There is a reason the separation of church and state exist — it keeps political views, parties and propaganda from segregating the body of the church, from putting too much power and influence into the hands of the pastor and it negates the possibility of politics being the determining factor in someone’s
religious faith.
President Donald J. Trump addressed a campaign promise he made Feb. 2, to repeal the Johnson amendment. Created and approved in 1954, the Johnson amendment is a legislation that limits religious non-profit and tax-exempt organizations from endorsing or opposing political figures or candidates.
During his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump said he wants to “destroy” the amendment to “allow our representatives of faith to speak freely without fear of retribution.”
Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t we already have the freedom of speech and the freedom to vote? Both of which give everyone the right to “speak freely without fear of retribution”? Pastors have the ability to offer guidance to the church community on who to vote for through discussing morals and ethics without name-dropping candidates.
If we each have our own right to vote, why should the church or the pastors have the power to dictate what candidate a church or us as individuals support or oppose?
Taking away the separation of church and government will give rise to the obvious rejection of attending to a church or believing in a faith because of a church’s political views and affiliation with certain candidates through endorsement.
Should people be turned off to going to certain churches or believing in a religion because of politics? The realm of politics and politicians is a corrupt and complicated system that does not need to intertwine with the church.
The church is built on God’s laws and is, ultimately, governed by Him. If the Johnson Act is repealed and if politics and politicians have a line of connection with the church, it is only a matter of time before the governance of Christ is overthrown by the governance of man.
In a culture where beliefs become the only backbone of a person’s life, the separation of church and state needs to remain. The church should not be directly involved in politics. “Destroying” the fine line of separation will not enhance our churches, our pastors or the realm of politics–but it will destroy us as a Christian community and those around us.
