Amen!

Thinking Janice Daniels' religious fervor represents Christianity is like thinking the Taliban has anything to do with Islam. I see no connection between her behavior and her professed faith. But then, it is not for me to judge, only GOD can judge. I love the picture of her and L. Brooks Patterson. Doesn't he call her and her posse "the Troy Taliban"?
Going to church on Sunday doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a Chevy. (I would cite the source, but I'm afraid I don't know it.)

I just read her statements on her Facebook page and I'm absolutely appalled. ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/Janice-Daniels-Mayor-Troy-Michigan/344651195578609 )

So not only is she opposed to gays getting married by the state (without a religious ceremony), she also feels that she should judge all of the straight people before they get married as well. Where exactly does she get the right as Mayor to push this type of policy? And where are the "hundreds of thousands of tax dollars" being spent that will be saved as a result of this "policy" she strongly supports?

Check it out here: http://www.communitymarriagepolicy.org/sitecmp/index.htm
This is what they feel the policy should be: "Community Marriage Policy (CMP) is a research proven, effective solution. Local clergy sign a covenant agreeing not to marry any couple who has not had a specified, substantial amount of pre-marital counseling."
What does this have to do WITH LOCAL CITY GOVERNMENT?? It's my understanding that religious institutions already have plenty of hoops for their members. Try getting married in the Catholic church on a whim, lol. If she wants to support this as a private citizen, that's fine, that's her choice. As Mayor, she shouldn't claim any association to this and should focus on reading and understanding the budget, so she can show us all how wasteful the city has been. Oh that's right, she couldn't find the money, so now she's focusing on fixing all the broken families instead...

Ms. Daniels now wants to interject government into our religious leaders domain as she tried to do in our bedrooms and children's minds. She means well but just does not realize that her election gave her zero license as Mayor to take on these issues. She has never realized that the views she held as a private citizen are completely inappropriate to advocate as Mayor.

Irv, you have totally hit the nail on the head! She doesn't realize that her private citizen views have no place in her mayorial position. There are some people that just don't understand that Troy is a melting pot and we have an extremely diverse community! When one is the mayor, she must be tolerant and sensitive regarding all faiths and ethnicities. Sadly she has decided to focus on policies that have nothing to do with our city and the problems we continue to face-

Can someone please clarify the Mayor's marital status so we can understand how she can act as an expert on intact marriage?

To the best of my knowlege, she is divorced with a son in the Marines. She has no experience as a counselor, an intact married person or an expert on any of the things she constantly adopts for self-gratification and to get her name in the news.

Her marital status is completely irrelevant and private information. Catholic priests have never been married, yet they counsel parishioners all the time. Are single people like C.S. Lewis excluded from commenting on marriage roles?

Troy is filled with churches, spanning the spectrum from Univeralist Unitarian and liberal Protestant on the left to mainline Protestant to Roman Catholic to Greek Orthodox and other ethnic churches to evangelical Protestant (Troy’s largest: Woodside and Kensington) and charismatic. It also includes a Hindu temple; some residents worship at Buddhist or Sikh temples or mosques. Good luck driving in Troy without passing a house of worship.

Pastor Bob Cornwall of Central Woodward Christian Church is hosting a conversation about Faith in the Public Square from 7:00-8:30 p.m. August 29 and will be signing copies of his book. You might agree with his version of faith in the public square and disagree with Mayor Daniels’ evangelical faith.

America still has freedom of religion (the First Amendment); people can choose the one they like best, be indifferent, or promote absence of religion (secularism).

If mayors in Chicago and Boston can coercively promote their religion (secularism),

http://troy.patch.com/blog_posts/chicago-and-boston-mayors-attack-chick-fil-a

why can’t Mayor Daniels practice hers in Troy? Aren’t we about diversity and inclusiveness here in Troy? Or do we just tolerate certain kinds of religion in our leaders?

More info on the Marriage Savers organization that Mayor Daniels is associating with the City of Troy: Founder Michael J. McManus (and co-speaker with Daniels at the recent event) accepted Federal payout money (our tax money) for this organization in 2005:
http://articles.latimes.com/2005/jan/28/nation/na-pr28
It appears that this organization provides speakers, instructional material, seminars, and coordination services to the Troy churches who would be coerced into signing the Community Marriage Policy, I assume Marriage Savers will be reimbursed for their expenses, who's footing the tab? Will it come out of church donations, and what would church members have to say about this use of their funds? What if churches already have their own pre-marital counselling/marriage enrichment program in place, why would they need Marriage Savers?

