Quote:We can not discuss politics in the church. The government will shut down any church that talks politics from the pulpit.So in other words no actual oppression or mistreatment and no actual breaches in the separation of church and state . Just whining you don't get your theocracy .
The church can not mandate anything not permissible by the law of the land.
The church can not self govern it's own resources. meaning if the church organization holds property, the church can not decide for it self what it can and can not do with this property. for instance our church down town bough 6 ajecent lots for parking 1 day aweek. these lots all are connected to the church one way r another and are vacant, but the local government will not allow for parking as they changed the zoning to not allow parking where for 35 years parking is allowed. now the membership suffers because they are forced to park on the street and sometimes walk miles.
The church can not refuse people if they deem them unfit for a program.
example we have a benevolence program that gives out between 25 and 100 lbs of food. the condition you must be a church going member. the government now mandates we must give away food to any who asks despite affiliation.
The church can not tell groups no. a group of homosexuals wanted to be married in our historic church down town, and the city demanded equal use of this space. (because of tax subsidies)
there is a face book post that explains all of this and more if you want me to post it.
All from a congress who is told it can not make any laws that govern the church.
Seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy -- myself.
Inuit Proverb
Inuit Proverb