San Antonio Tea Party
It has been nearly a week since I attended the San Antonio Tea Party, possibly the largest in the nation thanks to support from big names like Glenn Beck. My good friend Doug Phillips was asked to speak at the Tea Party and another friend of mine Adam McManus was asked to emcee and give the invocation. I know the Christian character of both of these gentlemen so I was looking forward to hearing their clear witness for God's Word and His Law in the civil sphere, and I was genuinely curious to see how a mixed crowd of what was estimated at the time to reach 14k would react to what I was confident would be an uncompromising witness for the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
They did not disappoint.
Take a look at the 3 minute mark on the video clip below. Doug's call for repentance by the people of America could not be more clear. We are a people guilty of voting in leaders who thumb their noses at the Lord's annointed and His standards but God is merciful and will heal our land if we will but repent.
If you enjoy the clip, please take a moment to click over to youtube and leave a comment. You can download the entire message on behemoth.com.
Over and over again I heard people praying in Jesus's name and appealing to the triune God of the Scriptures as the Author of our liberties.
Here is an excerpt from Adam's prayer:
Father, the State is not God! It is the servant of the people. May we the people, gathered here tonight in San Antonio – each and every one of us -- recognize the awesome responsibility we have to speak up and demand that our representatives begin to exercise fiscal discipline and liberate us from oppressive taxation which penalizes our hard work and sacrifice.
And we pray that where we have not honored You with our thoughts, words and deeds, that You would please forgive us. And where we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves, that You would pardon us. (the prayer may be read in its entirety here)
The thing I was also encouraged by was the recognition by the crowd and the speakers the WE keep sending rascals back to Washington and as long as WE do we will continue to receive the SAME RESULTS (regardless of party affiliation).
The crowd was one of the safest and most respectful I have ever seen in a public gathering. They were not rude, rowdy or violent in the least. Many were there with their families to hear the speeches on limited government.
These were the most memorable aspects of the evening. You can see related photos and commentary at the following sites:
- Plymouth Rock Ranch has Tea party pictures HERE and HERE
- Adam McManus' speech and prayer
- Theythinkyouarestupid.com (the official San Antonio Tea Party site)
- Pics of the Boerne Texas Tea Party where my friend Garfield gave the invocation
- What you can do next
- A hilarious "Liberal Tea Party: Epic Fail"
- A more hilarious "Politician's Guide to Raising Taxes" by my buddy Matt Chancey in the tradition of the "Screwtape Letters"
Download Doug's entire 23 minute message from the Tea party on Behemoth.com for free by clicking on the image below.
Freedom at Risk
Last but certainly not least here are my beloved Deanna's thoughts on the Tea Party as well:
Last week I went with Dad to the San Antonio TEA party. I had a lot of fun walking around with my aunts (they're all my age) before it started, and we found a store with all kinds of crazy, beautiful, skirts that I am definitely going to go back to soon...Anyway, once it got started I really enjoyed the speeches that were made, except when Ted Nugent spoke for about 10 min. He was crude, and the faces he made when he played "The Star Spangled Banner" on his electric guitar just annoyed me. What really shocked me was when Terri Hall spoke about the TTC (Trans-Texas Corridor) I had heard about it vaguely on the radio before but never paid much attention to it. It's a huge super highway/toll road that is going to cut through Texas dividing towns even, with exits only every 5 miles or so. So if your town is cut in half by it you have no way to get to the other side unless you pay a toll, or use access roads.
My favorite speech was Mr Phillips speech "Freedom at Risk" and afterward Dad took me to get ice cream, and I rode home with my Grandma. All in all, it was pretty much awesome.
Look for her report on Doug's message "Freedom at Risk" coming soon to an Coghlan Family blog near you. 
Did you go to a Tea Party in your area? What was your experience like?
Related posts:
- My first ever live radio interview
- Once more because we need to hear it.
- Happy Birthday, Lydia!
- The Other Jamestown Party
- That’s it I’m moving to Ecuador
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Filed under: Dad's corner, Vision Forum, news & politics, worldview
While I understand it’s important for everyone to be fiscally responsible, including the government, I don’t understand these protests at all (besides the fact that they call them tea parties, when in fact, tea isn’t taxed and the original protesters of the tea tax when it existed were protesting taxation without representation… last time I checked, we have representation).
Anyway, the point is, our economy is in the dumps due to our last president. Wars, health coverage, education, law enforcement, national security – what do all of these have in common? They are really expensive. How do you pay for them? With taxes. Next time you don’t want to see your taxes go up, don’t vote for a president who will us to pointless and expensive wars. Don’t blame the administration who is trying fix his mistakes. Where were the protests last year? And last time I checked, the Bible said to obey the laws of the land and to pay your taxes.
I really wanted to go to this, but my son wasn’t feeling well enough to go out, so we had to skip it. Thanks for posting about it!
We were at our local Tea Party in Tupelo, MS. My dh works for the American Family Association which sponsored over 1000 of the tea parties. We had a good turnout of over 800. We took 5 of our 7 children. OUr state senator spoke as did AFR personality JJ Jasper. We made many signs, but my favorite was “Big families, not big government!” I don’t know how the local media portrayed the event. It was extremely peaceful and I hope somebody in Washington is paying attention.
Mary,
Several things come to mind.
