the live nationwide television simulcast reached 79 million households in 50 states and millions of others on the Internet and radio. It was beamed via satellite into scores of churches around the country. At the pulpit, messengers ranged from House Majority leader Tom DeLay, R-Tx,, to Jett Williams, the singing daughter of country music legend Hank Williams.

Liberal religious leaders countered with an afternoon "Community of Faith and Unity Gathering" rally at Nashville's Cathedral of Praise. Organizer Glenn Smith told the Associated Press that their event was "so Americans can see the 'Justice Sunday' sponsors and Tom DeLay don't have any exclusive hold on religion."

However, more "amens" were sounded in the pews of Two Rivers Baptist when DeLay denounced federal courts that he said have run roughshod over elected officials from city councils to Congress.

"The American people have heard the arguments in favor of state-sanctioned, same-sex marriage, in favor of partial birth abortion, in favor of ridding the public square of any mention of our nation's religious heritage," said DeLay. "We've heard the arguments and we disagree."

These issues are being decided by appointed federal judges rather than elected representatives, DeLay charged. "That's not judicial independence. That's judicial supremacy, judicial autocracy."

Speakers shrugged off criticism that they are trying to impose a religious conservatism on the federal courts.

"We do not claim the right to speak for everyone, but we do claim the right to speak. And speak we will to the millions of Americans who share our values," said Perkins. "Our voice is just as legitimate as the voice of others."

"May the Christian church never be regarded as a special interest group. We're here because we love our neighbor," said Chuck Colson, the former aide to Richard Nixon who founded the Prison Fellowship Ministries.

This was the second "Justice Sunday." The first was telecast from Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., in April and called for followers to spurn Democrats who filibustered Bush's judicial nominees.

"The local church is awakening to become a force that we have not seen before," said Tom Minnery, a vice president of Focus on the Family. He cited the 2004 election as a turning point – with state after state rejecting gay marriages in referenda.

Some protesters also gathered outside the Two Rivers Baptist Church, a cavernous complex. "We're here because we believe the future for women lies in a Supreme Court that represents all the people in this country," NOW regional director Kathy Austin told the AP.

Perkins said the audience of the telecast can influence the composition of the Supreme Court since Bush may have a chance to nominate more justices. He urged them to write in for "Save the Court Kits" and to host small gatherings of friends to garner support for Roberts, President Bush's nominee to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Along with DVD's of tonight's event, the kits include book covers with the "Ten Commandments" which school children can use to cover textbooks and legally take to school, Perkins said.

Organizers said the event was partly to educate the Christian community about the effect the federal courts have on their lives. Justice Sunday II also wants Christians to lobby lawmakers so the makeup of the judiciary will change.

"Especially in light of the debate over Judge Roberts' confirmation, all Americans should look closely at the issue of judicial activism and to make their voices heard," said DeLay.

There are four references to God in the Declaration of Independence, said Jerry Sutton, pastor of Two Rivers Baptist Church, which has 6,000 members. "The notion of 'one nation, under God' – like it or not – is still the foundation of our country," he said.