Big Bubba Has Been To Church Here
Nov 07 9:09 PM US/Eastern Associated Press
LOS ANGELES
The Internal Revenue Service has warned a prominent liberal church that it could lose it's tax-exempt status because of an anti-war sermon a guest preacher gave on the eve of the 2004 presidential election, according to church officials.
The Rev. George F. Regas did not urge parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church to support either President Bush or John Kerry, but he was critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts.
The IRS warned the church in June that its tax-exempt status was in jeopardy because such organizations are prohibited from intervening in political campaigns and elections.
I have attended church here on more than one occasion. There are many nice things about this church. I noticed the liberal orientation immediately during my first visit. I also question whether anyone will encounter the Gospel and Jesus Christ on their first visit to this church. That sentiment begs the question when will it happen. You are sure to hear of all sorts of social concerns during any visit. I am thinking what's the point? I wish that I had been in attendance yesterday. Bishop Desmond Tutu preached at both services.
If you keep scrolling down on the last link, you can see the heart of Pasadena All Saints Episcopal Church. They have a great heart for the poor, the sick and the homeless. Throw Cindy Sheehan and the ACLU in the mix and there you go. These folks, and all churches, really need to be very careful about involvement in elections. There are appropriate actions for churches and other actions to be avoided. I hope that the IRS just shakes them up a little bit and gets everybody's (churches) attention. Then let them off the hook with a wrist slap.
My next trip to California I will visit this church again if I have the opportunity. I don't agree with their politics or social activism, but, what does that have to do with me sitting there with other sinners worshiping G-d?
posted by BigBubba at 7:24 PM
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6 Comments:
Does a building have something to do with His presence?
Is there a "Digital Munich" so that Bill Gates can transmit the control signals digitally to y'alls tinfoil hats?
An obvious display of church corruption and decay, for true Christians should NEVER be tempted to use the power of government (ergo FORCE) to coerce others into achieving church aims. This was something that G_d Himself refrained from doing, for he made us in His image, with FREE will and a capacity to exercise "choice" freely and of our own volition.
Government is an "expeditious" means of achieving ends selected for and over others. It is inherently "un-Christian" in its' very nature.
That is NOT to say that we Christians shouldn't vote or exercise our responsibilities as citizens. For we must render unto Caesar, that which is Caesar's, and in our Caesar's case, he wishes to obtain our "assent" to those "ends" to be selected for others, at least for a "majority" of Americans (since unanimous consent is seldom achievable).
But I don't think that THAT means Christians should actively seek to impose their own selected social ends upon others. And therefore churches should remain completely "passive" in this respect, for it is inherently un-Christian to force others to perform one's own will, and not allow them to follow G_d's Will as moved by the Holy Spirit and their own individual agency.
And that goes DOUBLE for ministers and preachers when mounting the pulpit. Let them stick to the timeless wisdom of the Good Book and refrain from mentioning contemporary events. Let them offer prayers for the people of the Sudan when attrocities become known, but allow those charged with the responsibility for directing American foreign policy fullfill their CIVIC duty to maintain foreign relations that serve the interests of ALL (or at least a majority) of Americans, to the best of their abilities in intervening in actual events.
And Christian's can and should serve in government if they are so able and inclined. But they should realize that when they are acting on behalf of the secular state and wielding the power of "force", they should do so in a manner that minimizes its' influence over the agency of the Holy Spirit and resist the temptation to attempt to "do good" in area's that exceed the bounds and limited role of secular authorities as defined by the Constitution.
But then, as they say, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
-FJ
Erratum...
"But I don't think that THAT means Christians should actively seek to impose their own selected social ends upon others".... through an expansion of government's once-limited powers. We should do everything in our limited power to roll-back the abuses that have already taken place in that regard, and over time, since the founding.
-FJ
samwich, I have heard of churches meeting in taverns temporarily because of some adversity. My church met for quite some time in a hotel ballroom. One can assume that the hotel hosted illicit sex. What does that have to do with His presence?
Mr. Ducky, I thought that "full blown crank job righty was casting out anyone who voted for Kerry from his congregation" was a Catholic. Don't you claim to be some sort of speak in profane tongues, pseudo Catholic? Hanoi John got what he deserved at the ballot box.
Mr. Ducky, despite the tortured thinking of your warped mind and its profane language expression the Southern Baptists are not likely to attract the same attention as the Pasadena Episcopalians and the Arlington Street Crowd.
We are far more concerned in proclaiming the Gospel at every meeting of the church and studying His Word. The only remotely political experience that I ever had at church was picking up a voter card based on the responses/votes of candidates on issues of interest.
What the Southern Baptists are up to politically.
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