Reagan Conservatism and 2008

Political principle is the ultimate oxymoron. As men and women are forming their exploratory committees, I will once again state that only a true principled conservative can win the upcoming election against the female contender from the left.

The Republican, John McCain, the newly conservative is nothing more than a politically principled suck up when it comes to conservative principles. This newby to Ronald Reagan Conservatism is a mere wannabe and useless in the cause.

I love Rudy Giuliani, but he is not a conservative and cannot win the nomination in the current political landscape. I respect Rudy more than almost anyone else running for president, but, I cannot and will not lend support to him for a presidential run.

I do not know who will be the frontrunner in the Summer of 2008, but I believe that a name from the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress will be a real player in the election.

Reagan Democrats and Republicans will rally around a set of four major conservative principles. The principled conservative will be for: Lower Taxes, Privatization of the Public Sector, Fiscal Responsibility and the elimination of the IRS through the implementation of the Fair Tax.

The conservative who embraces the four Reagan principles will be the winner in 2008. God bless American and God bless conservatism.

The Church 501 (c)3 Status and Giving in the American Church

Our giving to the church is to be out of observance of God’s blessings and as part of our worship, not part of our tax preparation. We are not special because we give tithes and offerings to God, we are just like every other generation that has given back to God all of the way back to Abraham and Melchizedek. What makes us in the American church think we are so special that we should expect our government to give us a tax break for following our convictions and giving to God.

How dare the government buy us off with such a bribe and that is what it is, a bribe. The government had a great idea on how to shut up those Christians, give them a tax break, and then shut them up for speaking out against social injustices. The idea must have been to get churches to sign up for 501 (c)3 tax status for members to be able to give to the church and take their tithes and offerings off of their taxes. Then once it became so ingrained in their psyche that they deserve a tax break, declare them illegal for speaking out against social injustices and Biblical doctrine. It was smart.

I do not give to my God to receive a tax credit. I give to my God because God expects it of me and I want to be in a right relationship with Him. If I want to speak out on social injustices from the pulpit or any place in this country I should not have to be challenged by the IRS in whatever I feel God is laying on my heart to say.

I find it amazing that churches have not taken the opportunity to abandon their 501 (c)3 status to be able to speak the Word of God without government infringement. I thought that is why our Christian forefathers came to this country in the first place, to get away from government involvement in our worship services.

Churches need to rethink their getting into bed with the government in accepting 501 (c)3 tax status. I would call on all new church starts renounce 501 (c)3 tax status and function as taxable business.