Copy of my Letter to the Editor:
The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and Christianity Today
RE: Pulpit Freedom Sunday
"Participating pastors will exercise First Amendment right to speak on positions of electoral candidates Sept. 28"
Not to worry! I’ve enjoyed and endured weekly pastoral admonitions for more than 60 years. Trust me—the “pulpit initiative” by the Alliance Defense Fund is not going to make a dent.
Our nation’s pew warmers have fine-tuned the art of smiling and pseudo-listening to their Sunday clergy—but by Monday it’s business as usual. The Bible says you should tithe your income. Few do. Avoid pre-marital sex. Not! Marriage is a life-long commitment. Oops.
So when and if our bolder preachers wave the flag from the pulpit for John McCain or Barack Obama—it won’t make any difference. The people in the pew have perfected their own pick-and-choose gospel. Religious leaders delude themselves when they believe that sermonizing changes behavior. People of faith change their behavior when they hear from God—and God, thankfully, is not a registered Republican or Democrat.
As a Christian, I appreciate good preaching and thoughtful counsel from my pastors. I also appreciate the Alliance Defense Fund. But pastors who patronize their congregations with political side-choosing minimize their impact from the pulpit.
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