Letter to The Editor

This is my "Letter to The Editor" regarding a story you can access at http://cumberlink.com/news/local/opinions-vary-on-gsa-club-in-big-spring/article_ff43799c-d601-11e1-877d-001a4bcf887a.html. It involves a statement that a member of my church, and good friend, *Rodger Diehl made regarding the allowance of a Gay-Straight Alliance club at Big Spring High School. Hopefully, it will be printed in The Sentinel soon.

*Because of Rodger's health, his statement was read by one of Community's Elders, and Northern High School history teacher, Marc Anderson.

July 25, 2012

To The Editor:

In a board meeting of the Big Spring School District, on July 23, 2012, Penn Township resident and Community Christian Fellowship (Carlisle) member, Rodger Diehl, gave a balanced opinion regarding the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance club at Big Spring High School. As reported by The Sentinel, Diehl’s statement expressed the conviction of the majority of Evangelical Christians against homosexuality, but also stated Christian compassion toward students who make homosexuality their lifestyle choice, and a common-sense understanding that legal precedent allows for the existence of diverse clubs in a public school.

While The Sentinel reported opinions by other area Christians, Diehl’s comments were the most compelling and convincing. Other dissenting opinions to the club’s formation included fellow Christians invoking the ideals and morality of our nation’s “Founding Fathers (the framers and signers of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution).”

Space does not permit a full commentary of the faith of our nation’s founders, but one fact needs to be understood: The majority of them were not Evangelical, or biblical Christians. Most of them were Christian Deists (believing God existed, but not engaged in the world) who were not looking to establish a Christian nation, but a pluralistic society governed by Enlightenment thinking. While we should be appreciative of the contributions of our nation’s founders, to invoke their posthumous authority on all spiritual, cultural and legal matters today is incorrect. However, if we insist to do so in this circumstance, one should only have to look at the First Amendment to understand that our founders desired a nation where diverse opinion was protected in the public conversation.

Rodger Diehl correctly stated the biblical view against homosexuality in his statement to the Big Spring School Board, but also presented a reasonable and rational viewpoint for the situation at hand. Big Spring High School is not a Christian school, but rather a public school where many ideas and opinions about faith and morality exists. If Newville area residents want to ban this club, then they will have to accept the ban on every club, like the Christian Club. Frankly, Big Spring High School, and all high schools, needs the Christian club more than they don’t need the Gay-Straight Alliance.

Sincerely,

Sandy Adams Jr.
Lead Pastor, Community Christian Fellowship
Penn Township Resident/ Big Spring School District Taxpayer
Carlisle, PA 17015