I read a Wall Street Journal article yesterday regarding several pastors who are planning to endorse a particular Presidential candidate from the pulpit. Currently, it is an illegal practice as governed by the IRS whereby a church can lose it's non-taxable status if it or it's representatives actively engage in political discussion within the scope of their role with the church.
One line from the article gave me the impression of just how arrogant some pastors/preachers can be after they have spent too many days preaching. One of the pastors said (paraphrasing) "if I can tell them who they can and can't have sex with, I should be able to tell them who they need to vote for." Wow. Here I was thinking our instructions from holy living came from God, not the preacher/pastor. Does this guy tell his church what to eat, what movies to see, what cars to drive?
I am thankful the preacher at our church has respect for where instructions for our lives comes from and I'm thankful that members at our church can vote for the candidate of their choice and come together loving each other all the same. I hope these other churches will put an end to the person in the pulpit thinking they have the right to tell people how to vote. I find it hard if not impossible to endorse either candidate/party based on Christian teaching.
This is one case where I hope the government stands it's ground and upholds the law against churches becoming political.
1 comment:
I'm glad I read your blog! I will need to change my sermon for this Sunday. It was going to be entitled, "Who Would Jesus Vote For?" -- at which point I would then tell everyone how I think they should vote. Just kidding.
Actually, why don't we launch a write-in campaign: Write in "Jesus Christ" for president. Something tells me He wouldn't want the job, though -- since He's already Lord of the earth.
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