Faith & Freedom Under Fire

Commentary by:

TPATH Contributor

RoseAnn Salanitri

April 4, 2015 ~TPATH~ The assaults against the Judeo/Christian faith in the United States have been increasing at an alarming rate in nearly all aspects of our daily lives.  The decline has been championed by social liberals who have used laws that were meant to protect our liberty of conscience as weapons against the moral majority.  These attacks span the realms of education, where our children are eroticized and indoctrinated; in government, where coercion hides behind the labels of hate speech and tolerance; in our professional lives, where businesses are coerced into participating in practices that insult their belief systems; and in the world of entertainment, where somehow what is immoral is portrayed as normal and acceptable. When considering that a mere decade ago, George W. Bush won his presidential bid primarily due to his campaign promise to pass a federal Defense of Marriage Act, the decline is more than astounding.  

This begs an answer to the question:  how did the country digress to such levels in such a short period of time? The answer is obvious to many but not to all.  The church, which always stood in the gap regarding morality, has been silent but its militant opponents have not.  To be sure, there are many criticisms that are valid regarding the impotence of today’s church but perhaps the most effective muzzle has been the 1954 Johnson Amendment. This Amendment that was tacked onto IRS legislation by then Senator Lyndon B. Johnson effectively placed a gag order on the church’s political voice by creating an IRS 501(c)3 restriction prohibiting the political speech of non-profit corporations. The repercussions of this amendment have manifested themselves in a culture that is more concerned with political correctness than biblical morality. As a result, churches in America have failed their congregants by not loving them enough to tell them the truth. They have also failed God in respecting the laws of man above the laws of God – making the church subservient to the state.

Consequently, the church that becomes an individual once it is created by the incorporation of the 501(c)3 must submit the church’s sovereignty (and voice) to the state, through required compliance with state and federal laws. This holds true in every state except Virginia that in 1802 prohibited the incorporation of churches, believing it to be a violation of the First Amendment.  It is highly unlikely that the American churches have thought through the conundrum they have created by pledging allegiance to both God and the government.  It is common practice to file for non-profit status when organizing a church.  In so doing, the churches have agreed to become a second class citizen that has forfeited its First Amendment rights in exchange for a tax-exempt status.  The irony is more astounding when considering the fact that prior to applying for a tax-exempt status, all churches enjoyed tax free statuses. 

The most recent manifestation of the compromised church is evident in Indiana where Gov. Mike Pence found himself smack dab in the middle of the intolerant left when he signed Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Pence and the Indiana legislators believed this would protect the religious liberties in the state the same as the national Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) protects against the federal government from imposing burdens on the exercise of religion.  

Last year the need for such legislation became evident when a florist in the state of Washington and bakers in Arizona and Colorado faced legal challenges arising from their refusal to service same sex marriages based on their religious convictions.  These cases resulted in the closing down of their businesses.  Indiana’s legislation, along with other states, attempted to circumvent this problem by passing RFRA legislation.  Pence asked on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulous, “…is tolerance a two-way street or not?”  The answer to this question is a loud and reverberating NO! 

Another good example of how the liberals are flexing their (im)moral muscles occurred last November when lesbian Mayor Annise Parker of Houston had her city council issue subpoenas to five area pastors.  The subpoenas demanded 17 forms of communication in retaliation of the Mayor receiving 30,000 petitions to put her special rights ordinance on the ballot.  The militant move backfired and resulted in the Family Research Council launching an explosive I Stand Sunday where the pastors were supported by over 7,000 at the event’s location.  Multitudes more attended through simulcasts throughout the nation.  Dr. Ronnie Floyd, President of the Southern Baptist Convention was one of the speakers.  Dr. Floyd stated:    

Read more at TPath.org:

http://www.tpath.org/faith—freedom-under-fire.html