"Preaching Politics In The Pulpit? Really?"
On October 7th, 2012, several thousand ministers, priests, and rabbii are going to direct their congregations on how to vote in this year's General Election. The stated purpose is to defy IRS regulations against such activity for churches, who have an organizational tax exemption. Across the country, congregations will be subjected to political speech by their religious and spiritual leaders, while subjecting their faith organizations to the highest possible risk. Interesting concept. I've lived through such things myself.
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One of the challenges of having a radio show, especially when the show is specifically targeted and topical, is the challenge of quality content creation. We have, as a community been blessed this election cycle with no sparsity of topical content. It has been a journalist's heaven. While every political election cycle holds the possibilities of journalistic fodder, very rarely has an election cycle been the gift that just will not keep giving. It will remain one of those "I remember!" campaign cycles forever, I think.
It is oft said, especially around dining tables in the Progressive South, that there are some things which should never be discussed during a meal. Religion and politics are among them. Given this perfunctory warning, how much greater the violation when both of them are discussed in the same conversation?
There has been no lack of political discussion in this cycle centered around religious beliefs, dogma, or conviction. There has been no lack of candidates who have wrapped themselves in the flag, and hooked it to a large cross hugging their breasts. It has been tested for favorability. It has been a meme used to "center" campaigns, in the hopes of attracting, engaging and securing likely candidate voters. The conservative, and ultra-conservative right wing fundamentalist contingent represents a very large, and very significant portion of the Republican voter base. They have been exploited to speak, act, and even vote against their own self interests.
Many people somehow confuse these folks with "religious" voters in America. Catholics, for instance, are grateful for that conflation, because it allows them to stay, as is their usual strategy, above the fray. Yet, Catholicism has stayed front and center in the political discourse for the past few years. While many (if not most) are traditional Democrat voters, they have been, and are being urged to vote for the Republican candidate simply because they should not vote for President Obama. They are given the "obvious" evidences of ObamaCare, Marriage Equality, Abortion and women's rights, among many others.
Across the religious spectrum, there has been, and continues to be a sustaining portion of voters who do not identify with a particular religious affiliation, yet are wonderful people of faith. They live out their faiths through the walking of their faith in their daily lives. On average, this group represents approximately fifty (50) percent of any congregation in America. They don't feel comfortable in doctrinal inflexibility. Nor do they subscribe to any "tests" regarding their faith...by anyone. They absolutely no not abide hearing their faith leader telling them how to, of all possible things, vote in a national election. They pay their tithe, properly conduct themselves at home and in the workplace, raise their children properly, and live as foundational members of their communities.
They are also socially, and politically engaged. You see them in Shelters, volunteering to watch children, or preparing meals for the residents without preamble or expectation of public notice. They work in food pantries, volunteer Health Clinics as Doctors, and Nurses, and Therapists. They provide free Dental services, or mental health help. These folks participate in our national economy, our national military, and our national commentary. They are PTSO Moms and Dads, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and Scouts. They are Little League Coaches, or Ladies' Auxillary leaders of the VFW.
On Sunday, October 7th, 2012, thousands of religious leaders will "instruct" their flocks on the "correct and necessary voting direction" their members should take. They have signed a "Pledge" to do so. Is this due to some moral imperative? Are these pledge-takers standing in their pulpits to lovingly care for their flocks?
Not according to them. Their intent is to dare the Internal Revenue Service to remove their church from the 501(c)(3) exemptions they enjoy. Theirs is a purely political statement, a defiance from what they feel is the unfettered muzzling of their rights of speech in the pulpit. Of course, by publicizing this "issue" these leaders have also given notice to the IRS to do something about it.
Are they right? Should they be leading their members by the brain to the voting booth? Is this any difference than those of the Black community who physically lead their flocks to the polling places the Sunday before the election? Is this a continuation of the historic "rights of freedom" to come together in the community setting to share the important national news of the day? Or, is it just a phony play on the emotions of a community who give them much more authority over their lives than they should?
We'll be talking about this on our next episode. We really hope you will join us for this important discussion. Call in, and join the conversation or jump into the chatroom and "let 'er rip!" We'll look at the history, the people, and the views of several sides of this issue. We will provide our listeners with a realistic, and reasonable answer to the most important question for the Progressive citizen:
"What are YOU going to do about it?"
We're on the air!
We'll see YOU there!