C. Clyde Billingsley says he is pleased about this week's inauguration of President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore, both Southern Baptists, but said he believes most members of the church would disagree with the two leaders' stand on homosexuality and abortion.
No one can speak for all Southern Baptists, but "I believe that most would oppose homosexuality or abortion in any form," said Billingsley, executive director of the Utah-Idaho Southern Baptists Convention."I think one of the things that concerns me would be a relaxing of rules affecting homosexuals in the military. I think that is a very dangerous thing.
"While I do not speak for all Southern Baptists, the people that I am closest to are very upset" about the president's stand on the matter, Billingsley said.
He said he thinks the majority of Southern Baptists are totally opposed to abortion, except in cases of incest or rape.
The convention official said he is deeply concerned about the breakdown in standards of morality, including media promotion of sexual relationships outside marriage.
Clinton himself recently blasted the increasing violent and sexual images coming out of Hollywood, many of which are directed at younger children.
And Al Gore's wife, Tipper, has been an active crusader for warning labels on records, cassettes and CDs that include explicit lyrics.
"I think what we really need is a purging revival across this nation," Billingsley said.