I had to introduce this week’s guest post writer. If any of you are my friend or subscribed to my Facebook page you know one of my most vocal and frequent commenters is Chib Uwalaka. He wanted to write a guest post for FATC about how people can’t seem to understand that there is a separation between church and government. After this election it can be seen that people really don’t know this by any means.
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to go to an after work happy hour at a spot close to the job. So we’re sitting there having the usual banter with the guys about who some of the bad chicks are at work and other low down dealings that might be going on in the typical office. Who recently got fired. Who’s really acts the most different outside of work. Why the girls in payroll are so loud when they openly discuss who stunk up the womens bathroom (Yes, this happens). Well anyways, my homeboy Mo from IT told me “Say now Chib, this the first time you been out with us, I think you due up for a pickle juice and patron shot – its tradition.” Now I’m pretty much an avid dranker and Ive had all kinds of different concoctions to drink (I’ve been to college… A predominantly white one… So trust me on this one) but ‘PAT’-‘RON’ (As I like to call it) and pickle juice aint nahn one of em!
So, wanting to be a team player, I decide to entertain this new concoction. I took the patron shot and chased that bad boy with the pickle juice. Man… it was the most amazing thing I’ve ever had. No after taste whatsoever. You don’t even realize what you just drank. It went down smooth and after 3-4 of them I was in my zone. It’s fair to say that the crazy mixture of the two actually turned out to be pretty good and is something Id try again! Some things go well together, even if they sound like an odd pairing and some things don’t. One of those things that don’t, is my pastor telling me who I should vote for.
Disclaimer: I haven’t consistently been to church in about 9 years, so I technically don’t have a ‘pastor’. I was raised Catholic and went to Private catholic schools until I graduated college. I went to church twice a week – once during the week and once on Sundays. So at 18 when I was old enough to leave to crib, I told my moms I had gone to enough church to last me until I was 36. (Don’t Judge me! L)
I was reading this article about a group of pastors, 1000 of them, that plan to openly defy the IRS by telling their congregation’s on to vote for a particular presidential candidate. They called the event ‘Pulpit Freedom Sunday’. You see, there’s an IRS law that prohibits tax-exempt charities and churches from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate. What this group wants is to openly challenge this amendment so they can go to court and have it ruled unconstitutional. Their ‘schtick’ is that its freedom of speech and they shouldn’t be told what they can/can’t say.
The people pushing for this are mostly Evangelical groups who, in my opinion, wanted to big up Romney and tell their people who Obama is the devil incarnate. But to keep it 100, this happens in ‘black’ churches too! From my experience, many churches get themselves involved politically either by preaching to their congregation for one candidate or against another. To me I feel this is completely wrong and is a crock of shit! What happened to separation of church and state? When/If I go to church, I don’t want the pastor telling me why Barack Obama is the second coming of Jesus Christ and I don’t want them talking about how Romney is the white devil with that insincere smile and batty eye thing he always does. Or vice versa. Well… Unless its Rev Al Sharpton. He gets a pass cause we all know he aint got no church!
The IRS has taken lax measures to enforce this. These churches should be getting their tax exemption status revoked, but instead they slap these churches on the wrist by send letters basically telling churches that they’ve crossed the line, but don’t do anything. The Romney Campaign even resorted to 
passing out fake signs at a church rally earlier this year.
So basically, churches are just doing their thing willy nilly and not caring about what the law says and that’s violating to me. One of the managers at my job (who is black) didn’t think there was anything wrong with it, but I digress. I don’t think people would be ok with their bosses endorsing Mitt Romney and then talking about it with you especially if you support Obama. It’s a conflict of interest. Then why don’t people decry when their pastors sit at the pulpit and say “We need to support Brother Obama because he is trying to pass laws that help all citizens. We need to vote for him because he this and this and that and that…” *Cue the organ piano* I understand the magnitude of this election and what it’s going to mean for the poor and the middle class; however, I feel like the church is supposed to be a support system for people, not the locomotive that decides or influences our political process.
How do y’all feel about churches being able to tell you, or should I say “support” or “denounce” a particular candidate. My question is: What if my pastor endorses a particular candidate and wants us to support him, we pray on it and he doesn’t win? Does that mean I have a bad pastor? Can I switch churches if my pastor didn’t pick the right guy? What if I don’t agree with my pastor or my whole church in general and they judge me? (Not that they probably aren’t doing that in the first place) But again, not everything goes as well together as pickle juice and Patron. Can the church say, “Amen”?
Im a 26 year old brotha living in ATL but STL made me. With a passion for Sports, Politics, Entertainment and 3 6 Mafia hooks. Just tryna be heard! Follow me facebook: Chib Tha King Uwalaka or follow me on Instagram: C2TRILL
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Good thoughts. Speaking as a clergyman, I can say that many times folk overstep their bounds from the pulpit in either direction. Jesus Christ was a supporter & promoter of NO political party.
That said, I say as my father says: “Let Church separate from State, but let not the State separate from God!” We – of the cloth – should not be shrouded in politricks. Rather we should be defined by the Gospel. And the Gospel confronts BOTH parties and both of their agendas.
This country was built by religious zealots and Putitans so u think there could ever be a seperation of Church and state
Yes, I definitely agree. The church shouldn’t get involved in politics in this way whatsoever.
The Church should not be involved in telling people who to vote for. While there is nothing wrong with preachers encouraging people to vote and explaining the history of voting rights being denied to black people and women, preachers should not tell members of their flock who to vote for. They should not try to tell members of their congregation, even in camouflaged ways, who to vote for.
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Hmm it seems like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any helpful hints for newbie blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.