Posted on 10/07/2004 10:30:50 AM PDT by rapture-me
Umm, they are not praying for the President, they are praying for his reelection. I am not saying that they shouldn't do it, I do it every day. See below..
"As Christians, we are praying that God grant President Bush four more years because of his support for the sanctity of human life, his strong commitment to the protection of traditional marriage and his stance on religious freedom and liberty in the public square," Mahoney noted.
Personally, I'd prefer if churches paid the same taxes as the rest of us that way they could say whatever they wanted.
Wow! Asking the IRS whether we can pray for Bush's reelection is like asking Jimmy Swaggart to assassinate John Kerry and tell God he died.
I actually think that this is genius. It puts the IRS in a catch 22 position and could probably level the playing field for us Christian Conservatives.
OK, you win! Lets all ask the government for the right to breath. I guess this church should leave out the "God grant President Bush four more years" part.
My initial reaction to this was disbelief.
Now I'm thinking a little more sensibly, I can reply.
It is wise to check out the legal fallout beforehand than be surprised by it in the aftermath.
However, IF they come back and say you cannot pray for Our Prez to be elected, you toughen up, make a stand, and accept the legal consequences even if its means you lose tax exemption. We're being called to pray for this election and our President. We're subject to the laws of this country and the consequences by disobeying them, but when it is the right thing to do there is no other choice.
I hope if told they can't, these people understand they should do so anyway.
I think it's a bad idea to ask as well. This implies that the Church is not separate from the state, and that the state is in violation of the constitution. The state has no business poking it's nose in church affairs.
It is NOT illegal or wrong to pray for someone in church. It's done everyday, whether it be for poor billy with a bad heart, or for President Bush to be successful in his and our fight against evil. (namely democrats and Islamic jihadist nutcases)
Oh goodness, noone is asking for the right to do anything. As I said before, we can pray all we want. A church does not have the "right" to be a tax exempt organization. If they want to be, they need to play by the IRS rules. If not, give up the tax exempt status and do as you please.
Just because the left abuses the rules by stumping in churches does not mean that we should expect to be able to abuse the rule with impunity.
Does the following sound familiar?
Dan 6:6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
Dan 6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
Dan 6:8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Dan 6:9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Dan 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
Dan 6:11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
Dan 6:12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Dan 6:13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
Dan 6:14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
Dan 6:15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
Dan 6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
Dan 6:17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Dan 6:18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
Dan 6:19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
Dan 6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
Dan 6:21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
Dan 6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
Dan 6:23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
Dan 6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
Dan 6:25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Dan 6:26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
Dan 6:27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
Dan 6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel knew the consequences for praying, and did so anyway.
That is what I am stating here.
Find out the possible repercussions so you go into this eyes wide open. If God is leading them to pray for the President's re-election, they need to do so. But Daniel and others that followed the Lord understood the consequences for doing so.
Now, if they choose not to pray for fear of using tax exemption, then they are in the wrong, imo. For asking the question if their will be legal repercussions, no, I don't find them in the wrong for that.
Interesting you cite Daniel. My thoughts trended to the Diciples that accepted time in prison rather than refuse to spread Christ's message.
Notice the authority referred to here: the IRS.Absent an application for tax sheltered status, the First Amendment makes it just as clear that I can pray for a candidate's election as that I can go out on the streetcorner and stand on a soap box and urge the very same thing.
Therefore a flat tax or national sales tax would completely moot the question, and either one is constitutionally preferable to the system of deductions.
LORD bless you for that post.
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