Thomasson: "Civil War" May Be Necessary To Stop LGBT "Brainw

[notsocommon]

Civil war is totes what Jesus would do, and over teh gheys.

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/t ... ainwashing

[debrand]

Whoa!

I wanted to quote it but I don't know where to start. The entire article is crazy. Revolution!? Seriously, he wants people to die so that kids don't learn to be respectful to people who are different than they are?

…

Thomasson: We can harken back to our American revolution. The Declaration of Independence has a long list of sayings that the colonists were lobbying King George III about, but King George III just kept coming back with more and more taxes, he didn’t listen. So they said, well, you know what, it’s our right to alter or dissolve the government. And that’s what we’re doing, we’re declaring independence. We’re not there yet but I tell you what if we don’t start voting different and telling people how to vote and if pastors don’t repent and teach people how to vote christianly then we’re heading to toward a real civil war I’m afraid.

Mefferd: Strong words, but I’m with you all the way.

Tell people how to vote? That is scary. Pastors aren't supposed to tell their congregation how to vote. Unless he is advocating that churches give up their nonprofit status, he is encouraging pastors to break the laws.

[valsa]

Unless he is advocating that churches give up their nonprofit status, he is encouraging pastors to break the laws.

Am I the only one who really wants churches to no longer have non-profit status anyway? If they're doing charitable things with their money, they can apply for the same tax-exempt status for those funds as all the other charities. It's one of those things (like "In God we trust") that seems like a clear violation of the government's requirement not to favor one, or any, religion.

[gustava]

Am I the only one who really wants churches to no longer have non-profit status anyway? If they're doing charitable things with their money, they can apply for the same tax-exempt status for those funds as all the other charities. It's one of those things (like "In God we trust") that seems like a clear violation of the government's requirement not to favor one, or any, religion.

Valsa--What about giving public money to church schools in the form of vouchers? Using public money to transport children on religious schools???? We're so far over the line of separation of church and state that Jefferson is spinning in his grave.

I'd go on, but I have to go have my hair cut, and there are some arguments I know I'm not going to win.

[valsa]

Valsa--What about giving public money to church schools in the form of vouchers? Using public money to transport children on religious schools???? We're so far over the line of separation of church and state that Jefferson is spinning in his grave.

I'd go on, but I have to go have my hair cut, and there are some arguments I know I'm not going to win.

Thanks for the reminder- I'd actually forgotten about those. Now I have even more things to be aggravated about :evil:

[MonkeyMomma]

Is it just me, or do you ever feel like saying, "F it, go have your own stupid country and leave the rest of us alone. See how that works out for you."

[BlackHawk]

Is it just me, or do you ever feel like saying, "F it, go have your own stupid country and leave the rest of us alone. See how that works out for you."

Since in their mind the Population can fit in Texas on 1 acre plots.. why don't they ALL move to Texas, live on their acre, and Texas leave the Union... oh how awesome that would be.. get rid of Texas AND conservatives in one fell swoop... YAY!

[MonkeyMomma]

Since in their mind the Population can fit in Texas on 1 acre plots.. why don't they ALL move to Texas, live on their acre, and Texas leave the Union... oh how awesome that would be.. get rid of Texas AND conservatives in one fell swoop... YAY!

But protect Austin, because it's awesome, then I'm totally in. :dance:

[Austin]

Am I the only one who really wants churches to no longer have non-profit status anyway? If they're doing charitable things with their money, they can apply for the same tax-exempt status for those funds as all the other charities. It's one of those things (like "In God we trust") that seems like a clear violation of the government's requirement not to favor one, or any, religion.

No, you're not the only one. I think churches should not have tax-exempt status at all. I love it when conservatives say that they do more "charitable" giving than liberals. Yeah, and most of that "charitable" giving is in the form of tithes to their churches, many of which are monstrosity-sized compounds and have nothing to do with charity. I give to actual charities that do nothing but feed and clothe and educate and empower people. Giving to one's church's building fund should in no way be viewed as a charitable contribution.

[Burris]

So this is an issue Thomasson is willing that other people should die for. Oh, that's mighty big of him.

And I agree with Valsa: Churches should be taxed the same as any other organization, and non-profits should apply for exemptions through the same process as other charities.

[Witsec1]

Is it just me, or do you ever feel like saying, "F it, go have your own stupid country and leave the rest of us alone. See how that works out for you."

Often! I bet it wouldn't take long before a church schism/doctrinal debate turns into a shooting war in the new theocracy. I'd give it 5 years before it devolves into a violent hell-hole overrun warring factions utterly convinced of their own righteousness.

[demgirl]

As far as I'm concerned, it would be really productive use of tax revenues to buy a large island, set up basic infrastructure and offer these people the choice to go set up their own country... one that is truly based on Christianity, rather than their endless need to claim America was based on their religion. If I were supreme overlord of Earth, I would totally do that. It would be completely voluntary, of course, but I'd like to say, "Put your money where your mouth is." If they go, good riddance. If they stay, they look ridiculous any time they complain afterwards.

They would have to agree to allow any person who wished to leave to do so and come back to sanity.

[ADoyle90815]

Am I the only one who really wants churches to no longer have non-profit status anyway? If they're doing charitable things with their money, they can apply for the same tax-exempt status for those funds as all the other charities. It's one of those things (like "In God we trust") that seems like a clear violation of the government's requirement not to favor one, or any, religion.

