The weeks leading up to election day were always tenuous. We’d head to church, try to keep our mouth shut, then listen to political banter for a couple hours while adding nothing to the conversation.
Welcome to church.
It was always tenuous because my husband is a member of a union, viewed as a horrific baby killing, homosexual loving (possibly homosexual himself), immoral, democrat. It was a sign of deep faith to vote against your economic interests to vote with Christ.
Who cares if you have health care? God will provide. Who cares if you have a living wage? Again, God will provide.
At least back then, most the banter occurred outside the sanctuary, That’s evidently changed since yesterday was “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.”
On Oct. 7, approximately one thousand evangelical pastors will urge their congregations to vote, not just for Christian values or “life” or “family,” but for for, as Stephen Colbert put it, “Mitt Romney—or not Obama.”
These ministers are evidently challenging the restriction of tax exempt institutions of endorsing individual candidates.
Also, the IRS seems disinterested in this protest, not challenging the tax exempt status of participating organizations… and this “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” event has taken place for five years.
“It’s frustrating,” an ADF (Alliance Defending Freedom) lawyer told The New York Times in 2011. “The law is on the books but they don’t enforce it.”
So what can we do? Basically, nothing except (perhaps) call our law makers. I suppose that’s something. Any thoughts?
