Gay Today: People

Christian Evangelists Holed Up in Congress

Christian evangelists turn House
room into an old-fashioned revival meeting

By Betsy Rothstein

Just what Pastor Rod McDougal was doing holed up inside Room 2255 Rayburn last Thursday with a dozen fellow Christians, God only knows.

The 67-year-old evangelist from Westminster, Calif., said the mission of the prayer vigil in the small hearing room was to pray for members of Congress. He intends to return once a month to continue his crusade.

In between their prayers, the group welcomed a trio of GOP House members. They included Helen Chenoweth of Idaho, who has introduced a resolution calling for a day of fasting and prayer; Dana Rohrabacher of California, who discussed the threat of Chinese espionage; and Chris Smith of New Jersey, who denounced homosexuality and same-sex couples adopting children.

Nathan Olsen, a legislative aide to Chenoweth, who was awaiting his boss's arrival, said he knew little about the group. "They just wandered into our office," said Olsen.

One woman rocked back and forth in her chair, while a man repeatedly chanted the word "Jesus" in a loud whisper. Others rose to their feet and raised their arms in the air when literally the spirit moved them. And then they let the words of Jesus flow through them and roll off their tongues.

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"We hold up righteous men in Congress that are bringing forth righteous legislation," explained McDougal, a constituent of Rohrabacher. "The Lord gave me this," said Joe Raley, a minister from Delmar, Del., as he rose to his feet, holding a psalm he'd written. "I never wrote a prayer before."

"Together we will destroy the spirits that destroy Christ in our lives," he said, as his listeners closed their eyes and bobbed their heads.

And then it was McDougal's turn: "We want to lift up those that are in office and those that are fulfilling the things of God," he said.

When Chenoweth entered the room, suddenly the prayer session ceased, all attention was on her, and she spoke of her mission to bring forth national days of prayer and fasting. "You're angels," she told them. "And we need you so desperately."

Rep. Chenoweth

She added, "We are the ones who must humble ourselves not the other guys and ask for forgiveness of our wicked ways. It's not by what we say from the bully pulpit, it's God who will heal our nation. This is a call from the highest level of government to the clergy to the people." If that was her call, these Christians were ready to answer. "Yes, yes, yes, yes," McDougal replied.

Then it was Rohrabacher's turn. The congressman, who is a Christian, didn't seem to understand with whom he was meeting.

Nevertheless, he denounced the billions of dollars the U.S. government is spending in the Balkans war. He described the Chinese as "racial superiorists" and "gangster dictators," who have "murdered people with their bare hands."

As Rohrabacher attempted to leave, McDougal asked, "Can we take a moment to pray?"

McDougal closed his eyes, planted a firm hand on Rohrabacher's shoulder and said, "God, we thank you for what Mr. Rohrabacher is doing." After Rohrabacher left the room, McDougal said, "Let's concentrate on him right now. Let's pray for him."

Rep. Rohrbacher

"Lord, lift up Mr. Rohrabacher," he said. "Give him the right words for this. We praise you for being with him. We lift up the hands of Dana Rohrabacher right now as he goes back to the [House] floor."

Then Rep. Smith walked into the room and denounced homosexuality as a "major offense to God," and said it is "a sin" for homosexual couples to adopt children.

"I believe [homosexuality] is an abomination" said Smith. "We should love a person caught up in that lifestyle."

Noting that New Hampshire's governor recently signed a law allowing homosexual couples to adopt children, Smith said. "The governor said this is a great day for children. I don't think so."

Rep. Smith

At which point, Terry Horn, a minister from Washington, told Smith he sees first-hand what happens when a child is raised by a homosexual couple. "Is it possible to ask [Rep.] Barney Frank [D-Mass.] to come in and explain how two men make love?" Horn said. "Let him gross you out for a few minutes."

Said Smith: "I know what homosexuals do. But it does beg the question that we don't look at the details."

As for the possibility of inviting Frank to a hearing, Smith said he'd "leave that up to him."

Courtesy of the Washington, D.C. newspaper, The Hill: