Saturday, August 26
A Stupid and Meaningless Phrase
"The Church should stay out of poltiics."
Amy links to Rod Dreher's recent piece on American politics and religion:
Republican delegates felt much warmer toward union leaders, mainline liberals, blacks, Hispanics, and Democrats than toward feminists, environmentalists, and pro-abortion activists. For their part, the Democrats were more favorably disposed to big-business types, the rich, political conservatives and Republicans than toward pro-lifers and conservative Christians. Of the 18 groups covered by the survey, Christian fundamentalists came in as the most despised, with over half the Democratic delegates giving them the absolute minimum score possible.
Often, so often, we hear the phrase "the Church should stay out of politics."
By which they mean: bishops shouldn't criticize the status quo.
But bishops are no more a member of the Church than I am. I don't have a magisterial role, and am happy to pay, pray, and obey, but bishops are no more "the Church" than I am, or any other baptized soul. When you tell "the Church" to "stay out of politics," what you're really saying is that you don't want me to vote or pay taxes.
Which, at least insofar as taxes are concerned, is not what they mean. But as long as I pay taxes and vote, the Church is involved in politics, in my person and by governmental decree. Nor do such secularists have any right to disenfranchize bishops from their own right to vote, pay taxes, and talk about the issues related to voting.
Amy links to Rod Dreher's recent piece on American politics and religion:
Republican delegates felt much warmer toward union leaders, mainline liberals, blacks, Hispanics, and Democrats than toward feminists, environmentalists, and pro-abortion activists. For their part, the Democrats were more favorably disposed to big-business types, the rich, political conservatives and Republicans than toward pro-lifers and conservative Christians. Of the 18 groups covered by the survey, Christian fundamentalists came in as the most despised, with over half the Democratic delegates giving them the absolute minimum score possible.
Often, so often, we hear the phrase "the Church should stay out of politics."
By which they mean: bishops shouldn't criticize the status quo.
But bishops are no more a member of the Church than I am. I don't have a magisterial role, and am happy to pay, pray, and obey, but bishops are no more "the Church" than I am, or any other baptized soul. When you tell "the Church" to "stay out of politics," what you're really saying is that you don't want me to vote or pay taxes.
Which, at least insofar as taxes are concerned, is not what they mean. But as long as I pay taxes and vote, the Church is involved in politics, in my person and by governmental decree. Nor do such secularists have any right to disenfranchize bishops from their own right to vote, pay taxes, and talk about the issues related to voting.
![[SMMMHDH]](http://www.mgilleland.com/music/smmmhdh.png){kind=small}
