Focused Thinking
There has been much written about the current investigation of six prominent Christian ministers by Senator Grassley of Iowa. While many sites, including preachers’ sites, have focused on the theological doctrines of the ministers, I am writing on some of the legal aspects of the investigation on our law site. Frankly, the issue that should concern believers is not the ministers’ theology, but the nature of the investigation and governmental intrusion into religious organizations. Here at The Real Faith, we’ll just focus on the Word.
Peter,
The law site was impressive!
To be honest, I have problems with the megastars of the Holywood scene. The extravagance, the conspicuous consumption, the terrible example set for the body have caused me to gag ever since coming into the kingdom. I avoid Christian TV, and have generally suggested the same for those I pastor. I think an inane, secular sitcom would be less harmful to their spiritual health!
That aside, Senator Grassley ought to get the treatment Senator Goldwater once suggested for Jerry Fallwell. If there is anything I can stomach less than the aforesaid religious charlatans, it’s grandstanding politicians. Wouldn’t it be fun to have protest march on Washington, where we all took a bar of soap and painted our protestations all over their glass houses.
Seriously, do we want the IRS or any other regulatory agency determing what are reasonable or customary expenses for a ministry; or even in determining whether or not such expenses effect the not-for-profit stance of the organization. Uncle Sam gets to tax the ministers involved, why would the government want to interject itself into the decisions a religious entity makes?
slw,
Thanks for comment (and compliment on the law site).
When it comes to religious freedoms, at least from what we’ve seen on the net, Christians myopically center on the substance of belief. What they don’t see is if they protect the religious rogue’s right to preach and pray, they are also protecting their own.
This is my take on the real issue with this investigation:
Whoever makes and enforces the governing rules for the Church is the final authority of that Church. When the Government starts enforcing their subjective judgments over Church finances, then they become the final authority in the Church and as such have established a Government religion under which all faiths must confirm. This is unconstitutional, not to mention immoral.
Peter,
How do I find your law site? David
David, our law site is smythelawfirm.com. Thanks for asking.