Many have asked how and why PAX Initiative came about. My name is Tom Lyons, spokesperson for PAX Initiative, and the following is our story, explaining what we believe to be God's direction of the PAX Initiative.
Our story begins in August of 2002 when news broke of a sexually oriented business scheduled to open in downtown Wooster, Ohio. Having been mildly involved in pornography in my earlier years, I knew of the potential dangers that pornography brings, and therefore I felt immediate concern for our community and the possibility of what these businesses would do to our neighborhoods. Even with my concern, I gave little thought as to doing anything about it myself until I awoke at 4:00 AM one morning in late August.
I am a fairly sound sleeper and waking at 4:00 AM is definitely not common for me. As I lie in bed, I became aware of a feeling of complete rest and total peace. What happened next I can only describe as a vision. I heard a voice within me saying that I was to protest against this evil business coming to our town. It was like a movie playing in my mind, telling and showing me what I was to do. I saw myself in front of the sexually owned business with my Harley Davidson motorcycle holding a sign stating "Protect Our Children". I was told what to say to those that confronted me and to trust that I would be provided with help in this battle.
I wish that I could tell you that I jumped up and responded immediately to this vision, but the truth is that I battled for over a week with the proposition. I didn't want to become involved and I told God that He must have the wrong person. All the time I knew that God makes no mistakes, but I wanted desperately to find any possible way out of this task I was given. Some of you reading this will understand when I say, "when God calls you to do something and you neglect doing it, the suffering can be great", and so it was with me. After a week of trying to convince myself that God would let me out of this task unscathed, I faced the fact that if I were to find any relief, I would need to heed His call. When I finally accepted that call, my son-in-law and I put together two homemade protest signs and I went to the site. I protested two Wednesdays in a row (my day off), spoke with many individuals about the harms of pornography and hoped that my involvement was over. To my dismay it was not.
Within several days I received an invitation to a meeting at the Salvation Army which was being held to discuss the potential dangers of pornography and what it would mean to our community. I was nominated and elected spokesperson at this meeting and, as God had promised, many of His fine soldiers contacted me with the desire to help in this battle. Several days later a coalition of local citizens was formed which we named PAX (Protest Against X-rated material) Initiative with the mission of preventing pornography from gaining a stronghold in our town and county. We have instituted the PAX Advisory Council consisting of 13 local citizens that hold similar views on pornography. The purpose of this council is to form strategy and hold accountability to our coalition.
It has been many hot and cold days and nights since that first day on the protest line. The continued desire of PAX is to allow God to be our general and allow Him to lead us in this battle. Only He knows what the future will bring and how this battle will end.
If you would like to help us in our battle against the harmful effects of pornography and its attack on our community, you can do so by emailing paxinitiative@praize.com or writing to PAX Initiative, PO Box 772, Wooster, OH 44691 to become involved.
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