South Dakota Pastor H. Wayne Williams has gone all in for the dubious cause of pulpit campaigning. First, he was defiant over IRS regulations prohibiting candidate endorsement, then he "backpedaled" after AU filed a complaint. Now, he's fully on board, leading a rally over the weekend.
"Keep your cotton-picking hands off my freedom," said Williams, voice rising as he pounded his fist on the podium. "You can't have my freedom."
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The other rally speakers Sunday also encouraged the melding of the Christian church and politics. Williams pointed out references to God in U.S. historical documents and the religious backgrounds of the Founding Fathers. Craig outlined references in the Bible to interactions Jesus had with politicians.
This brand of flag-waving, fist-pounding rhetoric can generate applause, but misses the point. Nobody wants to claim Williams' freedom or run his church. IRS regulations protect churches, and all nonprofits, from becoming political tools. Meanwhile, the ban on intervening in elections goes hand-in-hand with the tax exemption they enjoy. Keeping politics out of the pulpit is good for both.
