12th July 2003 Resolutions

THE FAITH: As Orangemen we are determined to continue, and strengthen, our witness to the faith which is our heritage from the first Christians and the Protestant Reformers.

By our presence and practice in Church and Society we prove ourselves to be men of God, motivated by our Christian faith; determined to share that faith with others.

We deplore the secularism, so prevalent now with its godlessness, its denial of the value and usefulness of religious belief and its refusal to live by the standards of conduct which are its legacy from Christianity.

We see this situation as a challenge to us to prove that our faith functions, that it is relevant, and necessary, for a life to be lived for God and people selflessly, sacrificially and happily. By our testimony we shall seek to persuade others to turn to Christ and to enjoy the benefits of faith in Him.

It is truly said of Orangeism that "a good Orangeman is a good Christian".

LOYALTY: That we the Orangemen assembled at………………………………………..……………… in Commemoration of the 313th Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne do hereby reaffirm our devotion and loyalty to the Throne and Person of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Her other Realms, Defender of the Faith.

As Her Majesty this year celebrates the Golden Jubilee of Her Coronation we join in the continuing tributes to her devotion and service to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.

THE STATE: Our Loyal Orange Institution, with its proven commitment to the Union, has been constant in its appeal to the unionist parties to work together for their common cause of Unionism. Their attitudes to the Belfast Agreement, positive and negative, divide them.

While we regret division, which is often open antagonism one of the other, we believe the Agreement, being unable to remove the threat of violence by some who are signatories to it, cannot give us the fair and just government we need and want. Until there is proof that the I.R.A. is gone, and its terrorist activities have ceased there should be no place for Sinn Fein in the government of Northern Ireland.

We have been given ample reason to doubt the sincerity and honesty of the Government of the United Kingdom working in tandem with Foreign Governments and we have deep concerns about their proposals for our future. Bitter experience has taught us that their attempts to buy off Irish Nationalism and Irish Republicanism has been to the disadvantage and hurt of the Unionist people and the Union.

We deeply deplore the increasing lawlessness of our society. We regret that the implementation of the Patten proposals on policing have contributed to the present most frightening situation for so many of our people. We join with all good citizens in utterly condemning the anti-social behaviour of criminals, arsonists, vandals and thugs who injure people and destroy property for their pleasure and profit.

We believe in a pluralist democracy premised on tolerance, civil and religious liberty for all with special privileges for none.

In exercising our right to freedom of peaceful assembly, we manifest our faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Holy Scripture.

We do so in the perfect respect of the rights and freedoms of others.

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