Some people believe that politics and the pulpit should never be mixed.
I couldn’t disagree more.
Pastors MUST BE political. If there is any hope for America, Pastors must speak about the politics of morality. The battle cry of the left… and unfortunately, even many on the right, is that we “can’t legislate morality”. The truth is that ALL law has moral implications, and American politicians have been legislating immorality for decades, while Pastors have remained silence.
Father Frank Pavone has some interesting comments on this subject.
I certainly agree with Father Frank, with one exception. To be most effective, Pastors should also endorse candidates and reject those who do not represent the foundational principles of morality.
Is your Pastor political?
***Gordon Howie is a nationally syndicated author, host of Liberty Today TV and CEO of Life and Liberty Media***
“America needs to know the truth, without which, she will surely lose her freedom.”
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Thank you also for allowing us to go beyond rage and fire to some real discussion.
Politics, allow me to address your “bets.” I do support the Affordable Care Act. In fact, outside the abortion issue (which I believe to be its own separate issue and am saddened that it had to be part of the ACA discussion – I wish a large, helpful reform did not have to be vilified for one element required by Constitutional right) you will find clergy are uniformly in favor it providing health care to all the needy as well. Reading the Catholic Bishops position seems to say that they favor the ACA, but do not support the provision of abortion services in the Act. The ACA is a great example of how the minority are able to shout louder than the majority to make it seem like there is more opposition then there really is. So, I don not find it immoral to oppose abortion, I do find it immoral to oppose the rest of the act.
I believe the capitalist/free enterprise system is not immoral as a system. I agree that it was the foundation of the growth and prosperity of the US. However, I also see that unchecked, it has allowed the sin of greed to become a “virtue.” The idea of civic and social responsibility has been set aside for profit, and I do see that as immoral. I see CEO’s making 1000 times what their workers make, while those workers are forced onto public assistance immoral. I see corporate profits booming while there are poor and hungry immoral. I see elements of that system promoting immorality. It is not the system, it is the application taken too far.
I do not think Obama represents morality any more than Mitt Romney or any other candidate represents morality. Both carry issues I agree with; both carry issues I find abhorrent. When Mitt was in Mass, I thought his Romneycare was him doing the right thing for the poor and needy of his state. That compassion changed when he became a national political figure. I bet your voted for Romney?
I guess we both win our bets.
So back to the original theme of the post, would you also agree that there are political issues of morality, in addition to abortion, that should also be preached from the pulpit? I would add income disparity/greed to that list of things the clergy ought to shape voters’ views on from a moral stand point.
What would you also include?
I see where you are going with this.. We have a fundamental difference that I doubt we will resolve. It isn’t the moral responsibility of government to fund large entitlements through taxation. I think the Bible talks about those who won’t work don’t eat. Charity actually belongs to the church, not to government.
thanks for your comments, but I am finished with this discussion. I am very comfortable that I said what I wanted to say in the original post.
I completely disagree with you Mr. Howie. Pastors being political from the pulpit… is precisely why I don’t go to “church.” Pastors seem to forget that the church is not a brick-and-mortar building but a body of Christian believers. The true church doesn’t need pastors in order to exist, which means that pastors can easily be fired by that body. Religious fascists who can’t accept the fact that Jesus wasn’t a political activist and that his kingdom is a spiritual kingdom should be ignored.
Our Father does not keep office hours.
Religious fascists?? You might not know that John 3:16 was the text of comments Jesus made to a religeous/political leader. He also referred to a political leader as an “old fox”… very interesting
If you think the occupation/personal actions of the person Jesus spoke to has some bearing on the meaning of the words He spoke or any importance at all then you must think that when Jesus spoke to Judas that meant we should all betray Him. When He spoke to tax collectors that meant we all should collect taxes. When He spoke to a beggar we should be poor, when He spoke to Joseph of Arimathea we should be rich. He spoke to a religious/political leader.. therefore pastors should be political.
I would suggest paying more attention to the words He spoke and less attention to unimportant trivia.
sorry you are missing the point of the article 🙂
How does a pastor go about endorsing a candidate when parts of that candidates legislative views fall in the parameters of that pastor’s/priest’s/church’s morality and some do not? What if all candidates have elements that are inside and all have some that are outside the moral views of a congregation?
Or is this just code for single issue “vote pro-life” which is in itself code for “vote anti-abortion?”
Pastors are charged with the care of their flocks, and to be spokesmen for God. I think God might be concerned about every aspect of our lives, and that Pastors should be communicating on all of those issues.
That seems reasonable. On face then, pastors should be focused on issues such as corporate greed and stewardship of our resources – both Biblical in reference to their importance..
Mr. Howie’s focus seems to be on candidates: “Pastors should also endorse candidates and reject those who do not represent the foundational principles of morality.” but should pastors also preach that we reject/boycott business and owners – by name – that demonstrate greed and poor stewardship?
See, now you are undermining the one “political” issue a pastor should truly be concerned about, which is the murder of the unborn, by lumping it with every other political issue that a person could possibly ever have a viewpoint on. You have lumped the murder of God’s children with welfare reform, tax cuts, and tort reform. Not good.
not good, you say… I haven’t “lumped” anything. Simply saying Pastors have a moral responsibility to lead their flocks and speak on moral issues.. ALL moral issues, which can NOT be separated from politics.
You very well may argue that abortion is the most important political issue to you. I can even respect that argument. However, it is not the only political issue that has moral implications. I take issue with the politicians (especially when endorsed by the clergy) that get to declare themselves “pro-life” and therefore get a blank slate to continue greed, foreign exploitation and death in war, destruction of human worth and dignity in work, deny the poor health care, allow others to starve – all given the OK because of a “pro-life” stance that almost never leads to a change in legislation.
This country is rotting from the inside because we are giving our political endorsements to politicians who undermine the moral fabric of decency under the protection of a pro-life shield.
Nice try in spinning this article into something other than what it really is saying. I am assuming you support ObamaCare, for instance, and think it is “immoral” to oppose it. I would also guess that you view the capitalist/free enterprise system that made America great as “greedy” and immoral.
I would be willing to bet you voted for Obama, and somehow believe that he represents morality in government. He is a great example of why Pastors must speak on the real moral issues and speak out against/for candidates.