Watts Encourages Activism

March 3, 2008 at 2:59 am · Filed under Faith

By Carla HintonFri February 29, 2008

Members of the World War II generation can provide citizenship examples for others to follow, former Rep. J.C. Watts said Thursday.  Watts, a minister, spoke on the topic of religion and politics during his keynote speech at the Jim Thorpe Association’s Business and Community Leadership Luncheon at the Petroleum Club in downtown Oklahoma City.

The gathering included several of Watts’ former football teammates, young athletes and their coaches from Mustang, Guthrie and Midwest City, along with clergy, business and civic leaders from across the state.

Watts said members of the WWII generation loved their families, God and their country. They supported their communities.

He said long before Nike came up with the popular slogan “Just do it,” the WWII generation “just did it.”

He warned his audience that some of his comments might be considered politically incorrect. He challenged those gathered to ask themselves if they were doing anything to make America a safer, healthier and more prosperous nation for future generations.

“The more time I spend with my grandkids the more I ask myself that question.  We need to ask ourselves what do we want to do as a nation when we grow up,” he said.

Watts said a first step toward that goal lies in one’s vote in the presidential election.

“When evil people say they will do evil things to the United States of America, we better have someone in the White House who will take them seriously,” he said.  Watts said marriage should be defined as a union between a man and woman. The Baptist minister also said efforts to remove God from the public square should be stopped.

“We ‘are endowed by our Creator.’ That one line (in the Declaration of Independence) makes us different from North Korea. That one line makes us different from Russia,” he said.

Watts also said people of faith need to develop authentic relationships with people of other races. He said people may have working relationships, but those relationships don’t often extend outside the work setting.

Churches, he said, should reflect the diversity that God created, yet 11 a.m. Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week.

“I would love to pastor a church that on a Sunday morning, I could look out and see a congregation that looks like the United Nations,” he said.

Chuck Bowman, deputy executive director and chaplain of the Jim Thorpe Association and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, said the leadership luncheons are offered quarterly.

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