Most Pastors Don't Want IRS Regulating Sermons on Politics
Amid ongoing debate over whether pastors should be allowed to preach on political candidates and issues, a new survey reveals that most pastors do not want the government regulating their sermons.
Seventy-nine percent of surveyed Protestant pastors said they strongly disagree with the statement: "The government should regulate sermons by revoking a church's tax exemption if its pastor approves of or criticizes candidates based on the church's moral beliefs or theology."
Another seven percent "somewhat" disagreed, according to the survey, which was sponsored by the Alliance Defense Fund and conducted by LifeWay Research.
Only 10 percent of the pastors agreed with the statement....
Michael Hranek wrote: ... and as Lurker noted well Eagles (or it might be translated vultures) are unclean birds in Lev and Deut. ...
In my humble view...Yall are taking the full attributes of the type further than intended of the author. When Jesus says he's coming as a thief in the night it does not mean he is a thief, it mean there is an attribute of the thief (speed) in which Jesus is equating to His return. We are not to take the full attributes of the thief and then conclude that Jesus is a thief. Further, God is referred to as the Lion of Judah. A lion is an unclean animal but this is not the point of the title. Thus, in reference to the eagles and the church, I encourage we take the attributes intended in the passage and apply them to the church but limit it to that.
John UK wrote: The Body referred to is Christ's Body, and the Eagles are Christians who feed upon that Body By Faith.
John UK Lurker
Brother John, I tend to disagree with you on this BECAUSE in the context of Matthew 24:24-28 Jesus is teaching and warning of false Messiahs and false prophets telling us clearly He is not out in the desert and He is not in the secret chambers (BUT He is coming and will come in great Power and Glory) and as Lurker noted well Eagles (or it might be translated vultures) are unclean birds in Lev and Deut.
So I would tend to think a carcase is exactly that a dead body, and we might view an apostate (quote) church as very much a dead corpse and eagles (or vultures) are those who gorge themselves on their dead flesh (false teachings, meetings, concerts, celebrations, etc.) gathering to do so.
Something we see all too often in modern day apostate seeker sensitive purpose driven entertaining ecuamenical and in adulterous spiritual union with governement and the world, churches of Sardis and Laodicea, and espcially in the Roman Catholic FALSE Church.
jj33 wrote: PLEASE HEAR THESE WORDS! A Church does not need to become a 501c3 to be tax exempt. By becoming a 501c3 one becomes a creature of the state, and should therefore obey the regulations it agreed to per Romans 13. Wake up to this! Getting a 501c3 is largely a human tradition being passed on in ignorance of the law. It is a wicked practice and needs to stop.
AMEN!!
Jim take no handouts from the czar. Otherwise you'll need a permit to hold biblestudies, with their politically correct cleansed bible. And they'll tell you what you must do in church. Give to czar all it is due, but take nothing from it. The church is Gods to look after.
Lurker wrote: John, Do a bit of research on this text, bro. God named the eagle an abomination (Lev 11:13) and unclean (Deut 14:11-20) so I doubt He would use it as a figure of Christ's bride.
Mornin Lurker
Yes I have researched this expression quite a bit over the years, and am convinced. Here's MH's take on it:
"The kingdom of the Messiah is not to have one particular place for its metropolis, such as Jerusalem was to the Jewish church, to which all Jews were to resort; but, wherever the body is, wherever the gospel is preached and ordinances are ministered, thither will pious souls resort, there they will find Christ, and by faith feast upon him. Wherever Christ records his name he will meet his people, and bless them, John 4:21, etc.; 1 Tim 2:8. Many good interpreters understand it of the gathering of the saints together to Christ in the kingdom of glory: “Ask not where the carcase will be, and how they shall find the way to it, for they shall be under infallible direction; to him who is their living, quickening Head, and the centre of their unity, to him shall the gathering of the people be.”
John UK wrote: Jim I reckon Dabney got it really wrong, taking a verse out of its context and using it to support his argument. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. Luke 17:37 KJV The Body referred to is Christ's Body, and the Eagles are Christians who feed upon that Body By Faith.
John,
Do a bit of research on this text, bro. God named the eagle an abomination (Lev 11:13) and unclean (Deut 14:11-20) so I doubt He would use it as a figure of Christ's bride.
Jim I reckon Dabney got it really wrong, taking a verse out of its context and using it to support his argument.
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together. Luke 17:37 KJV
The Body referred to is Christ's Body, and the Eagles are Christians who feed upon that Body By Faith.
R. L. Dabney wrote: The laws of the empire in the Middle Ages imposed no limitations upon bequests; thus, most naturally, monasteries, cathedrals, chapters, and archbishoprics became inordinately rich. At the Reformation they had grasped one-third of the property of Europe. But Scripture saith, Where the carcass is, thither the eagles are gathered together. Wealth is power, and ambitious men crave it. Thus this endowed hierarchy came to be filled by the men of the greediest ambition in Europe, instead of by humble, self-denying pastors; and thus it was that this tremendous money power, arming itself first with a spiritual despotism of the popish theology over consciences, and then allying itself with political power, wielded the whole to enforce the absolute domination of that religion which gave them their wealth. No wonder human liberty, free thought, and the Bible were together trampled out of Europe.
Rufus wrote: The church does not need to yoke up with the state to become tax exempt as the church is non taxable to begin with. Incorporating and becoming 501c3 places churches under the authority of the state.
PLEASE HEAR THESE WORDS!
A Church does not need to become a 501c3 to be tax exempt.
By becoming a 501c3 one becomes a creature of the state, and should therefore obey the regulations it agreed to per Romans 13.
Wake up to this! Getting a 501c3 is largely a human tradition being passed on in ignorance of the law.
jpw wrote: politics used to be called application of the Word. ...
Amen and amen to your whole post.
More political thoughts... "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder:..." - Isaiah 9:6
As to the article:
"The government should regulate sermons by revoking a church's tax exemption if its pastor approves of or criticizes candidates based on the church's moral beliefs or theology."
The church does not need to yoke up with the state to become tax exempt as the church is non taxable to begin with. Incorporating and becoming 501c3 places churches under the authority of the state. Unincorporate, pitch the 501c3 trash and then preach the gospel and the whole counsel of God (which includes all sorts of political elements)!
politics used to be called application of the Word.
I cannot read the NT and see anything but politics. Christ and then his disciples taught things that were contrary to mainstream culture of the time.
anything that is worthy of discussion, worthy of prayer and discernment will be playing itself out in the public arena, which is what politics is.
Sorry, but you cannot remain silent on politics and have anything left to say. Abortion---is political. Family Planning-----political. Medical choices------political. Views on Isreal and international wars---political.
This HPV thing, that was political. I wonder how many pastors warned their congregations in Texas, when it was made mandatory by the governor, that little girls were dying from this. Many, many knew of this, many were discussing it, would a family be warned of such things on Sunday by their church family? NO.
Because many want the church family to remain silent.
the church corporation who has agreed not to make any statements against public policy has unfortunately signed up to remain silent on the application of God's word.
If ministers preach and teach the Bible consistently, the congregation will learn to discriminate for themselves.
The congregation should regulate sermons by revoking a pastor if its pastor approves of or criticizes candidates based on the church's moral beliefs or theology.
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