Posted on 05/11/2005 6:36:21 PM PDT by LouAvul
WASHINGTON — As one pastor resigned this week amid a firestorm over the role of politics in his Baptist church, a U.S. congressman continues to try to make it easier for religious leaders and their congregations to engage in partisan political activity on the church's time and dime.
Rev. Chan Chandler (search) resigned his post as pastor of the Waynesville Baptist Church (search) in North Carolina on Tuesday after nine members accused him of leading other members to push them out because they didn't agree with his pro-Republican views.
Chandler has denied claims that the nine were voted out because of their political views, but his detractors said they were tired of his politically-flavored sermons and claimed that he was intent on politicizing the church, even calling on members who supported Democrat John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election to "repent or resign."
While the North Carolina case may appear extreme, it touches on a long-standing debate over whether religious leaders and members of a church can use houses of worship and church resources to engage in partisan activity.
Current law dictating tax-exempt organizations, including churches, says they may not. However, a Republican lawmaker says proposed changes to that law are gaining momentum on Capitol Hill.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Caroline McKnight is a dangerous person and must be closely watched.
God didn't put him there just to say who belongs to God's Family. God didn't give this pastor the right (John 1:12)
Besides, the children of God has only One Master..and it's not the goverment.
"I think we are overreaching when we say that the church cannot speak its moral conscience," said Bishop Harold Calvin Ray of the Redemptive Life Fellowship Church (search) in Florida. He said he opposes IRS guidelines that constitute "code words" like "abortion" and "pro-life" as political speech.That is my position. The law shouldn't - under honest reading of the First Amendment can't - assay to control speech in a church any more than it can regulate speech outside it.He added, however, that he doesn't agree that pastors ought to be endorsing specific candidates. "I don't believe that unfettered political commentary would be in the best interest of the church."
But as a prudential matter, pastors probably should not ordinarily do politics in church. In the best interest of the church.
I think politics in church is a great idea. Politics are our morals writ large. For many moral center comes from their church.
There are too many leaders on the religious right falling under the sin of pride. If some people in his congregation didn't vote for conservative moral issues then that speaks more about him as a pastor than about those in his congregation.
"On the right to Rebel "by Samuel West 1776-- or any of a host of Policial Sermons of the Founding Era,1730-1805-
Ellis Sandoz Editor. this CRAP about separation of church and State began with the Freaking godless Communists and
was introduced to the godless Democratic Party via the
Transmission belt for Soviet Communist Dictatorship (ACLU).
And LBJ-when his visions of peeing in the Rose Garden were
just a political dream drafted the legislation that granted the Unconstitutional IRS power over the churches.
America hasn't got but one generation -tops -left having
defiled the land by shedding of innocent blood since 74 -
and having rejected God back in 62.Time the pulpit wiped
some of grease off the skids IMO.
But not, I warrant, in a mosque . . .
As you know, scripture teaches of the "Children of God" and the "Children of Satan", "Children of Light" and "Children of darkness". Paul writes that he could tell them apart and he also projected the expectation that others in the Body of Christ could tell them apart, and if they could they should, and if the Body of Christ then could and should, the Body of Christ now can and should. That being the case, we often can, with certitude, distinguish who is "born again" and who is most definitely not "born again" because those that are born again have a common source and direction.
The Holy Spirit, himself, distinguishing between what is "of God" and "not of God", also leads Christ's sheep toward what is "of God" and away from what is "not of God". That we are being led in a direction by the Holy Spirit, then, being a given, that direction will have a common tendency. Toward Holiness and away from that which is unholy. Toward obedience and away from disobedience. Toward Gods will and away from that which displeases God. etc...
So then, the direction of social and political tendencies of the Body of Christ will have a commonality in their look, feel and drift. So for example, the Body of Christ will head toward stopping the slaughter of the preborn, the abolition of abortion and a respect for the intrinsic value of human life in the womb, and away from the evil, vile legalized baby shredding that is the law regarding abortion today.
You can't vote for baby shredding and be Born of the Spirit of God. Of course it can be that "that's what some of you were" and are not that today, but it's the ungodly that repent, forsake their sin and turn toward what is of God and not God that turns toward their sin.
That's how it works and it is real. Deal with it.
But not, I warrant, in a mosque . .
Dahlin' politics are already in play in the mosque... I am in favor of evenin' things up a bit...
There should be more "church in politics" and less
"politics in the church". Just MHO
"There should be more "church in politics" and less
"politics in the church". Just MHO"
Very well said.
May I quote that one, too.
Nor is it a party. But trying telling that to some on both sides of the aisle
If my pastor told me that I can't be part of the Church (Local), because I voted for someone he didn't like, I would leave very quickly.
Be careful with this one.
The stronghold of Democrat campaigning for the black vote has been the black churches.
Previously somehow, IRS has decided that what the Democrats do is OK.
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