Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 22, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty, responds to the recent "hate label" from the Southern Poverty Law Center and calls for prayer and healing in a country divided.

Staver says, "As a pastor before becoming an attorney, my heart then and now is for hurting people. Liberty Counsel is a peaceful Christian ministry that opposes violence. We believe that each person is created in the image of God and each one should be treated with dignity and respect. Differences of opinion is no cause for violence or hatred. I have previously condemned the violence in Charlottesville perpetrated by KKK and white supremacist groups. We must not allow the seeds of the Holocaust or the violence against people of color to take root again in America. But instead of speaking with a united voice against violence and hatred, the Southern Poverty Law Center and some irresponsible media have falsely included some Christian, pro-family, or conservative groups with real hate groups like the KKK. This false labeling is defamatory and dangerous. Moreover, this false label is exploiting a serious situation to push a self-interested political agenda. This must stop! We need to come together to speak against hatred and violence. I urge everyone to pray for the healing of our nation."

Watch his entire message here:  Mat Staver Responds to Hate Labels

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.