Basic HTML Version
PASTOR GENERAL'S
REPORT
VOL.2, N0.34
TO THE MINISTRY OF THE
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY PASSES PETRIS BILL!
AUGUST 22, 1980
Senator Petris' bill, SB 1493, has just been passed [August 21} by the
Assembly by a wide majority. Therefore, to date, the bill has been
successfully heard, argued and passed by the entire Senate, the entire
Assembly, and three subcommittees.
The bill, because it was slightly amended after the Senate hearing last
May, must return to the Senate and then to Governor Brown's office for
signature or veto.
At this point of time, however, regardless of what the final outcome of
the bill might be due to gross misrepresentations of law and fact by the
attorney general and his political cronies, one undeniable fact will for
ever remain cast in concrete. That is the fact that in spite of a virtual
onslaught by the attorney general to stop the bill to date, and grossly
false charges of wrongdoing against all churches as well as an attempt to
create a real hysteria of fears against religionists, the bill has gotten
through all the forums mentioned.
In other words, the California legislature has truly expressed not only
its concern but its fear of the unbridled and irresponsible conduct being
taken by the attorney general's office. This, mind you, even over the
attorney general's constant recrimination that churches are stealing
millions of dollars each year from the public and the interjection of
possibly another Jonestown by religionists.
Therefore, our position that Deukmejian is deceitful and dangerous has
been confirmed, in effect, by the California legislature.
As we have expressed in the past many times, we do not know if the Petris
bill will in fact benefit the Church and its pending litigation. Its
wording or its legal effect may not have this result. Mr. Rader and I,
at least, individually, were behind the bill, however, if for no other
reason than that it would protect other churches in the future. We are
convinced that the protection of their religious freedoms would also be
to the benefit of our proclaiming the Gospel because the consitutional
right of religious freedom is not divided. In other words, there is not
one provision for one church and another provision for another church and
a third for us. There is only one guarantee for religious freedom. That
guarantee of religious freedom is "our" right, one that belongs to all
of us. When you suppress the right of any one church you are in fact
suppressing the right of all churches.
We want the bill to pass, but if it does not, the attorney general will
never be able to erase the stigma that the entire California legislature
has viewed his conduct as reprehensible, irresponsible and a threat to
religious freedoms.
--Ralph K. Helge, Legal Office