No, I would love to see churches lose their non-profit status, as they do tell their congregations how to vote, and even have them actively campaign and collect a separate donation for the campaign. Donating to the church building fund or only helping members of your church, or wearing t-shirts with your church's name on it while providing "service" is not being charitable. If a church is considered charitable, they would help others regardless of religion, even if those people would never join their church.

[debrand]

I'm another one who thinks that churches should loose their non-profit status unless they are engaging in real charitable work. By charitable work I do NOT mean passing out tracts.

[clibbyjo]

Since in their mind the Population can fit in Texas on 1 acre plots.. why don't they ALL move to Texas, live on their acre, and Texas leave the Union... oh how awesome that would be.. get rid of Texas AND conservatives in one fell swoop... YAY!

I did like San Antonio,but damn Doug ruined that for me. How about we give them somewhere cold,Alaska? Palin can be their leader and they are far,far away from the rest of us...

[Buzzard]

As far as I'm concerned, it would be really productive use of tax revenues to buy a large island, set up basic infrastructure and offer these people the choice to go set up their own country... one that is truly based on Christianity, rather than their endless need to claim America was based on their religion. If I were supreme overlord of Earth, I would totally do that. It would be completely voluntary, of course, but I'd like to say, "Put your money where your mouth is." If they go, good riddance. If they stay, they look ridiculous any time they complain afterwards.

They would have to agree to allow any person who wished to leave to do so and come back to sanity.

I sense a new reality show here... an awesome one... "fundie island"...

[emmiedahl]

Valsa--What about giving public money to church schools in the form of vouchers? Using public money to transport children on religious schools???? We're so far over the line of separation of church and state that Jefferson is spinning in his grave.

I'd go on, but I have to go have my hair cut, and there are some arguments I know I'm not going to win.

We don't have that anywhere I have lived; I would gladly have sent my children to better schools. They have similar programs in many European countries that seem to work well.

I agree that churches need to earn their tax-exempt status. There are just too many abuses--I'm looking at you, VF.

[Shina]

I did like San Antonio,but damn Doug ruined that for me. How about we give them somewhere cold,Alaska? Palin can be their leader and they are far,far away from the rest of us...

THIS.

[Guest Anonymous]

I did like San Antonio,but damn Doug ruined that for me. How about we give them somewhere cold,Alaska? Palin can be their leader and they are far,far away from the rest of us...

After reading about the scorpion and rat issues, I might be inclined towards letting the fundies have San Antonio. Except that it's still too close to me. Maybe Mars needs fundies.

[darareaksmey]

I cuold not agree more with the need to make churches nonexempt when they're engaged in only self-aggrandizing bullshit. And I am also offended by Thomasson turning the word "christian" into an adverb. Christianly? Really??

[Black Aliss]

Taking away the tax-exempt status of religious organizations should be the top item for congress to consider when they address tax reform. I strongly suspect that our favorite "home-churchers" use that loophole to great advantage.

[thoughtful]

Maybe Mars needs fundies.

[mirele]

Is it just me, or do you ever feel like saying, "F it, go have your own stupid country and leave the rest of us alone. See how that works out for you."

I feel like telling them to move to Utah for a year or two and enjoy being a religious minority.

Or Iran...

[O Latin]

I would support taking away the tax exempt status of churches as long as they were put into different tax brackets or something. A tiny little church whose congregation consists of 25 elderly couples =/= a wealthy megachurch.

[jenny_islander]

No, I would love to see churches lose their non-profit status, as they do tell their congregations how to vote, and even have them actively campaign and collect a separate donation for the campaign. Donating to the church building fund or only helping members of your church, or wearing t-shirts with your church's name on it while providing "service" is not being charitable. If a church is considered charitable, they would help others regardless of religion, even if those people would never join their church.

Whoa whoa whoa WHOA WHOA.

1. No, "they" don't tell "their congregations" how to vote. SOME preachers tell SOME congregations how to vote. This has never happened in any church I have ever been in. Should my church pay taxes because Brother Bob down the street is a jackass? (Collecting a separate donation for a political campaign? Jesus wept! No, come to think of it, He tipped over tables and told people off.)

2. Donating to the church building fun keeps the building from, you know, falling down. Every year we put on a traditional Christmas pageant. The first step is to take the pageant costumes and props out of the church attic. The second step is to brush off the snow that has accumulated on them. But we still manage to help feed the guests at the men's and women's shelters and keep the lights on in our rectory so that families that need someplace to stay will have another option, even when we can't afford to pay a priest to live in said rectory. We are not unusual. Feel free to tax us on our enormous wealth and when you find it, please do tell us where it is!

3. Please explain how wearing a church T-shirt while doing something good for somebody is bad. Or was "service" in quotes because you're talking about people rushing into disaster stricken areas to valiantly pass out tracts, Scientology style?

4. Are you assuming that all churches apply a religious test before providing charitable aid? Again, no. The only religious test I have ever witnessed is the priest announcing that anybody who wants to participate in Holy Communion should have been baptized in some church, somewhere. No proof is expected and anybody who can't, or doesn't wish to, take Communion can come up for a blessing instead without having to explain.

I was raised in an American Lutheran Church (later ELCA) congregation, currently attend an Episcopal congregation, and have attended services at a Baptist summer camp and a Lutheran(?--something liturgical anyway) congregation that meets in a hotel in Waikiki. So a small but diverse sample size.