They are not of the spirit

May 12, 2008

Some Christians are challenging laws which prohibit tax-exempt churches from campaigning for a political candidate, saying it’s a violation of free speech laws. I haven’t checked to see if they also think it’s a violation of the separation of church and state, but if they did that would be a laff riot.

Tristero at Hullabaloo points out that no one’s gagging the churches:

The reverend knows very well that the IRS is not banning him from endorsing a candidate. He is quite free to do so. Likewise, his church is also free to endorse whoever they want to.

All they need to do - and it’s no big deal, really, unless the reverend and his church worship filthy mammon above all - is to forgo tax-exempt status. [ Signs of Christianist Desperation ]

It’s also worth nothing that this restriction is not exclusive to religious institutions. Tax-exempt non-profits can not endorse candidates for office. That’s true if you’re the First American Foot-Washin’ Baptist Church of Podunk or the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Tristero goes on to say:

[T]here is no better illustration than this that there is nothing religious about the so-called “religious” right. This is first and foremost a political movement that has co-opted religious symbols and tropes merely for secular gain. [ Signs of Christianist Desperation ]

Many people — atheists and religious folk alike — seem to think fundamentalism is the most perfect expression of religious belief. Instead, it is actually a perversion of spirituality in the service of material wealth and political authority. That’s why it should never be used as the model for religion, even among those who are anti-religious.

Posted in Religion