Some Ministers Talk Politics While Others Remain As Mute As Politicians On Issues: Why?
One theory is that evangelicals preach politics from the pulpit while Catholic bishops forbid it. Another is that both categories don’t want their diminishing numbers get up and leave too.
Which is it in your world? What do your friends say about political engagement in chatting before or after church? Is everyone muted? Is it wise for the minister to appear neutral or unfair to the people not to engage safe environments?
I do not know, but here’s what I do know from my experience since 2015. It is worse today. It wasn’t just Covid that isolated friends and families. It wasn’t just orders from the big wheels in churches that kept ministers quiet.
The little discussed answer when I talked with friends was that they had heard too much from Trump supporters who sat near them in church. Not knowing who to breathe a word to—they opted for silence to be anonymous. Some moved to different pews in the back to observe.if they didn’t like what they saw, they watched livestream church.
When people began returning to churches in person, there was stress for non-Trump supporters though they put on a pretty good show. They looked around and recognized some Trump supporters from social media posts. Stress. What were they to do walking out to the car if politics entered the chat? Scury. On the surface it appeared everyone was in a hurry to get away. Beneath you could almost hear sighs of relief once the car door shut, the occupants were safe.
That’s why we feel unsettled, discouraged, and suspicious of friends and neighbors. It’s easier if they sport a Confederate flag or a Trump number sticker on their vehicles. It’s harder when they are oh so silent as they listen for signs you’re an anti-Trumper. It’s more difficult when you’re stuck in a room having coffee and donuts.
I never thought any of these maneuvers would happen in my town. But I was wrong. Totally wrong. We are living in an Orwellian America 2024. The best thing to do is smile and mind your p’s and q’s. In essence that is probably why ministers are silent in all this mess. It also is the validation of pure cowardice and why Trumpians take up all the oxygen on mainstream media. Silence is deadly.
Be mindful, observe and listen to conversations in public. However the big “TELL” will be the speaker’s body language every time. Observe even reporters on mainstream media who are reporting Trump lawsuits while omitting Biden’s successes. Facial expressions do not lie. This applies to ministers as well.
It’s time for the Democratic Party, Independents, and non-extreme right Republicans to stiffen their spines and open their eyes. History will be on your side if you save Democracy by voting this year for anyone not Trump. Make the crossover even if you’re not fond of Biden. He will not be playing with spies and dictators in other countries like his predecessor. Biden cares about the American dream and the People who have made America great. It’s not politicians.
Your family history will forever be tied to whether you have guts enough to stand up and be counted. All of our military who’ve lost their lives in war after war will judge you as cowards for not standing against Trump who encouraged the January 6th violence and refused to concede the 2020 election.
Sometimes to make a tree healthy, you must prune it severely. Then it regrows properly with care. American is that sick tree in need of pruning and tough love. It will only flourish if the extreme Republican-Trump-Cult is pruned to the ground and its roots put into the cauldron of right-wing insanity. It will take stiff spines and guts, but Americans have always been victorious in struggles to keep Demicracy.
The article below is a good background read on this subject. The link may be paywalled as I found my way to this article from a gifted link to a similar article in The Atlantic.
Where Did Evangelicals Go Wrong?
Jesus told us to love our enemies. And yet so many have embraced hostile politics in the name of Christianity.
By Peter Wehner
The Atlantic
March 3, 2024
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/03/evangelical-support-republican-trump/677610/
For churches to retain a tax-exempt status, there are restrictions on their activities. Apparently some churches love to push the envelope on what is considered lobbying. IMO they should lose their tax-exempt status.
Restrictions on lobbying and political campaigns
One key stipulation for churches with 501c3 status is the strict restriction placed on political campaigning and lobbying. Churches are strictly limited in how they can participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office. While churches can engage in some lobbying activities, it must not constitute a substantial part of their overall activities, or they risk losing their tax-exempt status.