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Page 19
Christian Events.
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The Story Behind Miss California Carrie Prejean.
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No Compromise
By Lee Hartman, Managing Editor of Metro Voice
Page 11 Page 20 Page 10
May 2009May 2009
www.
thechristianjournal.
orgwww.
thechristianjournal.
org
While she may not have walked
away with the Miss USA crown,
Miss California Carrie Prejean
captured the national spotlight with
her answer to a judge’s question
about same-sex marriage.
As most
everyone has learned by now,
Prejean found herself at the center
of the homosexual “marriage”
controversy after being named
runner-up in the national Miss
USA contest in April.
What is NOT commonly known
is the story behind the story, how
God was working behind the
scenes.
The details of this
tale were told when, a week
after the pageant, Prejean
appeared at the Rock Church
in San Diego during Sunday
services.
She is a member of
the Rock family and actively
serves in church outreach
ministries.
The service,
which was streamed live
on the internet, featured a
discussion between Prejean
and the Rock’s Pastor Miles
McPherson, who spent
time with Prejean in the
critical hours following the
pageant.
Prejean (pray-ZHAWN’)
recounted how, as one of the
final five contestants, she
drewaquestionfromopenlygay judge Perez Hilton,
who asked if she believed
other states should follow
Vermont’s lead in legalizing
same-sex marriage.
Prejean related how she
knew at that moment that an honest
answer would cost her the crown.
But she decided to speak from her
heart.
“We live in a land where you
can choose same-sex marriage or
opposite,” Prejean responded then.
“And you know what, I think in my
country, in my family, I think that
I believe that a marriage should be
between a man and a woman.
No
offense to anybody out there, but
that’s how I was raised.
”
Homosexual activists
immediately unleashed vicious
attacks against Prejean – among
them Hilton himself, who in a
video rant on his website called
her several vulgar names.
The
Hollywood blogger also said he
would have gone up on stage and
snatched the tiara from her head if
she had won Miss USA .
Prejeanrelatedhow,immediately
after the pageant, she was told to
get on a plane to
New York for interviews.
On
the plane by herself, she began to
feel very alone and worried about
the upcoming interviews with the
New York media.
She was longing
and praying for someone to help
prepare and pray with her.
Now it seems that, what with
the Rock being San Diego ’s
largest church, Prejean had never
previously met McPherson in
person.
But at that very moment,
on another plane bound for a
conference in NewYork was Pastor
McPherson!
McPherson had just gotten
word from his church that Miss
California was also en route to
New York and needed help.
So he
called her cell number, found the
voice mailbox full, and then sent
a text message.
Prejean opened the
message and read, “This is Miles
McPherson from the Rock.
I’ll be
in New York tonight.
I’m trying to
reach you, but your voice mailbox
is full.
Call me, girl.
I’m proud of
you.
”
“I immediately fell to my knees
andsaid‘Thankyou,God’”Prejean
remarked.
McPherson later helped
prepare her for the interviews and
went to every one of them with
her.
In his remarks at the Sunday
service,McPhersonlikenedPrejean
to Esther in the Bible – saying she
was placed in this spot “for such
a time as this.
” Esther accepted
her calling and said “If I perish, I
perish.
” Prejean did much the same
thing.
McPherson also gave advice
for others in similar predicaments:
1.
Stare down courage.
Don’t
worry about being politically
correct.
Say what you’ve got to
say.
2.
Trust in the truth and
not a lie.
If the Bible is
your truth, don’t back
down from it.
3.
Accept God’s
sovereign provision.
God
will provide who and
what you need, when you
need it.
4.
Never fear man over
God.
Choose God, not
the world, and step out in
faith.
5.
Die to self.
Do things
God’s way.
God will
honor you, and provide
new opportunities.
“Our culture is going
away from biblical
truth,” McPherson said.
“But that does not nullify
the truth of the Bible.
If you believe, don’t be
intimidated.
Be bold,
stand up for Christ,
and thank Him for the
opportunity.
Ask what
God wants you to do, and then do
it in love and humility.
”
In subsequent appearances,
Prejean has stood fast in her morals
and biblical truths, refusing to
compromise her faith.
She says she
has no regrets, and in fact feels like
she won, stating she has been able
to use the controversy as a platform
to share her Christian faith.
“I feel like I’m the winner.
I
really do,” she said.
“I wouldn’t
change a thing.
I stated an opinion
that was true to myself, and that’s
all I can do.
Now I know that I
have a purpose, and I can go out
and speak to young people about
standing up for what you believe
in.
”
America apparently agrees.
In a
poll conducted by OneNewsNow,
only0.
28ofonepercentfeltPrejean
should have given a “politically
correct” answer.
On the other hand, Keith Lewis,
who runs the Miss California
competition, said that he was
“saddened” and “hurt” over Miss
California‘s comments at the
pageant, and the Miss California
co-director Shanna Moakler,
a former Miss USA, issued an
apology to state pageant sponsors,
saying “Prejean’s opinions do
not stand for those of the Miss
California family.
”
How has Prejean reacted to
Hilton’s verbal attacks, and his
defacing of her photo in the hotel
lobby?
“You know, I forgive him,” she
said.
“I know that he’s angry for
whatever reason.
I know there
must be a bigger issue going on in
his life.
”
“From the moment she opened
her mouth, Prejean has given
liberals a clinic in class,” said Matt
Barber of Liberty Counsel.
“Hilton,
on the other hand, has provided the
world a sneak peek into the soul of
homosexual activism.
”
Wayne Besen, a leader in the
homosexual activist community,
went on Fox News to try and defend
Hilton.
He charged that it was not
Hilton, but Prejean’s recognition
of biblical marriage that “was
divisive.
” Besen then went on to tag
the 70 percent of Americans who
oppose homosexual “marriage” as
“bigots.
”
PhillipCosby,ExecutiveDirector
of the National Coalition for the
Protection of Children & Families
in Kansas City, commented on the
firestorm.
“As the same-sex controversy
rages nationally we are seeing some
local pastors state their position.
Some get it wrong, some get it
right.
But sexual integrity – it’s
not optional.
In these days we need
clarity from pulpits, and courage,”
Cosby stated.
“Miss California got
it right.
”
The 21-year-old Prejean, a junior
at San Diego Christian College,
is studying to become a special
education teacher and is a volunteer
for Special Olympics and Best
Buddies, a nonprofit program that
helps the disabled gain friendships.
She is also involved with a ministry
towomenintheadultentertainment
industry, works with children in
foster care, promotes self-esteem
issues in girls and women, helps
refugees learn English, and is an
advocate for breast and ovarian
cancer research.
Lee Hartman writes from Topeka,
Kansas.
LHartman3@cox.
net or
voice@cox.
net.
Miss California Carrie Prejean
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