Self-Described

Christian Group

Is Worried About

Nation's Direction

By NELSON MORAIS

Staff Writer

A self-described Christian political organization that meets locally called "Returning America to its First Principles" (RAFP), is filled with individuals concerned about the nation's direction.

RAFP meets the first and third Mondays of the month at Freedom Independent Baptist Church on Thornwood Drive, located behind the Village Square shopping center on U.S. 11-E.

Organizers stress that it is a nondenominational organization that looks to the Bible and the U.S. Constitution for direction on how the U.S. government should be run.

Twenty people showed up for an informal group meeting on Monday in a fellowship room of Freedom Baptist Church.

'Very Informal' Group

Jeff Cobble, a private attorney, opened the meeting in prayer.

He described RAFP as "a very informal" and "ad-hoc" group, and said he had been elected to be the spokesperson for the group.

As he spoke, more people drifted into the room and sat at long tables that had been set up.

"We're concerned about the things going on in our country," Cobble said.

Founded In 2003

He said RAFP, which he founded in 2003, is technically a "for-profit" religious organization, even though it requires no membership fees and has "zero money" in the bank.

Cobble explained that RAFP decided against being a nonprofit organization because, as a for-profit group, RAFP is "not bound by nonprofit rules" and can discuss and take stands on policy issues and on legislation up for debate, and can even contribute to a political action committee if it chooses to do so.

"This is not about a political party," Cobble said. "What we do here -- what we believe -- is that there is one inherent truth, the Bible, that no church or political party has a corner on."

He said the group's main goals were "to educate and to motivate" Christians and others to take stands on constitutional and moral issues in order 1) to stop what RAFP sees as the deterioration of American society, and 2) to reform a federal government that the group believes does not resemble what the Founding Fathers envisioned.

'Issue Alerts' Discussed

"Issue alerts" were distributed to attendees and discussed in photocopied handouts.

The handouts also included quotes from the Founding Fathers and others concerning the proper role of government, and philosophical statements from men including Plato, Davy Crockett, Benjamin Franklin, and contemporary syndicated columnist Cal Thomas.

One of three "alerts" listed in the handout expressed support for U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Resolution 40, that opposes what the material calls "the NAFTA Superhighways and the North American Union" with Canada and Mexico.

The North American Union is allegedly being formed secretly. Critics say it would subjugate American law to a European Union model of vague "trade" laws governing all three countries.

According to the "issue alert," among the 48 co-sponsors of Congressional Resolution 40 are U.S. Rep. David Davis, R-1st, of Johnson City; U.S. representative and recent Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, of Texas; and U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat.

The issue alert also expresses opposition to the "pro-United Nations" Global Poverty Act that is sponsored in the U.S. Senate by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Its cost to the U.S. has been estimated at $845 billion by editor Cliff Kincaid of the media watchdog group, Accuracy In Media.

The issue alert also urges joining an American Family Association boycott of McDonald's restaurants because the company's CEO Jim Skinner has allegedly thrown the company's weight behind passage of "the homosexual agenda."

RAFP claims the fast-food restaurant chain has become a member of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) which has, "in return," placed Richard Ellis, vice president of communications of McDonald's USA, on the NGLCC's board of directors.

In the case of McDonald's, Issue Alert 3 lists the name and address of the company's president, and says: "Call or write McDonald's President notifying him of your boycott of all McDonald's fast food restaurants."

It continues, "Remind him that if his company spends its profits to promote and encourage aberrant and perverted behavior, then you will work hard to see that he has no money to spend."

Responding to a query from The Greeneville Sun for a statement, Pat Harris, chief diversity officer for McDonald's Corporation, sent an e-mail response that stated, in part:

"Diversity and inclusion are business imperatives and integral parts of our culture.

"We have a long and proud history of leadership in these areas and continually strive to maintain a work environment where everyone feels valued and accepted.

"We recognize and appreciate the contributions diverse groups and individuals bring to our society, including McDonald's."

Other "issue alerts" from RAFP called for support of resolutions to require the federal legislators to pass a balanced budget or face a Congressional paycut; opposition to the "Fairness Doctrine" that would require broadcasters to "balance" their programs with opposing viewpoints; and support of legislation making it "unlawful for any person to knowingly ... create or attempt to create a human-animal hybrid."

U.S. Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, and U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., are listed as cosponsors of the Human-Animal Hybrid Prohibition Act of 2007.

Constitution Party Official

Also speaking at Monday's meeting was Jim Headings, of the Constitution Party. He answered pointed questions about the party's stands on several issues.

Headings, Tennessee state chairman for the Constitution Party, spoke on behalf of the party and its presidential candidate, Chuck Baldwin.

Headings explained the Constitution Party's position on subjects as diverse as the United Nations ("get the U.N. out of the U.S. and the U.S. out of the U.N.") and gay marriages ("God has ordained marriage between a man and a woman").

He also said the Constitution Party believes in stopping "all unconstitutional expenditures" by the government, including the income tax.

Headings, who is also a national committeeman for the Constitution Party and Tennessee state coordinator for the party's presidential candidate, Baldwin, is a farmer and the pastor of Piney Grove Community Church in Tellico Plains.

He said the Constitution Party has the third largest number of registered voters, after the Democratic and Republican parties.

Local businessman C.M. Cobble, the father of Jeff Cobble and a deacon at Freedom Independent Baptist Church, said RAFP also had "a lot of people" on its e-mail list who were not at Monday's meeting.