Liberty and churches...

Often we hear quoted a letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist about a "wall of separation between Church and State...", often used to justify abuse of the rights of Christians and Jews in public life. Like many things it's better to see the front and back to put the statement into better context. Paragraph two of the letter says,

...Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties...

Strange, I don't see something stopping a man who is devout from serving in public life. Or using his religious values to guide him.

That being said I found this interesting.

Pastor to Taunt IRS Over Free Speech

How did we get to where we are in our culture and our politics today? I have wondered this since Obama took office and started exacting his socialist agenda on our great country. There is plenty of blame to go around—complacency, greed, laziness, apathy. I submit that churches may not have caused the problems we have today, but certainly could have curtailed the advancement of tyranny. In my work (my book and The Dr. Gina Show), I have laid out the way that some cowardly pastors have tolerated their flocks’ apathy, greed, complacency and laziness, and that only the pastors have the ability to cause a revolution of the greater congregation to make real change.

Some pastors have been brave enough to rise up and do exactly that. This weekend is “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” in churches across the country. Pastors in pulpits across the country will not only endorse candidates from the pulpit, but will also send the tapes of the services directly to the IRS. Now that’s bold!

Pastor Jim Garlow (disclaimer, my pastor) of Skyline Church of San Diego is leading the charge. While other pastors concern themselves with losing membership for saying something that might offend a potential tithing member, or risk their tax exempt status, some are getting in the face of those who would subvert our Constitutional rights and daring them to sue...

An interesting rest of the story with an appeal to the people to support churches on October 20th. But again, I have some simple questions? If the IRS will go after a Catholic Church for the priest speaking against abortion why don't they go after the black churches in the inner city who serve as campaign locations for the local Democratic party? If Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson can go from one church to another campaigning for leftist causes why can't Prostants ministers go for conservative causes? I would really think the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago has been involved in politics. Just curious.

I've often said I don't give up my rights because I wear a uniform (military and law enforcement). I have no issue with Jackson or Sharpton sprouting political beliefs from the pulpit. However, what's good for the goose is good for the gander so if conservatives are harassed by the IRS, shouldn't liberal churches be abused also? Right, "Citizens United for Separation of Church and State"?