Christian Values & Voting

[vwvortexer]

An Episcopal parish, Trinity New York, has created a guide to voting progressive Christian values in the 2008 election. It doesn't recommend specific candidates; instead, it just provides Biblical and topical points of reference to consider when making a decision on election day.

From the description:

The agenda examines the issues through a

Comments

[unbleachedbrun]

What a great disappointment

[vwvortexer]

Well, that's your opinion, and you're entitled to it as much as they are to theirs. This is a document from a pretty liberal parish within the larger Episcopal Church, and doesn't claim to speak for anyone but them.

As far as the tax-exempt status goes, I'm sure the IRS can go after them--right after it goes after all those South Carolina parishes that have been allowing Mike Huckabee to stump speech preach during his campaign.

Also, for all the hubaloo around the supposedly imperiled state of the church, we're still talking only a small percentage of the overall church population--hardly the full body.

[jazzfanatic]

The IRS has a lot of catching-up to do when it comes to revoking the tax-exempt status of churches that participate in politics. Many churches preach political issues from the pulpit, engage in petition drives and put signs up in front telling people to vote Yes on anti-marriage-equality constitutional amendments (to cite just one example).

Frank Zappa was right: tax the churches. So much would change.

[vwvortexer]

I think it all depends on just how far they go. I don't think this document, at least from my cursory review, crosses the line. I do think espousing specific candidates, as well as recommending positions on issues, does violate the Constitution.