PHILLIES LOSE; CHRISTIANS WIN 8/19/05

PHILADELPHIA - Yesterday, August 18, 2005 at 7:05 p.m., the Philadelphia Phillies held their third annual "Gay Community Night" at Citizens Bank Park as Repent America (RA) declared the truth about homosexuality outside and inside the ballpark.

"This is the third consecutive year that the Philadelphia Phillies have decided to promote homosexuality by hosting 'Gay Community Night' at the ballpark," stated Repent America director Michael Marcavage. "As in previous years, we returned to minister the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are in bondage to this self-destructive lifestyle, and to call on the Phillies to end their promotion of homosexuality," he continued.

In previous years, Repent America was ejected from the ballpark for displaying a banner declaring freedom from homosexuality through Jesus Christ. On August 12, 2003 and on August 9, 2004, during the first ever and second annual Philadelphia Phillies' "Gay Community Day", the Christians with RA were ejected from the ballpark after displaying a banner from their stadium seats, which read: "HOMOSEXUALITY IS SIN, CHRIST CAN SET YOU FREE!"

Following a series of letters between L. Theodore Hoppe, Jr., Repent America legal counsel, and William Y. Webb, Vice-President, General Counsel, and Secretary for the Phillies, earlier this month, RA was free to display the banner from their stadium seats at this year’s "Gay Community Night" without being ejected. "We do not believe that wording would violate the content requirements because it does not constitute fighting words per se," Mr. Webb confirmed in a letter dated August 9, 2005.

Prior to the game, RA engaged in distributing Gospel literature, individual conversation, open-air preaching, and displaying two banners, one offering hope to homosexuals, and the other, calling on the Phillies to end their promotion of homosexuality.

During the game, after RA unfurled the banner from their stadium seats, those in opposition to its message began to demand that the banner come down, but security officials refused to interfere. At one point, two homosexual men stood in front of the banner and began to passionately kiss. In response to this behavior, hundreds of people in the crowd cheered, sparking others to leave their seats to block the banner message. However, security officials and police ordered them to return to their seats. Upon leaving their stadium, at the bottom of the 6th inning, hundreds of homosexuals and their supporters rose to their feet to celebrate RA’s departure while loudly chanting an expletive in unison.

"Despite fierce opposition, our time of ministry at the ballpark was a powerful witness to the tens of thousands of people attending the game," Marcavage stated. "It took prayer, perseverance, and a passion to reach the lost. Hard ground was plowed; the Gospel was preached; may others now come and water the seed." Marcavage concluded.

Phillies lose 5-4 to the Washington Nationals.

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