12th July 2004 Resolutions

THE FAITH: As Orangemen we have experience of the problems confronting Christians in this secularised society.

We recognise the weakened state of some churches and the numerical, theological, liturgical and ethical issues that threaten them and their future well being.

We resolve as Christians to stand firm for the faith, Christ-centred and Bible-based. We believe in the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ; His pattern of living and teaching; the efficacy of His sacrificial death; and the reality of His resurrection.

We further deplore the way in which the teachings of our Protestant Reformed Faith are being denied, eroded and undermined by those Protestant Ministers who have aligned themselves with the Church of Rome.

Our primary commitment is to Jesus Christ and what the Bible says about Him, and we have experienced the good effect He has on the lives of those who believe in Him. This is the faith we share together and declare to others.

We deplore the attempts of some clergy and laity to rewrite the Gospel while remaining in churches whose Articles of Religion and Confessions of Faith are their accepted and stated beliefs.

We are much concerned about how the churches deal with the major moral issues which are being debated today - homosexuality and same sex partnerships among them. There is the danger that these issues will so dominate church thinking that the primary duties and responsibilities of the churches will be neglected. What must be paramount is the preaching of the Gospel and the building up of believers in their most holy faith.

As Orangemen we accept our responsibilities and opportunities to use our influence and strength to so live our lives that we shall persuade people to believe in Jesus Christ, to seek His salvation and to possess and enjoy, God's provision for their deepest needs.

LOYALTY: That we, the Orangemen assembled at …………………………………………………. in commemoration of the 314th 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's Loyal Subjects across the United Kingdom commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings, by which the tide of war was turned in 1944 and victory secured, we give thanks for those brave men of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and the Allied Nations, who fought that the flame of freedom might not be quenched. We are mindful in particular this year of those of our brethren who fought for the freedom of others and the triumph of democracy in the Second World War, and bring to mind that many of them made the supreme sacrifice.

THE STATE: The voice of unionism is stronger now and should be heard clearly and determinedly. It should make the Government and Irish nationalists and republicans realise that they must listen to what unionists are saying to them and to act positively on what they hear. A refusal to take sufficient note of unionist convictions and opinions has produced many of the inequities and imbalances that have made devolved government in Northern Ireland impossible at this time.

The unionist demand is for the democratic principle to be observed - politicians do not share power with those who have in place a private army. As Orangemen, and as unionists, we add our support to the unionist political leadership in their determination to have an administration worthy of the support of the people, whatever their religious persuasion and political party preference, race and colour.

We utterly condemn the paramilitaries, loyalist and republican, for crimes by which they dominate and destroy the lives of people and their communities. We condemn, too, the arsonists, vandals, burglars and petty thieves. The present level of lawlessness with its victims of all ages must be ended by the forces of law and order.

We are concerned that the Police have been so weakened by the implementation of the Patten Report, in particular the 50/50 recruitment policy, the loss of manpower and at leadership level, that it is unable to properly cope with its huge problems. Change of governmental attitudes is required in these crisis circumstances.

As Orangemen we are determined to secure for ourselves and those who come after us a Northern Ireland which is peaceful and prosperous, well governed and much respected everywhere. We have a dream. We want to make it a reality.

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