AP has reported that Dobson's overtly political organization, "Focus Action," has received about $50,000 a day ($8.8 million) during its first six months of existence. The funds are being used to generate support for Dobson's public policy proposals and for political candidates.
Unlike his "Focus on the Family" organization which is tax exempt, contributions to "Focus Action" are not deductible from the contributor's federal and state income taxes. That means that the organization is operating legally within the political arena.
I applaud Dobson for giving up the desire for preferential treatment and deciding to operate within fair and impartial tax laws. All other political organizations are not considered to be "charitable" organizations and contributions to them are not tax deductible. For more than a decade Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition broke the law, claimed "charitable" status, and offered tax deductibility for contributions that were being used for similar overtly political work.
This should make it perfectly clear that Dobson's "Focus Action" organization has little to do with religious values and much to do with power politics. It is just another special interest group seeking preferential treatment for its own limited constituency. Their goals are not concerned with the "common good" that charitable institutions serve. Their objective is to accumulate sufficient power to enact legislation and/or appoint judges that will extend special privileges to the constituents of one special interest group while denying the same privileges in equal measure to other groups.
The political values of special interest groups wax and wan. The spectacle of leaders abandoning the Great Commission to become political lobbyists is a sure sign that the spiritual influence of evangelical Christianity has reached its apex and is declining in America.
6 comments:
Habakkuk 2:13, 14, 18, 19, 20
Has not the Lord decreed that godless nations' gains will turn to ashes in their hands? They work so hard, but all in vain! 14. (The time will come when all the earth is filled, as the water fills the sea, with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.) 18. What profit was there in worshiping all your man-made idols? What a foolish lie that they could help! What fools you were to trust what you yourselves had made. 20. But the Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
Now tell me where to look to find where the Bible tells Christians that they should not participate in making decisions concerning our society. Separation of church and state has been completely turned around to suit those who want a godless world.
Anonymous,
There isn't a word in this blog about separation of church and state.
Christians have as much right to participate in politics as anyone else.
This blog is about the advisability of reducing the role of religion in society to that of a special interest group rather than preserving a prophetic role for religion in society.
Boy, I am really confused now. You stated, "There isn't a word in this blog about separation of church and state." Are you not the president of the Oklahoma chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State? Is that fact not presented twice on your main page? Most of your posts concern some aspect of separation of church and state. What am I missing here?
jtr,
There's plenty on this weblog about church/state separation, but nothing about that in this specific blog (post).
Alice,
I've been thinking about your comment.
I don't beleive Dobson can tolerate being questioned by reporters enough to pull off a successful political campaign.
I think he realizes that himself.
I think he'd rather be the power behind someone else's throne.
Bruce, You sound exactly like a politician. You do a masterful job of weaving and dodging. Do you plan to run for something?
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