At the Donald Trump-fest in NYC this week he spoke to the issue of the Lyndon Johnson Amendment which amounted to a change in the U.S. tax code made in 1954 which prohibited tax-exempt organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates. When Johnson was a Senator he proposed it because church’s opposed him politically and he wanted to shut them up.
“The Donald” said he wanted to do away with that amendment, rightfully saying it interfered with freedom of speech. This amendment today has a chilling effect on many pastors who are terrified that they might lose revenue by having their 501c3 status challenged, so most avoid any political issues and even politically charged issues in order to keep those checks rolling in.
I’ve been told by powerful attorneys that the amendment is unconstitutional, but it is still a deterrent to pastors endorsing the kind of candidates that we need in office. So is it any small wonder that absent encouragement from their local pastors, 26 million people who self-identify as evangelicals didn’t even bother to vote in the last presidential election? Obama won by 7 million votes in case you are curious.
I can understand people who refuse to contribute money to the Kingdom of God; I think they are making a huge mistake in so doing because the Bible tells me in no uncertain terms that we are to use our resources to further the Kingdom of God; however I do understand them to an extent. I cannot understand people who don’t vote. It doesn’t take any money and only minimal time and effort to go vote.
Dang – blood has been spilled to give you the right to vote and people just ignore it. Blood from courageous men and women paid for our votes, doesn’t that mean anything?
Our country is in a mess and getting worse. I believe that if Hillary is elected (which she may very well do), believers will suffer religious persecution as never before and when the church is silenced, mark my words that will be the beginning of the end.
In a world where the church is muzzled simply reading the Bible out loud could be considered hate speech in regard to homosexuality. (This is not far-fetched just look to our neighbor to the north, Canada where it is already happening and several Bible publishers right here in the USA are currently being sued in an effort to have the Bible changed to omit homosexuality references.)
Well this Sunday I’ve been asked to preach at Honey Lake Church. I don’t know what my sermon will be about, but one thing sure, I won’t be worried about what the federal government thinks about it. Paul told us to preach the Gospel boldly and more pastors should do it.
Sadly courage is spiraling down the drain of political correctness for many pastors. Some have grown comfortable in their luxurious offices and don’t want to upset that apple cart by making rash statements like: marriage should be between a man and a woman, or maybe that a woman does not have the right to choose to take an innocent child’s life with a grisly abortion, or that the Bible states that if someone is not willing to work then they should not eat.
Yeow! I bet that one hurt! Especially considering that 47% of our population is on the government payroll.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was martyred by Hitler’s henchmen for speaking out to the church against the evil that was being perpetuated that eventually led to 6 million Jews being exterminated in the holocaust. Incredibly the church turned its back on him and others who spoke out.
One of his most famous quotes is: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Wow! Almighty God will not hold us guiltless.
Hmmm . . . Think about that one the next time you are cowed down by the political correctness of the lemmings.
That might be Bonhoeffer’s most famous quote but the one that is most gut-wrenching to me is:
“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.”
I’m not too proud of the legacy my generation is leaving. Hopefully God will stir the masses to vote for much needed change in this beautiful land that we love and we can leave them a beautiful world in which to live.
2 Cor. 3:12
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
June 23, 2016 – Click here to listen