Reply #30: No ---

[defendandprotect]

Organized patriarchial religions try to present themselves as MORAL --- however, the very
idea of a superior gender is IMMORAL.

The Vatican's history of hiding sexual abuse by their priest pedophiles over decades is IMMORAL.
And they not only hid it from authorities and the families who were harmed, they hid the costs
of keeping this silence from church members who were paying the hush money and the insurance costs.


What I am saying is that if you wish churches to address social issues, you can not restrict what issues are addressed and where the churches come down on them. If we want the Martin Luther Kings and Daniel Berrigans, we have to tolerate the Jerry Falwells and Rev. Phelps. Try to use the tax code to silence one and you may silence all. The worse possibility is that whoever is in charge of the government may choose to selectively silence preachers.

Churches certainly can address poverty, hunger, etal -- and they have traditionally used these issues to raise money for the church, itself. Remember "Catholic Charities". . . ??

They can also address civil rights . . .
but traditionally, they have not ---
except of course in "black" churches ---

Global Warming . . .
In order for a Christian church to properly address Global Warming they will have to dismantle "Manifest Destiny" and "Man's Dominion Over Nature" which are simply licenses for the
elite to exploit nature, natural resources, animal-life --- and even other human beings according to various myths of inferiority.

As for "war and peace" --- that has been addressed very tentatively ---
save for Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr --- and he was assassinated, much as the peace-making JFK was.

Jerry Falwell, of course, was anti-homosexual --- much as Phelps ---
but I hope that one day we will say that no one can preach intolerance and hatred for any GROUP
of people --- even from a church pulpit. It has been this teaching and preaching of intolerance for homosexuals which has spread intolerance for homosexuals --- and moved others to commit violence against them.