Meeting at the annual NRB International Christian Media Convention in Nashville this week, the National Religious Broadcasters Board of Directors passed five resolutions concerning major issues of the day. The resolutions concerned religious liberty, peace for Jerusalem, racial and ethnic reconciliation, Internet Title II and RF spectrum auctions.
The resolution on religious liberty saluted the Supreme Court and its decision in the Hobby Lobby case and urged Congress to reject requests for modification of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The board took special notice of violence in the Middle East and said, “NRB calls on its members to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for God’s protection over all of Israel, and for all people of good will who seek true peace in the Holy Land; furthermore, while other nations and international bodies may alienate or abandon Israel, NRB calls on the United States to continue to stand steadfast by Israel in its time of need.”
Concerning racial and ethnic problems the NRB board posited: “The Holy Scriptures reveal to us that Eve is the mother of all the living (Genesis 3:20), all humanity is descended from common parentage (Acts 17:26), and all people ought to be treated with dignity as beings created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; cf. James 3:9–10).” Therefore, “NRB denounces any form of racial or ethnic discrimination and hatred, and NRB opposes the actions of those who would seek to inflame racial or ethnic tension for their own gain.”
The NRB board made it clear that it was against Title II reclassification for Internet providers, stating, “NRB urges the FCC to reject the use of Title II or any other heavy-handed regulatory approach to the Internet.” It added, “ NRB further urges the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the United States to uphold a position of a ‘light touch’ toward the Internet and to continue to work to ensure principles of freedom, and particularly freedom of speech, on the Internet globally.”
The board worried that the RF spectrum auctions, including that of LPTV spectrum, might push religious television broadcasters off of the air. “RB hereby calls on the FCC to take care not to auction any religious broadcaster off the air; rather, the FCC should keep the interests of the viewing public paramount in the auction proceeding and not undermine programming choices for Americans, specifically the religious and family programming that NRB TV Members provide free of charge to local communities.”
