| Sep 20, 2006 @ 2:27 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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Bj864
Posts: 3,119
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What do you think?
Should the churches be involved in politics?
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 2:39 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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enigma4
Posts: 212
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The two are interlinked. They can't be entirely separated. Whether it is a Pope making comments about Islam or the mullahs or Iran controlling the show there, it is impossible to completely separate the two.
Lets not just speak about Churches and the Popes recent comments. The religion of Islam has governed and ran the political realm in the Middle East for thousands of years.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 2:56 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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sealacamp
Posts: 3,154
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Bj if you study history you will find that any religion has been the foundation of all governments around the world. It has only been in recent times that the concept of secularism was conceived.
S
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 3:32 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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Bj864
Posts: 3,119
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I think the two should be separate.
I think any church leader that uses the pulpit for political statements should lose their non profit status. For or against makes no difference, they shouldn't use it in that manner, in my opinion.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:07 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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Heaveninawildflower
Posts: 15,360
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BJ, you're obviously only speaking about the USA. And the last I heard, we all have a right to speak our minds here. Now whether churches should be exempt from taxes, that's a whole other issue.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:15 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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lj450
Posts: 8,422
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Its in our constitution, it was a reason for founding our country, and all of the money you spend every day still says......In God we trust.
You tell me.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:18 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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Jankia
Posts: 9,171
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Everyone and every organization should be involved in politics.Its a no brainer for the free.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:22 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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Heaveninawildflower
Posts: 15,360
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Its in our constitution,
LJ, please find 'In God we trust' in our constitution...trust me, it ain't there, nor any other mention of God. That was to guarantee freedom of religion for all, even atheists.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:25 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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uab_5
Posts: 2,371
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I'd never vote for my pastor as a political leader though he is one of my best friends. 
Like oil and water. Frankly, I also don't think Pastor Tom  would want the job anyway.
Pat Robertson's run for president was a farce. I'm glad his 700 Club shares a waterfront with PETA in Virginia Beach. It saves me time when looking for clowns to mock to have both in the same place. 
Despite my conversion to Christianity, I still get peeved at the fool Alabama politicos that want to legislate "praya in skew". 
The gooberment should keeps its paws of our souls, and the churches should not take their paws off ours once invited to do so.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:30 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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It always has been but there is no official connection. I think our nations founders were looking at the church of England as an example of what not to do.
I'm uncomfortable about churches actively campaigning for candidates and I don't like candidates using churches as a place for speeches and photo ops.
A separation of church and state does not equal a separation of church from state.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:36 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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enigma4
Posts: 212
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This drives me nuts about you Bj. What about the mosques or mullahs in Iran that dominate the political scene? Why are you only focusing on churches/christianity?
The real radical religious zealots exist in the middle east.
Actually, Seperation of Church and State exists in the Bill of rights which are amendments to the Constitution.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:40 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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lj450
Posts: 8,422
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My apologies wildflower.....I should have said.....in the United States Declaration of Independence.......which was written by the founding fathers a full 11 yrs prior to the constitution.
"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:52 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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uab_5
Posts: 2,371
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We can only fix our own problems, not others.
I was in Iran when it violently transitted from a kingdom to a theocracy.
Neither was no good, IMHO but it's their problem.
If this is gonna turn into another Dubya vs. Dr. Ahmadinejad debate, I just wish Idiots George and Mahmoud would shut the hell up so everyone can just get along in peace.
Dr. Ahmadinejad wants to turn everything Mk.2 says into a Islam vs. Crusader campaign, and Bubba wants to turn everything Mahmoud says into a Jedi vs. Sith war.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 4:54 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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But Star wars was cool.
BTW I coundn't agree more about Pat Robertson running for president. Not that he doesn't have a right, he just wouldn't get my vote.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 5:01 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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graceful50
Posts: 169
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My belief is they are to let the politicians run the country and they can vote and pray for them. Also many of our politicians have had a religious background and some of that will possibly follow them into office irregardless. That is what makes us part of our person. And how you speak out is by voting. There is not a thing wrong with ANY religion stating their disagreements on certain issues, but it should not be the only determining factor. It just gets me the only one that is really mentioned or complained about is the Christian religion, why is that?
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 5:07 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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lj450
Posts: 8,422
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When was the last Bhudist President of the US......or Muslim......of course they are gonna pick apart Christianity.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 5:23 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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everrett
Posts: 448
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There is no place, and I mean no place for religion to directly influence politics. If anyone ever feels uncertain about that just remember that Jesus said "render unto Ceasar that which is Ceasar's and unto God that which is God's." People follow the rules of God out of faith and love. They should never follow those rules because a government official, with a gun tells him to.
As for what others do, in other countries, all the US should do is lead by example. If other countries choose to live in religious states, we have no right to second guess their decisions.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 5:40 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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Jankia
Posts: 9,171
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In a free country like I said,all should be involved in politics.Why is it that there isnt seperation between other organizations except church and state.Communists and Nazis are not banned from politics.
This question isnt about forcing religion with a gun in our free country,its about churches or church leaders being active in our democracy.
You dont like a church leaders plan,stand for the alternative plan or do nothing.I dont think religious people or organizations should have to take the back seat to any other in a democracy.
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 5:46 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics?
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spongebob777
Posts: 7,904
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Why not a separation of art and state? Plenty of "artists" do intentionally offensive or political things while getting taxpayer funding and taxpayer funded places to display their "art".
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| Sep 20, 2006 @ 5:55 PM |
Should the churches or church leaders be involved in politics? |
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Jankia
Posts: 9,171
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Good question Sponge.
I'm a Christain,but I also dont agree with tax exempt status for churches.If you live in or operate anything in our country,you pay taxes to do just that.
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