Posted on 04/21/2006 11:56:04 AM PDT by topher
Howard Dean to Churches: Give up Religion or Stay out of Politics to Keep Tax Exempt Status
CHELSEA, MI, April 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Fidelis, a national Catholic based advocacy group, called on Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee to explain himself after telling the Christian Science Monitor Wednesday that "The religious community has to decide whether they want to be tax exempt or involved in politics."
Fidelis President Joseph Cella responded: "Howard Dean's statement makes it clear that he wants to muzzle America's churches and religious groups from professing what they believe on important issues facing our society. When it comes to debates over public policy and issues, Dean should be welcoming the voice of America's churches, not attempting to silence them. Instead Dean has shown utter disregard for people of faith by threatening the historical and treasured role of religious groups and churches in American public life."
"Under Howard Dean's rules, pastors, priests, and rabbis wouldn't have been able to mobilize people of faith to join the civil rights marches in Selma and Montgomery," said Cella.
Dean's statement is the latest in a series of comments directed toward conservative Christians. Just last year, Dean told the San Francisco Chronicled, "they are not very friendly….they all behave the same, and they all look the same."
Cella continued: "Dean's blatant hostility toward any church or religious group calls into serious question his supposed outreach to values voters following the 2004 elections. In essence, Dean is saying that if religious groups want to continue to speak out, then the hand of government is going to exact a penalty. Comments such as these continue to place Howard Dean and the Democratic Party in jeopardy of further alienating religious voters."
To voice concerns to Howard Dean: http://www.democrats.org/page/petition/chairman
ping
Is he speaking to include Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and those others who use their "reverend" status to get exemptions and yet preach democrat voting in their pulpits! How about Bill and Hillary speaking in churches and yet getting contributions!
By attacking religion and showing contempt for Christians, Dean is exposing his Communist/Marxist underlyings.
Though part of this sarcasm, I think there is some truth in what I am saying (maybe the Democrats are Hypocrites!)
Freaking hypocrite! I wish I had a dollar for every time I've seen a picture of Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, or some other God-hating secularist Democrat actively campaigning from the pulpit of some black church just before an election, putting fear into the plantation residents. When are the Democrats going to stop that practice?
Keep talking Howie you retard!
Is he speaking to include Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and those others who use their "reverend" status to get exemptions and yet preach democrat voting in their pulpits! How about Bill and Hillary speaking in churches and yet getting contributions!""
Sure sounds like a big hilarious case of a double standard to me.
That's because we all know the face of evil when we see it.
I think the Democrats may realize that alot of Christians (Catholics and Protestants) have decided that Family Issues (same sex marriage, sexual liberation) are important issues and the churches in the last election did hurt the Democrats.
Maybe they are desparate...
As long as he's honest about it and seeks to repeal the First Ammendment.
He'd better check his balance sheet.
this only applies to white, working, tax-paying, enterpreneurs who serve in the military.
You'd have made a fortune at Rosa Parks' funeral. So much for focusing on the departed that day.
Good point...k
Maybe Howie is a Republican plant inside the Democratic party...
They aren't willing to win us over by changing their positions on values issues, so they're trying to intimidate us into silence. Just because their constituency is stupid, they must think the rest of us are stupid too.
...and Corretta Scott King's funeral...
He tried to cut off the military vote in 2004 until the US Justice Department stepped in.
Pennsylvania voters need to be reminded what Fast Eddie Rendell tried to do in the 2004 election...
After all, his motto was you can die for this country, but you can't vote if you are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq.
What he did in the 2004 election needs to be remembered by the voters of Pennsylvania -- for the sake of our troops...
So long "Rev" Al Sharpton. So long "Rev" Jesse Jackson.
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