The reason her divorces are relevant is this...
She should keep her nose out of ALL of our marriages. If she thinks being the mayor and a public figure gives her the license to talk about our marriages, then by all means her marriages are fair game.
She can't say she wants to analyze our marriages,but that hers are off limits.
She can't say the people of Troy's marriages are public policy, but that her marriages are private!
This is exactly why it's so hypocritical. Holy cow!
Keep what is private private -- all of our marriages and all of our religions.
She doesn't get special dispensation because she is our $170-a-month mayor.
Why can't you understand that?

Sharon, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is a cultural Jew but a secularist, promoting secularism. He is also an intolerant secularist rather than neutral or indifferent towards other faiths or religion in general as many secularists are. As mayor of a big city he should be neutral towards religion, not hostile towards it.

I think Mayor Daniels says she is an evangelical Christian. She is way more neutral towards other religions, including secularism, the one that most opposes Christianity, than Emanuel is towards Christianity. I would bet she has better relations with many adherents of the other faith traditions in Troy than with the secularists who oppose her.

Dale, Janice's private life becomes relevant when she presents herself, as a representative of the citizens of Troy, as a paragon of Christian virtue, when she clearly is not. Christ himself would have NOTHING to do with the perverted version she preaches. She is not doing her job as mayor, but she is using the platform to promote her own religious zealotry. She WILL be removed.

Daffy/Matt, secularism is a religion, just like all the others. It’s basically atheism for some or religion a la carte for most (pick and choose what you believe) and it’s in fashion nowadays. The adjective is not the same as the noun.

Biblical Christianity is currently under attack by secularist (not secular) mayors in Chicago, Boston and New York. A secular mayor would not try to discourage a business based on the religious beliefs of the CEO, but be neutral towards all religions.

They admit they cannot legally stop Chick-Fil-A from locating in their cities (they might change their minds if they ate there and experienced the great customer service they give to everyone), but they are trying to intimidate Christians who believe the Bible to shut up on this issue of gay marriage.

This is an important religious freedom issue. People can attend a church that believes in gay marriage if they wish. They can also lobby the government to change the laws regarding civil marriage. Churches that follow the Bible will never perform gay marriages regardless of what society at large accepts.

If people want freedom from religion, they should consider moving to Europe where secularism is much more prevalent and far fewer people attend church rather than trying to transform America.

Most Americans like the freedom to believe in God or not believe in Him and live our lives as we please. Americans of all faiths, including atheists, should back Chick-Fil-A and its CEO.

America is indeed a secular nation, with room (so far) for all religions, including secularism. There is no test for religion allowed in our constitution for any officeholder.

Thomas Jefferson’s famous phrase “separation of church and state” is not in our Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. It is from a letter to the Danbury, Connecticut Baptists assuring them that their religious freedom would not be restricted by the government.

Dale:

Secularism is not a religion.

This has been said to you over and over and you are either not getting it or choosing not to. You are not the arbiter of who believes in the bible or who is Christian. There are lots of Christians who believe the bible tells them different things than you do. Some believe their faith requires them to be more accpting of gay people than you are. You are free to judge them as you will. You do not speak for "Christians" or "conservatives" or people who believe in the bible. You speak for yourself and those who believe in your narrow interpretation. It is hubris to presume you speak for anyone else.

Have you considered that marriage equality is the law of the land in the state of Massachusetts? When someone judges people who feel gay peple are entitled to equal treatment before the law are shaking their fists at God, then he is talking about the state of Mass. And the city of Boston therein. I do not blame the Mayor of Boston for standing up for his city, state, and it's people.

It isn't a matter of free speech or religious freedom. It is a matter of a public figure trying to impose his judgement in others. And actively trying to impose his religion on everyone to the tune of $2 million a year in chicken sandwich money. Say what you want. Believe what you will. It is my right to take issue with what you say and not support it if I think it is lousy and unAmerican.

