Monday, September 08, 2008

Freedom of Speech in the Pulpit

CHICAGO -- Declaring that clergy have a constitutional right to endorse political candidates from their pulpits, the socially conservative Alliance Defense Fund is recruiting several dozen pastors to do just that on Sept. 28, in defiance of Internal Revenue Service rules.

The effort by the Arizona-based legal consortium is designed to trigger an IRS investigation that ADF lawyers would then challenge in federal court. The ultimate goal is to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out a 54-year-old ban on political endorsements by tax-exempt houses of worship.

"For so long, there has been this cloud of intimidation over the church," ADF attorney Erik Stanley said. "It is the job of the pastors of America to debate the proper role of church in society. It's not for the government to mandate the role of church in society."

I love this. There is a candidate running for the most powerful office in the world that is more radically pro-abortion than NARAL, has promised to be the best friend the gay lobby has ever had, and has performed sufficiently to the liking of the anti-Christian ACLU to be given an 82% rating. What could be more natural than for men of God to speak out against him?

Labor unions enjoy tax exempt status, and they openly support candidates that are sympathetic to their interests. Why not the Church? The Church has interests, too.

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4 comments:

paw said...

Way to go evangelicals. Over the last 30 years you've managed to bring "The Church" to the same footing as unions and the ACLU. That's a downgrade.

Instead of focusing on souls and hearts and minds and good works, you've been scolding and trying to outlaw the behavior itself rather than trying to persuade the heart that produces the behavior; pressing to see your beliefs reflected in every corner of society; elevating to enormous power men and institutions who have largely abdicated their much-needed role as spiritual counselor to the needy (to all of us), squandering resources and goodwill, alienating as many as you've manage to draw in.

And you cheer and jeer like it's a sporting event or a melodrama.

How is it that so many of you seem to be trying to bring about a Christian kingdom on earth when you know that that is not for the hand of man to accomplish? Whose work are you doing and for what purpose?

I'm not throwing bombs and I don't expect an answer. That's just where my thoughts lead so often when I visit here.

9/09/2008 2:43 PM
Malott said...

Paw,

The Church is still focused on souls, hearts, minds, and good works. We are involved in those things daily and give generously to help people here and around the world.

We do not compromise on the truth we find in scripture to avoid alienating people. Jesus said we would be despised for following Him, and that's true here and around the world.

We are a minority that will not sit down, will not be silenced, and will not avoid politics because the purveyors of darkness want us to.

We will speak up for, and vote for the traditional values that make the spiritual landscape more fertile for the work of the Holy Spirit. Living in a Representative Democracy, we are responsible to do just that.

I know you're a good man, PAW. But we must be who we are.

9/09/2008 5:22 PM
SkyePuppy said...

PAW,

There are certain behaviors that are outlawed, like murder, theft, fraud, and many more. Would you rather the people who are opposed to those behaviors just ignore the behavior and try to persuade hearts instead?

You speak in generalities. Which behaviors do you want Christians to stop trying to outlaw? Abortion is the only one I can think of that liberals think we should keep on doing. Is there something else?

As far as trying to bring about a Christian kingdom on earth, you mistake us. We are citizens, just like you, and have the same right to press for our views to become the law of the land as you have. That in no way means we want America to be a theocracy. Heaven forbid!

9/09/2008 7:15 PM
Malott said...

Skyepuppy,

We know better than those outside the church why a theocracy would never work. The Church would be warring with itself.

We can't agree on baptism, the Lord's supper, dancing, music, musical instruments, or even which day to meet.

9/10/2008 11:23 AM

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