Politics and Religion Collide Over Pamphlets

[47of74]

An Iowa church stepped in it;

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Politics and religion have collided at a Burlington church after a pamphlet encouraging people to vote to remove an Iowa Supreme Court justice surfaced at a Sunday service.

A woman who attended the City Church service on Sept. 30 told the pastor it was illegal for the church to display the pamphlets.

The Internal Revenue Service could revoke a church's nonprofit status for promoting candidates or ballot issues.

The incident has been reported to the IRS, which declined to comment.

Pastor Steve Youngblood says the woman's rebelliousness isn't proper Christian behavior. In a sermon Oct. 7, he acknowledged wanting to slap her.

I hope this church learns the hard way that politics and religion don't mix.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

1. In other words

The pastor behaved improperly, was call on it by one of the congregation, and he finds the woman who pointed out his bad behavior to be at fault, not himself.

Incidentally, she was not being "rebellious", she was calling on him to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's.

[47of74]

2. And I figure he must have quite the male reproductive organs too...

....seeing as how he wanted to slap her.

[TommyCelt]

3. Faith organizations walk a very thin line

...they can print and distribute all the issues-related pamphlets they wish. However, once partisan politics, i.e. - specific candidates or endorsing a political part, are brought into the fray, the organization risks its tax exempt status.

That's why the faith-based soup kitchen at which Congressman Ryan decided to show up unannounced to wet a few pots made such a stink - it could have been seen as an inviotation by the church and therefore an endorsement of the GOP (unless VP Biden was invited to do the same).