THOMAS: Pulpit bullies

It seems that every columnist who writes on this subject is wont to quote just one verse in support of their argument that churches shouldn't involve themselves in politics. The problem is that these "Column bullies" aren't expositing or revealing the text, just using a quick soundbite to make the point they already decided to believe. The use of Romans 13:1 in this article lacks (1) context in the Scriptures and (2) context in history. Speaking only to number 2 at the moment, the "Christians must submit to the state" argument was used by Hitler's Germany, and is still used by China, both of which decided that they should be the ones to appoint pastors and approve sermons. Do we pretend that good pastors should have minded their own business and stayed out of politics, keeping their mouths shut about concentration camps and the annihilation of the Jews? Sure, you say, America isn't like that. But neither was Germany, and it took the forceful work of many a pastor to awaken the conscience of the German people -- even after they had been defeated and the horrors exposed!

Excellent points, Cal. We remember Matthew 23, where Matthew (as is also written in the Gospels of Mark and Luke) describes the Political battle which raged between Jesus and the Pharisees, those who eventually lobbied Herod to have Jesus arrested and tried before Pilate on trumped-up charges, because he got in the way of their political ambitions: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men." Jesus here is telling Christians to not get involved in Politics, but to do what is right. Pastors should follow Scripture, and not get bound up in their own ambitions and arrogance, lest they become the Pharisees themselves.

In a lifetime even longer than that of Mr Thomas, I have never known a preacher who did not, after addressing the proper relation of man to God, attempt to apply moral concepts to the relations of man to man. Surely, half the ten commandments address these relationships which are at least impinged on by the activities of government and politics. It might be said that those preachers who inveigh against the "noxious weed" and the "devil's brew" have, as the saying goes, "Stopped preachin' and gone to meddlin'", but, surely, when we are told "Thou shalt not kill" and politicians advocate the murder of unborne children, a preacher can object. Can we in truth "Honor our father and mother" when government attempts to destroy the sacrament of marriage? We are told not to "covet." What are we to think of government policies based on covetousness, envy and greed. Surely, our moral advisors should have something to say about this. It is not so much that preachers have intruded into politics as that politics and the government have subsumed so much of our lives.

Sorry, but the Matthew 23 scripture is *not* about warning Christians to stay out of politics, but to warn Christian leaders not to create difficult rules for their followers that they themselves have no intention of following. This is about religious rules, not political ones.

A preacher's main job is to preach the words of God, explain his teachings, and encouraging his congregation to follow the 10 Commandments. In addition, the hungry needs to be fed, the wayward needs saving, the angry needs calming, the homeless needs housing, haters need to be taught how to love. A preacher has a lifetime of work to tackle if he is sincere about walking in God's footsteps. If a preacher has hundreds of uniformed followers, he should encourage them to educate themselves, not to seek political answers from himself or from God. If a preacher wants to step outside his duties as an ordained preacher, or one who was "called" by God to spread "the word", he should give up his tax exempt status, which would leave him free to endorse whomever from the pulpit. He will then be free have politicians come to his church, hold rallies, host televised debates, voter registration drives inside the church or on the church grounds. But as it is, many of preachers who participated in "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" seemed willing to double-dog-dare IRS to come after them. However, they are not willing to let go of the big bucks they siphon from the pocketbooks of gullible congregations. The preachers want to have their cake and eat it too. If this group of preachers are standing on principles, they should volunteer to approach IRS, and inform it of their choice to choose politics over God and their tax exempt status.