Pastor David Rosales from the Calvary Chapel Chino Valley wrote a letter to the local newspaper indicating that he voted for Prop 8 and would continue to teach God's word on the subject of salvation from all manner of sin, including homosexuality.

He ended with, "The line is in the sand and we will not yield on this point. Our children are at stake, and we will not deliver them up to the spirit of the age."

So here is my response sent in today. The first paragraph is a copy of the Pastor's first paragraph, except for the vote against Prop 8.

Re: “Line in the Sand”

I voted against Proposition 8, and encouraged any I spoke to, and those who read my blog, to vote against it as well. I did not use fear, and I did not use deception, though opponents did so shamelessly and continuously. I did not use an emotion-laden message that distorted the truth or was highly offensive.

I told people about fairness and compassion for one another. I asked people to love their neighbor as thy self.

I tell people that my God, the God of creation is a God of love. My God is LOVE.

I tell people that God is in you and me and in all the things around me. You want to see God? Watch the sun rise in the east each and every morning. Look into the night sky and see the stars. Plant a seed and watch it grow. Throw a paper airplane across the room and watch God support its flight. Witness the birth of a child.

I tell people that we are ALL made in the likeness of God, not the other way around. My God does not suffer the frailties of mankind. My God is not jealous or vengeful. My God does not punish or take sides. My God is not male or female.

My God gave mankind the ability to reason, to think independently. Does the mythology of organized religion stand up to the test of reason? With knowledge comes power. Could organized religion be fearful of losing its power?

There is your line in the sand.