From today’s Oregonian:

Groups gathering signatures to overturn two Oregon gay-rights laws say they are disconnected, frustrated and uncertain whether they can muster enough voter names to qualify for the statewide ballot.

They have less than seven weeks to collect the 55,179 valid signatures needed to refer each of two laws passed by the Legislature to the November 2008 ballot. Chief petitioner Janice Bentson estimates that only 5,000 to 10,000 signatures have arrived at her Salem home.

Bentson is part of a Salem-based political action committee called Defense of Marriage and Family Again, which filed papers with the secretary of state to seek a voter referendum.

I’ve been getting the same sense from the group’s weekly email blast. Yesterday, Restore America sent out this frantic note (the entire thing is after the cut):

Church Leadership Weakens the Drive to Protect & Preserve Marriage & Morality in Oregon

Dear Amy,

For two months now it has become increasingly clear that many, if not most, of the leading Evangelical Churches in Oregon have given up the battle to protect and preserve traditional marriage.

Only three years ago these same churches, at the urging of Dr. James Dobson, mounted a furious and successful effort that Amended the Oregon Constitution to read that marriage was “between a man and a woman only.”

With their retreat, which has been glaring, and contradictory to earlier statements, comes the obvious conclusion that the new form of marriage called ‘domestic partnerships’ created by the legislature, and in violation of the Constitution, is ‘okay’ with them.

The thing is, I don’t know that I believe it. It seems to me like a really smart campaign tactic—a way to fire up your base of signature gatherers to triple their efforts. After all, the group still has nearly two months to get the signatures, and they don’t need that many—plus they’re plotting a big “Marriage and Morality Petition Sunday” signature drive this weekend.

Here’s a pre-recorded phone pitch that Concerned Oregonians has posted, presumably for their supporters to play for their pastors to try and get them back on the homophobe bandwagon. I hope that they are struggling—it would be a nice change of pace.

Church Leadership Weakens the Drive to Protect & Preserve Marriage & Morality in Oregon

Dear Amy,

For two months now it has become increasingly clear that many, if not most, of the leading Evangelical Churches in Oregon have given up the battle to protect and preserve traditional marriage.

Only three years ago these same churches, at the urging of Dr. James Dobson, mounted a furious and successful effort that Amended the Oregon Constitution to read that marriage was "between a man and a woman only."

With their retreat, which has been glaring, and contradictory to earlier statements, comes the obvious conclusion that the new form of marriage called 'domestic partnerships' created by the legislature, and in violation of the Constitution, is 'okay' with them.
The Reason? Fear of Man rather than fear of God

Time and time again over the last two months, frustrated Oregon church members who desire to see HB 2007 and SB 2 placed on the ballot through our petitions, have sent me emails noting the same argument as the one received just this morning from a church member in Salem:

"I have worked for several months at my church to get permission to have your petitions available for the congregation. I just found out today, that the leaders, (not the senior pastor) but others involved in leadership are afraid we will alienate visitors. I still want to order petitions for myself and others I know who want to participate. I'm sorry our church will not stand up for what is right. It is a good church that preaches the gospel."

Clearly, not allowing petitions in their churches that seek to protect marriage and morality for all Oregonians, demonstrates a willingness to compromise even the most fundamental social and biblical institution, and morality itself, purportedly so they won't 'offend visitors!' As my generation use to say, "What a cop out!" How contradictory is that to the very Christ we love and His words that following him would be an offense to many. Clearly these so called 'leaders' of the Evangelical Church in Oregon fit Dr. Ken Hutcherson's description of "Evanjellyfish."

Oregon pastors, weakened by an unconscious fear of the world and it's misguided, humanistic and vociferous critics, have retreated further into the very reason that men dislike church. The leadership is weak, even cowardly, unwilling to take strong stands to the honor and glory of God in the face of a crumbling social structure, hostility toward the Gospel, and Christ Himself.

Who amongst us really wants to attend that kind of church unless we too prefer to be liked rather than suffer the abuse of others as did our LORD?

If they are willing to compromise the Gospel incrementally and now openly, they are one step away from joining the one world church that the Scriptures warn will come in the last days.