Republican candidate for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy Moore with his wife Kayla Moore at his side speaks to supporters at his watch party in Montgomery, Ala. on Tuesday evening March 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Montgomery Advertiser, Mickey Welsh)MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama Chief Justice candidate Roy Moore continued his vocal opposition to gay marriage this morning, saying that the country is in a time of moral decay.
"It seems as if the foundations of our nation are becoming rotten, and Christians seem to act as if they think that God does not see what they do in politics," Moore said.
"Well, I'll tell you that God does see it and he will bless and curse this nation according to the course they take in politics."
Moore spoke at a gathering of pastors at a rally for life, marriage and family. Pastor organizers said the event was an opportunity to speak out against the political push to keep abortion legal and to legalize gay marriage.
Moore this weekend told a DeKalb County Tea Party rally that gay marriage would be the "ultimate destruction" of the country. Moore did not repeat the exact phrase this morning, but said he was not backing off his beliefs. Moore said there are serious consequences "if you destroy homes and families as we know them."
Republican Moore faces Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert Vance, a Democrat, in the Nov. 6 election for chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court."Judge Moore is simply pandering to people's raw emotions. It's an unfortunate political tradition here in Alabama of politicians seeking to stir up people's passions and trying to make political capital out of emotional, divisive issues that are not the most pressing problems confronting Alabama," Vance said.
Vance said the most immediate issue facing the state courts is trying to keep them operating in lean financial times.
"The chief justice has to make certain that our courts are there for the people. That has nothing to do with these hot-button issues he keeps harping on," Vance said.
"Over 50 million innocent children have been slaughtered by the procedure we call abortion. Divorce has destroyed homes and families all across our land. ... Child abuse, neglect, rape and murder are everyday experiences which we see in our paper. And now there is an attack on the institution of marriage," Moore said.
Moore recounted what he told a veteran who said he was upset about the growing push to legalize gay marriage.
"I believe the church has been silenced by political correctness. I believe the church has been afraid to speak out for fear of being called haters," Moore said.
" I'm going to tell you, Christians love their fellow man, no matter the sin. But we are commanded to hate sin. If we are ashamed to say that, then we've got a problem," Moore said.
Moore previously served as chief justice but was removed from office after he refused to obey a court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the state Judicial Building.