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Hypocrisy, thy name is religion.

It's hard to fathom the kind of mind-bending hypocrisy it takes for a "follower of Christ" to be an advocate for a war as immoral as that being waged in Iraq, but the history of christianity is rife with examples of actions that I believe would make Christ weep.

Nevertheless, I find it fascinating that as soon as there is a story of IRS harassment of a church in which the pastor delivered an anti-war sermon, there is an immediate expression of outrage and support for the pastor by the National Association of Evangelicals.

I would think that this organization -- consisting primarily of bedrock Bush backers and Iraq war supporters -- would applaud the use of a governmental agency to silence anti-war traitors.

But their concern certainly isn't one of freedom of speech, but more likely freedom of commerce. The tax exemptions for religious churches and organizations are held more sacred by many religious than any words of Christ advocating love, peace and tolerance.

As for churches becoming involved in politics, ostensibly the reason for the IRS "investigations", it seems that during every election year we hear about the so called "voter guides" passed out in conservative churches by the millions.

While I'm sure that no overt candidate support is ever given to the faithful occupying the pews by their ministers, the mere hint that the IRS would question an institution's tax-exempt status must scare the bejeesus out of our godly servants of Christ.

Best to nip this development in the bud. After all, it doesn't look like Bush's promise to return this nation to God is really going anywhere. What if, God forbid, the soulless Democrats get back into power. Why they could use the IRS for their own evil purposes and challenge the tax-exempt status of a great many churches and faith-based organizations!

So while politics can certainly make strange bedfellows, it seems that the potential loss of revenue to evil taxation can bring all God's chosen spokesmen together.

posted by mauiloa @ 10:56 AM