Family Leader honors Iowa lawmakers, presents them with Bibles

DES MOINES - Pastors and members of more than 100 churches visited the Iowa Capitol on Tuesday to present their legislators with Bibles.

'Honor them today. Pray with them and thank them,” Family Leader lobbyist Greg Baker told participants in the Family Leader's Life, Family and Marriage rally.

'That's the way to start,” he said, adding that they were unlikely to persuade lawmakers 'if you jump right to correction.”

Chuck Hurley, Family Leader vice president and lobbyist, admitted 'there are a few of those characters I really struggle to honor,” but said he was there because he hoped they would read the Bible.

Family Leader President Bob Vander Plaats explained the group decided to present copies of the Founders' Bible to lawmakers, members of the executive branch and the Iowa Supreme Court because 'as much as we believe that the politics in this country, in the state and our community need to change and get back to the heart of God … we believe this country, this culture, needs a spiritual revival.”

It can be as simple as living by the Golden Rule - 'in everything, treat people the same way you want them to treat you” - that Jesus preached in the Sermon on the Mount as related in the Bible, Vander Plaats said.

Citing an issue legislators have wrestled with the past few sessions - bullying - Vander Plaats, a former teacher and high school principal, said 'you don't need a whole program, you don't need lot of conferences on anti-bullying” if schools simply taught the Golden Rule.

Matt Sinovic of Progress Iowa, a progressive advocacy group, found that ironic.

'If Vander Plaats and the Family Leader really want to live by the Golden Rule and treat everyone the same, then they would support marriage equality, equal access to health care, they would support civil rights and they would support workers and the plight of the poor in this state,” he said after listening to Vander Plaats and other speakers.

Baker said the group represented churches in 91 of 100 House districts and 45 of 50 Senate districts. Bibles were delivered to all but three legislators, he said. He expects those to be delivered Wednesday.