Happy horsefeathers! I am so upset! I just read in the paper that a Pastor in the South from a southern Baptist Church endorsed Huckabee for President and now he is under investigation by the IRS.
Any church or non-profit organization is required to sign on the Federal application for that status, that they will not as an organization endorse or support people or legislation to protect the alleged violation of mixing religion and government. I say alleged because those of us who have taken the time to look into that allegation that the two must be separate have found the ruling was made to keep the government from running the church, and from the church becoming government as it was in Europe before our country was founded. I personally believe it was in no way intended to inhibit our government from using Godly principals and ethics that would guarantee freedom for all. What an oxymoron that would be.
The Pastor under investigation, Wiley Drake, used church stationary to send out a statement that he personally endorses Mike Huckabee for President and encourages others to do the same. His mistake was using church stationary and putting his endorsement in print, so to speak. It is perfectly legal for any person, pastor or not to voice their own personal opinions and endorsement….it just can’t be from the pulpit or through the organization with non-profit status. Had he personally written a letter or even made fliers and distributed them in the parking lot, I believe he would have OK.
My ‘happy horsefeathers’ irritation in all this is….Who turned him in? Who was so on top of things as to do that? In a previous election Jesse Jackson and other black leaders came to black churches in San Diego and preached from the pulpit endorsing their Democratic Candidate. I was told that one person even had everyone put their hand on their heart and swear they would vote, and support the candidate. Obviously many knew about it, but no one turned them in; there was no investigation.
As for me, I was alarmed at such a brazen political act, but after it was done, I saw no point in reporting it. Would I want the church to loose their non-profit status for making such a mistake? I think not. I just wanted equal time for other candidates. And, actually I just wanted them to follow the law as the rest of us are required to do.
I hope you will join me in praying for Pastor Drake and his church. I pray he will receive a warning and nothing more, and we all learn from the incident. Hoorays to him for standing up for what he considered an important issue. And, chuckle, chuckle it is more publicity for Candidate Huckabee. If it reached a small paper in Redding, California, think how many papers it must reach across the country!
All things work together for good, for those who love the Lord. Romans 8:28 in the Bible. I personally forgive those who blew the whistle and forgive Pastor Drake for his indiscretion as I am required and privileged to do according to Matthew 18 and John 20:23 in the Bible. Rats, that means I have to give up my judgment of whoever notified the IRS and let the Holy Spirit handle this. Well, I feel better already!
P S I am in no way endorsing Hucabee….that would be illegal; just reporting the facts!