WHEREAS, The level of violence in this country and throughout the world is frighteningly high; and
WHEREAS, Violence is often glorified in novels, glamorized in the movies, used by sponsors to attract television viewers, and treated exploitatively and sensationally by newspapers and magazines which tends to breed more violence: and
WHEREAS, The indiscriminate use of violence to solve problems is contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace;
Be it therefore RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting at Miami in June, 1975, call on the American people to recognize the dreadful consequences of violence in our nation, and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we commend the Federal Communications Commission for their determination to respond to the calls of the American people for the elimination of violence on television by the holding of continued hearings to focus upon the need for the television networks to stop glorifying violence and instead to meet their responsibility to bring information and entertainment into the homes of the American people at all times, and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we condemn not only physical acts of violence but also psychological violence such as racism, chauvinism, and economic discrimination, as well as profanities and vulgarities, and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we call on Southern Baptists and all Americans to commend publications, networks, editors, and producers who refuse to exploit violence, and
Be it further RESOLVED, That we call on advertisers to stop sponsoring programs which glorify violence as a way of solving personal and social problems, and
Be it further RESOLVED, That the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention be urged to give renewed attention to this problem by dealing with the causes of violence by communicating the good news that Jesus Christ is our only hope for replacing violence with lasting peace.