Less than 50% of people in Troy are "religious." Since Janice Daniels says this is not a democracy but a representative republic, I guess she is not representing the majority by acting like our Minister in chief.
It's simply not appropriate. You agree with her, so you don't care. You, also, are wrong. http://www.bestplaces.net/religion/city/michigan/troy

Dale, our Mayor is NOT neutral towards religion. Troy is diverse culturally and religiously. She is promoting Christian-based divorce restrictions and the conversion of non-Christians to Christianity. She prayed to her prophet a couple council meetings ago. How is this neutral? What happened to the separation of church and state? I'm not a Christian yet the leader of my town is promoting Christianity. How can we be a multicultural and multi-religious society if we are promoting one religion over the many others in this city? Am I a part of this city? It sure doesn't feel like it when we are praying to someone else's prophet at city council meetings. Try to imagine yourself as a cultural or religious minority. Put yourself in my shoes. This is not a liberal or conservative issue. It's a fairness issue.

Have you READ the bill of rights lately? First Amendment: " Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". In her position of mayor, she has NO RIGHT to promote her religion. No one says she can't freely exercise her religion, but as mayor she cannot impose her religion on someone else: Engaged couples. for example.

Jeff -
Secular = open, neutral forum to all religions, yours and mine included
Secularism = indifference to religion or atheism
There’s no contradiction.
Biblical Christianity = beliefs based on the Bible

No one should have to move. You’re welcome to continue to struggle against biblical Christianity here. My point was that it would be easier to move to Europe because the work has already been done. Reading it again it sounds hostile. I didn’t mean it that way.

In my opinion the Obama administration has been hostile to particular religions and not had an open forum for all to compete fairly. Most Bible-believing Christians agree with me on this. Others obviously see it differently. I'm just sharing my opinion, which is held by a significant number of people in this country.

Good suggestions, John David. I'll write a column about that sometime. In the meantime, I'd suggest reading up on the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy of the early 1900s, where Modernists denied the bodily resurrection of Christ, the substitutionary atonement, the miracles of Jesus, etc. Machen fired back to Fosdick's sermon "Shall the Fundamentalists Win?" with "Shall Unbelief Win?" Reading those two sermons will give you an idea of the controversy if you're interested.

Today's Secularists have added abortion rights, which are not only against science but the clear teaching of the Bible, and "marriage equality" for all when homosexual sex is clearly taught as outside of God's good plan. Some are also very intolerant of those who disagree, which makes them not liberals at all. (I'll have to find a better word, since I looked up the meaning in the dictionary.)

In contrast, historic Christianity accepts the Bible as God's word, the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds, the Ten Commandments and 2000 years of church history, not just the last 150 years of deconstruction of the Bible and the last 30 years of public opinion polls.

Dale, you are a tiresome fellow. You admit that there can be no religious test in America, yet you support Janice Daniels official selling of her brand of Christianity on a daily basis. Listen to the way you talk. You are so incredibly offensive. I'm sure you don't think you are, because you and you alone have the truth at your disposal.
I am not doing what you say --"You’re welcome to continue to struggle against biblical Christianity here."
I am saying that it's inappropriate for our mayor to openly support one brand of Christianity, even publicly trying to push a "pro-marriage doctrine" upon our houses of worship that comes from a specific, political, Christian Conservative point of view.
She wants to INDOCTRINATE PEOPLE.
This is wrong.
It's wrong if she's a Muslim.
It's wrong if she is a Christian.
A Jewish woman wrote right after my last comment and told you how she feels. What about her? Where's your response to her? Are you going to tell her that like "secularists" she has no right to her faith?
Who invited you to define anyone?
(because there's a word limit, the rest is here: http://www.keeptroystrong.com/2012/08/dales-war-on-other-religions.html )

Note to every multicultural person of a faith different from Dale's and Janice Daniels living in Troy: They are telling you in words and deeds that what you believe is wrong and they are actively pursuing initiatives designed to try to make you be like them. Janice Daniels has taken every opportunity to inject her religious beliefs into her positions as mayor and will continue to do so unless checked by the voters of this town. Every day that goes by reveals her true character, and it's up to you to join the move to recall her. It will only get worse if she is allowed to continue as mayor. As for Dale, well, don't be fooled by his "melting pot" group. His agenda is the same as hers.

Daffy/Matt, Jeff asked a question, so I answered it. I'm not trying to force my beliefs on him or anyone else, merely explain them. We have different beliefs, that's all. May the best ideas win. People should have the freedom to choose, not be intimidated into slience.