Group's anti-gay agenda keeps Coss away

Mayor backs out of address at convention center event

Tom Sharpe | The New Mexican

9/15/2008 - 9/16/08

A Christian group's opposition to homosexuality caused Mayor David Coss to cancel a speech at Monday's opening session of the group's weeklong revival.

Revive Santa Fe, the first major event in the new Santa Fe Community Convention center, features morning prayer sessions, evening worship and live musical entertainment.

The mayor said he had agreed to deliver a welcoming address at the request of the head revivalist, Kyle Martin, an associate pastor of the Dallas Bible Church.

But Coss said after learning this weekend that the group was advertising he would be doing a "testimonial," he looked closely at the group's Web site, revivesantafe.com.

"They had a pretty extensive agenda that went way beyond what Mr. Martin and I talked about," he said. "I can't support this or even be perceived to be supporting this."

Coss said he was troubled by the Web site's assertions that the country is heading toward destruction. Reasons for this, on the site, included the removal of God from society; "so-called social problems" like violence, rape and abortion; disintegration of the traditional family; a spirit of selfishness; Supreme Court decisions on abortion and separation of church and state; and the "homosexual explosion."

"Enough is enough," it says. "The comparisons of Sodom and Gomorrah to the United States are, unfortunately, accurate. We must stop affirming the homosexual lifestyle as an accepted behavior within society."

Martin said Monday that he respects Coss' decision and is sorry for including the line about a "homosexual explosion" when "sexual immorality" would have been more accurate. He said he does not advocate a "hate message," but "will not compromise the word of God" that says "marriage is between a man and a woman."

"We believe Jesus would say, 'Go and sin no more,' " Martin said. "We're not here to discourage people. ... We're here to encourage."

Martin declined to identify his church as fundamentalist but said he believes the Bible is "100 percent the word of God."

Questioned about his comments that the Santa Fe River is dry because of the sins of mankind, Martin quoted from 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

The revival culminates Sunday evening with a concert by Los Lonely Boys.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.