Westboro Baptist Church Coming to Virginia Tech

[epchick]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

In fact, when I was looking at churches to join two years ago, I made sure I joined one that did not preach politics from the pulpit.

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

My church is really good about not doing that, even if you are to ask one of the pastors, like out of the church environment, what their belief is regarding politics they usually just kinda beat around the bush w/o really fully addressing it.

The only time I really didn't like what my church did was years back when one of members of the church (not the pastor) was giving announcements and then stopped 1/2 way through to say "let's stop and pray for the homosexuals" and blah blah. I got real uncomfortable and ended up just walking out until he was done.

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by epchick

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

No, that's not against the law.

Not secular law, anyway.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by epchick

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

Politics is not just Republicans and Democrats. I think TP is talking about other "political" issues (like abortion & homosexuality) that are regarded by many churches to be religious issues.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Politics is not just Republicans and Democrats. I think TP is talking about other "political" issues (like abortion & homosexuality) that are regarded by many churches to be religious issues.

You are correct. My church's leaders dont go on about alcohol/smoking bans either.

In fact, a few years back there was a big deal downtown regarding giving benefits to gays/including them in affirmative action, something like that. It caused a major uproar in the city. Gays protested many of the local Baptist and Pentecostal churches here, my church being one of them. Camera crews were dispatched to every location to make sure if there was a fight it was caught on video for the evening news. Anywho, our pastor told everyone that when we go outside to leave church we would encounter these protesters. He said the best thing to do was to smile and to ignore what they were saying and not put fuel on the fire. So amazingly, that's what people did, and the protesters and camera crews left.

To address someone's comment about churches not preaching politics from the pulpit. Sadly some do. There is one Baptist church in particular down the road from me that does. They are what I would consider "militant." Their pastor did headstands on buildings downtown and the top of his church when all of the above hoopla was going on in protest of gay rights. They still have the old fashioned tent revivals too. Knowing that pastor and that church, I didnt consider it as an option for membership.

[deepimpact2]

Originally Posted by epchick

I hope none of the churches you've attended or looked act actually did that, since isn't that against the law?

Why would that be against the law?

And why are people characterizing homosexuality as a political issue? VOTING on the issue of gay marriage is a political issue, but generic homosexuality isn't.

As for this church organization, I don't agree with their tactics, I don't agree with their choice of words. I disagree with homosexuality for religious reasons, but I think there are other ways to express that viewpoint. But what annoys me is that the general public likes to use people like this as an example of "what is wrong" with Christianity and the church. These people are a SMALL part of the Christian community.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

Why would that be against the law?

I think there's some confusion around this. It's not a church-state thing. It's a tax thing.

Churches are exempt from having to pay taxes. As a condition of that tax exemption, they cannot engage in political activity. But contrary to what is sometimes heard, that doesn't mean politics can't be mentioned in the pulpit. In this context it means that churches cannot engage in partisan campaign activity -- they cannot "participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office." (Section 501(c)(3)).

So, a church can say "get out and vote." A church can educate voters about the issues. A church can even say "vote pro-life" or "vote for gay marriage." But a church cannot say "vote for candidate X" or "vote Democratic/Republican" without endangering its tax exempt status.

[tri deezy]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I think there's some confusion around this. It's not a church-state thing. It's a tax thing.

Churches are exempt from having to pay taxes. As a condition of that tax exemption, they cannot engage in political activity. But contrary to what is sometimes heard, that doesn't mean politics can't be mentioned in the pulpit. In this context it means that churches cannot engage in partisan campaign activity -- they cannot "participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office." (Section 501(c)(3)).

So, a church can say "get out and vote." A church can educate voters about the issues. A church can even say "vote pro-life" or "vote for gay marriage." But a church cannot say "vote for candidate X" or "vote Democratic/Republican" without endangering its tax exempt status.

Beat me to it! I remember hearing a lot about this during the 2004 election.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by deepimpact2

Why would that be against the law?

And why are people characterizing homosexuality as a political issue? VOTING on the issue of gay marriage is a political issue, but generic homosexuality isn't.

As for this church organization, I don't agree with their tactics, I don't agree with their choice of words. I disagree with homosexuality for religious reasons, but I think there are other ways to express that viewpoint. But what annoys me is that the general public likes to use people like this as an example of "what is wrong" with Christianity and the church. These people are a SMALL part of the Christian community.

I don't count myself as Christian because since I don't practice any religion I don't think I should associate with one, but I was raised in the church (Methodist). My parents grew up as Southern Baptists, but as far as I can tell, their church was very conservative, but not to the point of being extremist, and my parents themselves are fairly liberal even for Methodists. They do believe that homosexuality is wrong, but my mom explains it this way-they believe that the act contradicts God's law, but that Jesus said to love everyone, so under no circumstances should someone be persecuted for being gay. They are pro-life, but are very much against the vilification of women who choose to (or have to have) an abortion. It's frustrating for her to have to justify her beliefs because people assume that she hates gay people, thinks women who have abortions are bad people, or that people who aren't Christian are automatically going to hell. Every religion has their extremists and they are not representative of the majority of the practitioners. Most Christians believe these WBC people stand for everything Jesus was against just like most Muslims don't agree with suicide bombing. Extremists ruin the reputation of religion in general.