Topic: Separation of Church and State

AU urges IRS action against churches preaching politics from the pulpit

September 29, 2008 |

Church-State watchdog group criticizes religious right lawyers for luring congregations into intentional violation of federal tax law

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today filed complaints with the Internal Revenue Service about six churches whose pastors endorsed candidates from the pulpit during a mass defiance of federal tax law last Sunday.

The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a Religious Right legal group in Scottsdale, Ariz., urged pastors to defy federal tax law by endorsing or opposing candidates during a so-called “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” Sept. 28. Under the IRS Code, churches and other 501(c)(3) tax-exempt groups may not intervene in elections.

“These pastors flagrantly violated the law and now must deal with the consequences. This is one of the most appalling Religious Right gambits I’ve ever seen. Church leaders are supposed to tend to Americans’ spiritual needs, not behave like partisan political hacks. I urge the IRS to act swiftly in these cases.” ~~ Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.

Lynn also scored the ministers who took part in the ADF gambit. «Read the rest of this article»

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Separation of Church and State applies to the spending of our tax dollars

By Rev. Charles Moreland | August 13, 2008 |

It’s common knowledge that the taxes we pay are necessary to support our military, social services, social security, education, police and fire services, legislative salaries, teacher salaries, and myriad other programs. Our infrastructure, the basic facilities and installations on the continuance and growth of a community depends on and is driven by the taxes we pay. Taxes are essential, and on that, everyone agrees.

Periodically we need to investigate how our taxes are being spent and the organizations that are being supported by our taxes. It is our duty and responsibility to pay our taxes but also our obligation to not just request but demand and expect accountability. It is our duty to demand publication of who receives our taxes, and those religious organizations receiving tax dollars for their ministries must be expected to keep within the laws that guide how tax dollars are expended. «Read the rest of this article»

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AU: school-sponsored prayer not allowed in public schools

By Rev. Charles Moreland | August 3, 2008 |

Prayer is a religious ritual that over 70% of Americans practice daily. Sometimes we express praise; other times we offer up petitions and requests to our Lord. This ritual is an element of every faith in the world.

Today’s thoughts on prayer concentrates on the issue of prayer in public schools, specifically in Florida, and how one organization is moving to remind school officials of how the United States Constitution applies to Florida — and to every state in the Union.

AU challenges school-sponsored prayer in Florida

Attorneys with Americans United have advised a Florida Public School to stop allowing a principal and other staffers to pray with students.

AU, after receiving complaints from community residents, asserts that Principal Mike Rio and several teachers were filmed on videotape praying with students on May 3, 2007, during a National Day of Prayer observance at Virgil Mills Elementary School in Bradenton. AU sent its letter on April 29 so there would be no recurrence of teacher-led prayer during this year’s National Day of Prayer, which was May 1.

«Read the rest of this article»

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Our children need us

By Rev. Charles Moreland | June 3, 2008 |

Reading the daily papers, including USA Today, is one of my daily rituals. The locals inform me of currents events and abbreviated versions of national and international news. My goal of perusing these papers prepares me to intelligently join in discussions among retirees while exercising at the Athletic Club.

I was recently shocked by a headline that read Federal Funding Changes Hit DCS. As I read each paragraph of this story, I got more and upset that our needy children will be tortured emotionally by budget cuts that precipitate the loss of 160 employees of the Department of Children and Youth Services. A budget cut by the federal government, namely the Bush administration, of $73 million dollars in unconscionable.

Governor Bredesen described this financial tragedy as “visible and painful kinds of cuts” and said budget cuts will have to be made in other areas “to keep the case management system intact.”

Our values are distorted: the pressing needs of our children must be given priority. «Read the rest of this article»

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The influence of faith on public policy; where do the candidates stand?

By Rev. Charles Moreland | May 25, 2008 |

In this year with its presidential race, we continually seek information on the views of the candidates. We search for understanding of their positions.

The Iraq War, the environment, education, and taxes. It is also appropriate to look at their views on religion, especially at how it will affect their decisions is elected because religious views do influence political decisions. I still believe that a religious viewpoint is one reason behind America’s invasion of Iraq. A personal understanding of eschotology contributed to the quagmire and the deaths of thousands of our soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens.

Religion is an item discussed by the current crop of candidates on television, radio and in their speeches. We know where they go to church, how they interpret the Bible, what they pray for and other spiritual matters. It’s a major item to manipulate a portion of our religious society called the evangelicals (whom I think should be identified as fundamentalists). «Read the rest of this article»

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Crossing lines between church and state

By Christine Anne Piesyk | April 27, 2008 |

Controversy erupted last week in one South Carolina town over the posting of a politically-based query on the Church’s outdoor sign, a sign usually oriented to the more generic posting of denomination-sponsored events or church services.

Did Pastor Robert Byrd of the Jonesville Church of God step over the line in Jonesville, South Carolina, when he posted the following words outdoors on a church sign for all to see: “Obama, Osama, hmm, are they brothers?” Pastor Byrd maintained it was not intended to be racial or political and claims it was meant to foster thought about having a non-Christian, non-Christ follower, leading the country. Byrd says he doesn’t know if Obama is Muslim or not but wanted to pose the question. Quite frankly, I don’t see what spiritual direction or choice has to do with one’s ability to run the business that is the United States of America. I wasn’t a Romney fan for many reasons, but his Mormon faith was a non-issue. Funny how no one questions religious affiliation to Christian candidates such Mike Huckabee, who is now out of the race too. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion | 1 Comment »

An esteemed pastor’s politics; holding to separation of church and state

By Rev. Charles Moreland | April 27, 2008 |

The Reverend Joel Osteen is highly admired by his colleagues in the ministry. This popular preacher/pastor is a best-selling author as well as the spiritual minister to hundreds upon hundreds of people. In addition to the phenomenal growth and development of this spiritual organization, Pastor Osteen earns respect for his political views. He quietly lives his principles on politics and the church and clergy, and it is policy worth emulating by all churches. His policy on religion and politics is a dignified example.

Though he is concerned about out society, he doesn’t use the pulpit to endorse candidates for political office. Of Senator Clinton, Senator Obama and Senator McCain visited his congregation, they would be introduced but not given the opportunity to speak, and it would the same for any other dignitary or social leader. «Read the rest of this article»

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Iowa court ruling: No tax dollars to be spent on prison rehab rooted in religion

By Rev. Charles Moreland | January 27, 2008 |

The State of Iowa captured the attention of the nation recently with the vigorous political campaigns within their borders.

Day after exhausting day this mid-western state was daily on TV and in the news. It overshadowed and neglected a recent but equally newsworthy event, yet this eclipsed event deserves an equally careful hearing and analysis.

The issue: a judgment by the 8th Circuit Court.

Americans United [for Separation of Church and State] won a lawsuit in federal court challenging the Iowa Corrections Department’s support for Charles Colson’s InnerChange, a prison program that trains inmates in evangelical Christianity.

“Faith-based” initiatives, which propose turning the provision of social services over to religious groups, threaten individual rights and could lead to taxpayer support of religious ministries. In those cases where religious groups want to take tax aid to provide relief, they should first agree to run secular programs and drop all forms of religiously based discrimination from their hiring policies.” – Americans United for Separation of Church and State

This Iowa court rendered a profound, sharp and ringing endorsement on on religion and the use of tax-dollars to support and subsidize the “Inner Change Freedom Initiative” [ICFI] in Iowa prisons. «Read the rest of this article»

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