Texas CLC outlines three areas of concern
___By Teresa Young
___For Texas Baptist Communications
___CORPUS CHRISTI--Both the faith-based community and government entities need to work toward meeting needs of Texans, Christian Life Commission Director Phil Strickland told messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas last week.
___Strickland outlined the three major issues addressed in the CLC's annual report to the convention.
___In a time when prayer in school has captured national attention, the commission's position--as a reflection of Baptist tradition--favors religious liberty and separation of church and state, Strickland explained in a pre-convention news conference.?
___"We've long been clear in our opposition to government-sponsored prayer and vouchers for religious education," Strickland said, adding the commission also has sought to remain free of any political affiliation.
___As for public education, the commission's report cited the right of students to pray individually or in groups, to discuss their religious views and read their Bibles as long as those actions are not disruptive.
___Strickland pointed out a section of the report dealing with teaching about religion in public schools. "Public schools can't advocate religion, but they can teach about religion," he said. "That is a distinction that has been lost on many of our administrators."
___The CLC report also addressed other religion-in-schools issues, such as distributing literature, conducting Bible clubs, observing religious holidays and developing character education. The commission advised schools should maintain neutrality toward religion, meaning neither hostility nor establishment in accordance with the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
___Pornography, which Strickland said is linked to the increase in child abuse, also received attention in the report. Citing the erroneous messages and harmful effects of pornography on society, the problem is becoming increasingly disturbing, Strickland said.
___"We have continued to get a significant number of calls to our office from pastors, parents and youth pastors about the problem of pornography, particularly on the Internet," he said.
___The final area addressed in the report dealt with children's needs.
___"Enveloped by a culture in which instant gratification of the narcissistic self is the defining value of life, our children search for meaning," Strickland said, reading from the report.
___Statistics show Texas among the bottom ranks in children living in poverty (ranked 46th), uninsured children (49th), teen births (49th), school dropouts (44th) and expenditures for support services for families (44th).
___The CLC is "seeking to call attention to the needs of children in Texas," Strickland said. But the effort must involve all Texans, he added.
___"The faith-based community has a profound responsibility to respond to human needs, but so does government," he said. "Many of the churches are doing their best to respond to these needs, but the needs are so great.
___"I urge citizens to understand that it is not only to the benefit of children in poverty to respond to their needs at an early age; it is to the benefit of our culture as a whole."


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