Leveling the politicoreligious playing field
This Christian Science Monitor story is beyond rich:
"More than 130 members of the US House of Representatives want to amend the law that prohibits partisan activity - such as political rallies, fundraisers, distribution of political literature, and direct endorsements from the pulpit - by pastors and houses of worship. They hope to do this by inserting a provision into a bill that is already before a House-Senate conference committee - thus avoiding public debate or votes in either body.
"Supporters say the provision is needed to restore free speech to religious leaders. Barring political endorsements from the pulpit curtails the First Amendment rights of pastors, they say.
"But opponents argue that it would turn houses of worship into campaign vehicles and possibly reshape the America's religious and political landscapes in harmful ways. They worry that political endorsements could divide churches, lead to reconfiguring memberships along political lines, adulterate their spiritual purpose and prophetic role as societal consciences, and even perhaps turn their coffers into unregulated channels for campaign financing."
Turning houses of worship into campaign vehicles - like Democrats have been doing to black churches for years. Between politicking "reverends" like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and Dem politicos from Bill Clinton and Al Gore to John Kerry regularly delivering race-baiting stump speeches from black pulpits, this law that 130 House conservatives want to change has been hanging in carbonized tatters for my entire freaking lifetime, entirely from one direction. All they seek to do is make it a two-way street.
And we know how fiercely protective liberals are of their myriad hypocrisies, and how much they want to keep and hold the social right down, don't we?
Certainly enough to insult the public's intelligence with these chickenbleep excuses.
Here's hoping that on passing the Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, "turning the other cheek" takes the form of a few well-placed head butts.
"More than 130 members of the US House of Representatives want to amend the law that prohibits partisan activity - such as political rallies, fundraisers, distribution of political literature, and direct endorsements from the pulpit - by pastors and houses of worship. They hope to do this by inserting a provision into a bill that is already before a House-Senate conference committee - thus avoiding public debate or votes in either body.
"Supporters say the provision is needed to restore free speech to religious leaders. Barring political endorsements from the pulpit curtails the First Amendment rights of pastors, they say.
"But opponents argue that it would turn houses of worship into campaign vehicles and possibly reshape the America's religious and political landscapes in harmful ways. They worry that political endorsements could divide churches, lead to reconfiguring memberships along political lines, adulterate their spiritual purpose and prophetic role as societal consciences, and even perhaps turn their coffers into unregulated channels for campaign financing."
Turning houses of worship into campaign vehicles - like Democrats have been doing to black churches for years. Between politicking "reverends" like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton and Dem politicos from Bill Clinton and Al Gore to John Kerry regularly delivering race-baiting stump speeches from black pulpits, this law that 130 House conservatives want to change has been hanging in carbonized tatters for my entire freaking lifetime, entirely from one direction. All they seek to do is make it a two-way street.
And we know how fiercely protective liberals are of their myriad hypocrisies, and how much they want to keep and hold the social right down, don't we?
Certainly enough to insult the public's intelligence with these chickenbleep excuses.
Here's hoping that on passing the Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, "turning the other cheek" takes the form of a few well-placed head butts.
posted by JASmius at 8:26 PM
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