It’s “Slam the Baptists Week” here at ISNRBLOG

More Baptist Bullshit.

This was from an earlier post, but in light of the recent brawl at the First Baptist Church in Ocala, Florida it seems fitting:

On August 14, 2007 the “Americans United for Separation of Church and State” stated that the IRS Should Investigate Partisan Political Activity of a Southern Baptist Church in California.They allege that the Pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, Calif., may have violated federal tax law barring electioneering by non-profit groups.

In a complaint to the IRS, Americans United’s (Rev. Barry W.) Lynn said Dr. Wiley S. Drake, pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, issued a press release Aug. 11 endorsing Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. Apparently Mr. Drake used Church resources to endorse GOP hopeful Huckabee as God’s Candidate in Violation of Federal Tax Law, says the Church-State Watchdog Group. Drake’s press release was issued on church letterhead. He also endorsed Huckabee on a church-affiliated radio show and featured a Huckabee campaign official.Americans United’s Lynn says the church’s intervention in partisan politics merits an IRS investigation.

How did the very Christian, Pious and “holier than thou” Dr. Wiley react? According to Yahoo News, Wed Aug 15, 3:17 PM ET this is what happened. “Instead of responding to Americans United’s concern of illegal activity, Drake issued yesterday afternoon a plea to his supporters to join in “imprecatory prayers” (curses) every morning for Americans United and its staff. ”The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, said it is telling that Drake declined to respond to his group’s charges of tax law violations.

“Instead of addressing our concerns of illegally melding religion and partisan politics, Dr. Drake has launched an outlandish attack on us,” said Lynn. “Calling for curses on us might distract Drake’s supporters, but it won’t help him with the IRS. I trust the tax agents will investigate Drake’s use of church resources to endorse a candidate for public office.“

Drake’s attack included some florid rhetoric.”In light of the recent attack from the ememies (sic) of God I ask the children of God to go into action with Imprecatory Prayer,” Drake said, in an Aug. 14 press statement issued from the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park. “Especially against Americans United for Seperation (sic) of Church and State.”“The righteous have dominion,” Drake said, “but only through imprecatory prayer against the ungodly.”

Drake singled out two Americans United staff members whose names appeared as contacts on the press release. The pastor’s missive said the imprecatory prayers should “specifically target” AU Communications Director Joe Conn or Communications Associate Jeremy Leaming.In a message left in Lynn’s voicemail, Drake said he had been urging his supporters to take similar action against Lynn for many years.

In a section of his press release called “How to Pray,” Drake includes a long list of biblical citations that call on God to smite enemies. For example, the alleged enemies of God “shall be judged,” “condemned,” and “his days be few…” Additionally, supporters should pray that the enemy’s “children be fatherless, and his wife a widow,” and “his children be continually vagabonds, and beg; let them seek bread also out of their desolate places.“Let there be none to extend mercy unto him,” Drake quoted, “Neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.”

Drake is here basically calling for his supporters to pray for the death of certain members of the AU. In addition, Drake says his “supporters should pray that the enemy’s “children be fatherless, and his wife a widow,” and “his children be continually vagabonds, and beg; let them seek bread also out of their desolate places.”

Whatever happened to dialog? No need for any. Drake is right, He’s on God’s side and if you disagree with him, God will kill you. He is just one step away from the Inquisition. All he needs is Governments Support. Ask yourself, if he had the authority would he kill or preside over the killing of these members of the AU? Can you see him smugly and piously condemning the “ungodly” and having them drawn and quartered or burned alive?

The point is the spirit of the inquisition still lives in the heart of Organized Religion. Save for the power and blessing of government, Drake would have people killed for opposing him. This is the “tyranny that Christianity imposes” of which Thomas Jefferson spoke about. It’s not dead or gone, by any means. It still lurks in Organized Religion, waiting and hoping for its chance to kill you if you don’t believe their way and force you to live as they dictate.

What of his followers? How many of them are praying for the death of these individuals? “Hey. Our Leader, Drake said we should do it and even gave us examples of prayers so, it must be right.”

What happens when none of these people die and the IRS investigates the Church anyway? Drake said all this in August of 2007 and as of this writing, January, 2008, (now November, 2008) none of the “cursed” people have died. I seriously doubt that anyone will actually die, but perhaps Drake himself really believes God is going to kill these people, just because they disagree with him. But the real question is, are Drake’s followers actually giving this situation any serious thought?

I would be. In fact most rational people would. About now, I would be leaving that Church, as fast as my feet would carry me. Don’t think this is the only Pastor, Minister or Religious “Authority Figure” that says these kinds of things. This is just one of the more blatant and out in the open incidents.Religion will impose it’s will in the form of tyranny to the extent that the Government lets it. It obviously has the will and it’s constantly seeking the means. It’s when it forms powerful PACs, gets your tax money while remaining tax exempt and seeks legislation based on the Bible that it is insidious and wrong.

This church is Southern Baptist Church and part of the Southern Baptist Convention and a friend of mine emailed them asking them if they supported Drakes position.John Revell, Editor of SBC LIFE answered the issue and deftly side stepped it by not answering the question He said, in part “Actually, the SBC only takes such official positions at its annual meetings in June. Rev. Drake’s comments on “imprecatory prayers” were made since the last meetings. However, the Southern Baptist Convention has absolutely no authority whatsoever over pastors or churches.”

To which I say, bullshit! The SBC’s sidestepping of the issue is a cope out. Drake is one of Thiers and he is way out of line. The SBC could simply say that what he says the Central Organization does not believe in or support. But the SBC doesn’t say that because I think they really don’t disagree and in fact most of Southern Baptist membership has no problem with the killing of the abortion doctor or Drakes “imprecatory prayers”.  

Where is the outcry from those self righteous Baptists? Their silence is deafening.Personally, I think abortion is wrong and murder, but from a scientific standpoint. It’s ludicrous to argue that a fetus, in any stage is not a human being. The murder of an abortion doctor is also wrong and the Southern Baptist Convention, by not taking a stand betrays its complicity with murder and Drakes psychotic screeches for God to kill someone that dares to disagree with him or points out where he is violating the law.The timing excuse is simply lame. I bet they’d scream their lungs out if a Church made a gay person pastor or if a Southern Baptist Church came out in favor of abortion, no matter what time of year it was.

Hypocrisy abounds in all Religion, the Southern Baptists included