1.) The tea in the tea parties is an acronym T= taxed E=enough A=already
2.) I was not any more impressed with GWB’s fiscal policies that I am with Obama’s. I didn’t vote for him and I always vote for constitutional candidates no matter their party affiliation. Obama is not trying to fix any mistakes; he is using this “crisis” to continue Bush’s monetary policies AND to as he put it “redistribute the wealth.” The so called stimulus he signed was full of pork, liberal and wasteful spending.
3.) The Bible also tells the civil magistrate they must obey their covenants (like the Constitution) and as a citizen I have the duty to speak my peace when they don’t.
4.) Here is why people are protesting (in part) and yes it’s BOTH Bush and Obama that spent the money
I’m glad you went. Obviously it’s a bit too far for us to go to any tea party (we are in England for a while), but I was very excited to see such a large turnout nationwide. I hope it’s not too late for our nation to wake up and repent.
We were going to go to Harrisburg, PA for our local tea BUT pouring down rain held me back. I just could not imagine going by myself with 7 kiddo’s under 12 in rain. There is to be another one on July 4th I am hearing and we will be going to that for sure as hubby will be along.
But on a good note perhaps if we move I will actually get to meet you all in person 
Hubby has his eye on Texas…he is thinking of moving there depending on how things continue to go. I just cannot get over the fact that there are snakes there…more than here
Were FBI agents at ‘TEA parties’?
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=499422
Thought you might want to read this
We went! It was pouring rain, but we went. It was great. We took all 5 children for a fantastic history and current event lesson. I posted a few photos if you want to take a look:
http://preciousinhissite.blogspot.com/
We are debating a move to Texas as well. I really enjoyed watching Doug’s speech–he hit the nail! Hubby and I both enjoyed your Governor’s speech as well. Our only problem with moving to Texas is that our family has been created through adoption and we have many different colors…do you have thoughts on that?
Hi Perry & all:
Sorry to have not seen you there, Perry !
It was really a great time. Doug’s speech was definetly a ‘line in the sand’. I think all Christians & concerned Americans should hear it.
Here: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheVisionForum.
After the 4 minute clip, get the 22 minute audio, too.
Doug did a great job encapsulating what’s wrong with the developing Fedmonstrosity that is strangling the life out of the several States.
He gave a great, concise Texas history lesson & applied the spirit of Christian self-sacrfice, that the heroes of The Alamo embodied, and how we must honor that by our resolve – to pass on what we inherited.
I won’t try to replicate all his remarks here – get that audio cip & study, study, study what he cogently laid out.
Amen to Perry’s response above. The main premise of American Constutional life, is that rights are God given, not ‘state granted’, and inalienable, not conditional.
We Americans are modern Esau’s.
We’ve traded the former, for the latter.
We’ve submitted to a yoke of bondage worthy of slaves of sin, not sons & daughters of God & his annointed, Jesus Christ.
If only we knew Him, as Judge, Lawgiver & King, (according to Isaiah 33:22 – it’s the only way he’s Our Savior) we would do the deeds the Founding Fathers did at the start & recommit our selves to Self Government, Family & Church Government, under Him.
Done properly, this would shrink ‘civil’ government down to size.
I think of the big fib character in Veggie Tales, like the Civil Government is the big fib, and every time a more primary government (any individual, family or church) decide to shirk their duty, civil government grows, bigger & bigger.
Now how do we put that genie back in the bottle ? God alone knows exactly, may he grant us wisdom to act wisely.
For sure, we must “study to show our selves approved, as workmen who have no need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”
But don’t limit that effort to God’s Word – the Constiution & our history must be studied, to see where we’ve gone wrong & set things right again. “Remove no the ancient landmark, that thy fathers have set.”
But as Perry pointed out, we are bound by our ‘national political covenant’ – but most
Americans are totally ignorant of it’s provision & prinipcles.
Given this, Is it any wonder the politicians take advantage our our ignorance, and spend our nation into bankrupcy ?
For one prominent example, the Civil government, under both our Contstituon, and God’s word, is nowhere given the ministry of Grace or Charity – yet the State arrogates that function to itself.
I agree, if these Tea Parties were just a fancy protest, nothing will come of it. But if they are sign of genuine, massive frustration, that can be channeled into wise action, great good may come of it.
Perry, I’m planning to teach a course on the Constitution I got at the Witherspoon School – called Insititute on the Constitution – http://www.IOTConline.com
for my homeschooled son & daughter and a dozen other concerned citizens.
If each of us do something substantive, who knows how the LORD may use it.
Tell Doug thanks so much for taking the time to speak & so boldly – we’re telling everyone to listen to his groundbreaking speech.
I’d love it if Vision Forum would load the whole speech on video for downloading, hint, hint….
David B.
Nacogdoches, TX
May I make another ‘TEA Party suggestion ?:
Here is a Christian ministry that has done some groundbreaking research on the nature of our citizenship, as conceived of by prior generations of Americans – NOT the same as we think today !
It’s stunning to see the depth of this topic. They cite the Scriptures, Constitutional Law, Supreme Court cases & Common Law to prove the point.
They answer the seemingly simple, but thorny “Who (or what) is ‘Caesar’, in America ?”
http://www.sedm.org/LibertyU/LibertyU.htm
Two articles, in particular, I’ve found intriguing:
“What Pastors & Clergy Need to Know about Taxation” & “Path to Freedom”
Perry, please check it out when you can. It’s solid stuff or I wouldn’t suggest it.