Church violates separation of church and state

[Alcibiades]

Here in North Carolina, the GOP has put a constitutional amendment on the ballot to redefine marriage. Here in Durham, one church has evidently taken a position on the amendment by putting it on their church sign, one that faces a busy road.

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OK, I know it's blurry: I'll get a better photo later, but it reads "This House is for the Amendment." This is obviously troubling: it's not a statement by a pastor from a pulpit, but a statement that apparently describes the position of this particular church taken as a tax-exept institution.

Gay marriage is already not legal here in NC: these things are designed to increase conservative turnout at the polls. THis seems like a magnet for stupid.

[RKP5637]

1. Exactly, a Stupid magnet, and there sure is a lot of Stupid in this country to attract. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Actually it's perfectly legal for that church to post this sign

Churches and nonprofits can't support or endorse CANDIDATES, but they can promote their position on ISSUES.

[cbayer]

3. Exactly right.

[Alcibiades]

8. Oh well

It does seem strange, though, that a church can endorse a consitutional amendment, which lasts forever until repeal, but not a candidate, who can be unseated in the next election.

[Alcibiades]

5. Thanks for the correction

Still stupid, even for Baptists.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Still disgusting, legal or not.

And I feel certain it's not a position Jesus would have taken.

[RKP5637]

7. +1000 +++ n/t

[cbayer]

4. OTOH, People of Faith Against Amendment One

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[Gman]

9. this does not violate the separation of chuch & state

its an advocacy statement. It's no different than "this church supports labor unions". To violate the SC&S, it would have to clearly say vote Republican or you go to hell, or something endorsing a candidate or party.

[TheMastersNemesis]

11. Actually The Catholic Church Will Do That.

During the second Bush election Bishop Chaput (Kaput) who was moved to Milwaukee I believe allegedly told Catholics in Denver that voting for Democrats was a mortal sin because they were pro choice.

[Gman]

12. Without saying those specific words

But awfully close, a priest we once had told us during his sermon that we should be on our knees doing penance for allowing Obama to be elected. That's when I walked out and returned after the sermon for the rest of the mass.

I was waiting for him in the sacristy after mass and gave him my opinion of what "life" issues was including a living wage, affordable housing, relief on foreclosures, and several other things. It was heated. But a week later he came up to me and said, "pray for me.".

He didnt concede the life issue, but he realized there's more to it.

[Initech]

10. It's seriously way past time to revoke tax exempt status for a good 90% of America's churches.

They rake in billions and have become nothing more than political tools for the right. The Catholic church more than any other religious institution totally crossed the line with the birth control stuff, and any church that promotes that awful Amendment 1 should be forced to be taxed. I'm tired of this.

[gratuitous]

13. Awwww Jeez, not this shit again

The rule: Issue advocacy is okay; candidate endorsement is not.

Here's why issue advocacy is okay: Because practically anything a church says or does could be interpreted as "issue" advocacy by someone. Feed the hungry? You're depriving quickie marts their free market right to gouge the starving $5 for a frozen burrito! House the homeless? You're depriving slumlords their inviolable right to warehouse people in substandard apartments and then threaten them with eviction if they have the temerity to complain. Join a campaign for a living wage? You're trying to bankrupt corporations whose business model relies on cheap or free labor!

And each of these issues has a biblical foundation, which churches take more or less seriously depending on the makeup of their congregation. It's not possible to separate the motivations of random do-gooding with folks following their reading of the Bible.

[Alcibiades]

15. Thanks, I got that

Though I doubt this counts as "do gooding."

[mmonk]

14. Amendment One is a direct violation of the 1st amendment to the US Constitution.