Ben Konop in Toledo Free Press Supports Church Political Freedom!

Ben Konop did a speech --preparing for his mayoral bid --at a church--and got blasted for the "church-state separation" issue by David Washington in The Toledo Free Press!!He tells of politicians before him--and of the Pope writing on political issues --as defense of his speech on social/political issues at Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church.

Is he unaware that churches have been threatened with loss of tax-exempt status if they are viewed as "participating in a campaign?" And obviously, inviting only Democrats to speak, as black churches have done for years, is DEFINITELY participating in campaigns. Yet, the pro-life/pro-family values candidates can't get into churches anymore because of the IRS ruling on helping campaigns.

Of course, several churches are protesting the IRS ruling these days--and will certainly welcome Konop's support! For the pro-life churches agree that it's time to stop interfering with the free speech rights of churches and pastors. Sure, some churches will continue to be careful, having both democrats and republicans in their congregations, but it's time the church participated in politics again --as is our constitutional right --regardless of tax exemption.

We conservatives should be able to give candidates a forum --just as the black and Catholic churches do. I remember attending a Democrat's fund-raiser in a Catholic church basement (because my kids were part of the hired entertainment, the Young Rep Road Show.) I remember thinking at the time, that our church would be picked on by the IRS if we held a fund-raiser to help a candidate. But there always seems to be a double standard when it comes to Democrats, churches, and the IRS. We've even been threatened about the "voter guides" that told where candidates stood on the issues of concern to religious people.

Now the emphasis to evangelicals is to be involved only in issues of charity and "social justice" (as defined by liberals who disregard the realities of human nature and what works.) Some evangelical leaders and everyone on the Left, want the evangelical church to move Leftward and drop their concerns for abortion, gay marriage,etc. Love and redistribution of wealth is to be our only concern. They forget that Jesus wasn't hated for the LOVE part of the Gospel --but for the Repentance message --and the message that we are all sinners and that He is the only Way to the Father. The Jews became angry with Paul and Barnabus in the synagogue because they proclaimed Christ as Savior --and resurrection of the dead in Christ. Our charity gains us no enemies --but something else does. Jesus said we would be hated as He was, but it was not for charity and love.

The prophets of old preached about good and evil --and called us to repentance. Killing our babies and rejecting God's design for our sexuality --surely the prophets of today need to keep proclaiming these as evils in a time when the law has pronounced these activities "good." They are so counter to God's procreative intention for the human race.

"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible