[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 172 (Thursday, November 2, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    POOR CHOICE FOR DAILY INVOCATION

                                 ______


                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 2, 1995

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my disappointment that the 
Rev. Lou Sheldon provided the invocatory prayer before the House of 
Representatives today. Reverend Sheldon was a poor choice to give the 
daily invocation. I think Members may want to know what he has 
advocated in his public remarks which arguably reflect on his 
worthiness to deliver such an invocation. He is malicious in his 
attacks upon lesbian and gay Americans. He is against AIDS education, 
information on birth control and disease prevention in the public 
schools, and uses scare tactics to further his hateful agenda. I, for 
one, believe that these aggressive provocations, which represent a 
radical extreme position and which have nothing to do with religious 
belief in God's will and forgiveness, should not be rewarded.
  Mr. Speaker, following are some specific quotes that I believe prove 
my point that Reverend Sheldon does not represent the spiritual or 
intellectual views of this body.

       On the issue of homosexuality, we are in the same place we 
     were in the 1930s with alcoholism. Back then, we said ``once 
     a drunk, always a drunk.'' But now we know many alcoholics 
     can recover. (Washington Times, 2/5/90)
       I don't have to tell you what these homosexuals are going 
     to be doing when they're not running a race. That's right . . 
     . they're going to be spreading their deadly disease right 
     here in the U.S. (Traditional Values Coalition newsletter, 4/
     94)
       ``Joined together in holding back satan,'' was how Mr. 
     Sheldon signed an April 1994 letter to pastors in Los 
     Angeles, urging them to enlist their congregations against 
     pride month. ``We must protect our children and youth from 
     this homosexual recruiting,'' he declared. (New York Times, 
     12/19/94)

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