Faith & Politics Not Church & State

Welcome to a discussion of the role religion plays in the course of our elections. I draw your attention back to the Saddleback Church led by Rick Warren (author The Purpose Driven Life) when he hosted the two presidential candidates at his church for a time of questions and answers. It was extremely civil and that was one of the objectives Pastor Warren wanted to achieve with his event. Another objectives was to get some straight answers to some direct faith based questions. I believe he accomplish this objective as well.

However, the debate about President Jefferson's famous words regarding the Establishment Clause remains active today. Since the IRS under the instruction of LBJ introduced policy that would hinder the content of sermons made from the pulpits of America's churches, the involvement of the people of faith in the political process dwindled.

Pioneers such as Jerry Falwell and James Dobson began to give evangelical christians a voice into the political process but it seems to me most clergy are reluctant to enter the cultural war that rages on today's political battleground.

Is it fear of their non profit status and the IRS? Watchdog groups like belief.net that monitor the 'spiritual speak' in the political arena? or could it be an acceptance that if something is said long enough and loud enough eventually it becomes true? Re: separation of church and state

Sad, because in few places other than the political process can a pastor or a christian make their impact felt greater than by entering the rough and tumble world of politics.

After all, what's that scripture about SALT and LIGHT?

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Protestant Clergy Beaten In Iran

Iran: Protestant clergyman tortured for "converting Muslims"



Incidents like these show the brittleness and weakness of the Islamic regime that so intimidates the Western world. Islamic Tolerance Alert from the Islamic Republic of Iran: "Isfahan: Protestant clergyman tortured for 'converting Muslims,'" from AsiaNews, March 10 (thank to C. Cantoni):

Tehran (AsiaNews/Agencies) - A protestant clergyman, Wilson Issavi, has been jailed for "converting Muslims". He has been tortured and threatened with execution. According to the Farsi Christian Network, Issavi's wife, Medline Nazanin, recently visited her husband in prison. She said that he was in poor health and that he bore visible signs of torture.

Rev Issavi (pictured), 65, was arrested on 2 February in Isfahan shortly after he finished a house meeting. He heads the Evangelical Church of Kermanshah in Isfahan, a 50-year-old church body affiliated with The Assemblies of God that caters to the local Assyrian population.

Iranian intelligence officials told his wife that he might be executed for his alleged activities....

According to Compass Direct News, a sweep against Protestant Christians is taking place across Isfahan. On 28 February, Isfahan residents Hamid Shafiee and his wife Reyhaneh Aghajary, both converts from Islam and house church leaders, were arrested at their home. Their fate and whereabouts are still unknown....

Official controls and police bans appear to be motivated by suspicions that Christians are involved in proselytising but also by fear that their meeting might hide activities by opponents of the clerical regime.
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousMarch 17, 2010 at 4:09 PM

    That is so sad but their presence is apparently powerful..

    ReplyDelete

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