Saturday, July 01, 2006

Enough is Enough: Texas religious group wants politics away from church


Unfortunately Clay Robison went with the politician's spin on this story. This religious group aims not to stop politics in churches but to provide balance and non-divisive politics. A better story is a diary here at Burnt Orange:
"Dragging churches into partisan politics endangers the integrity of our houses of worship and is disrespectful of the faith and beliefs of all congregants,"said Father Samuel Hose, pastor of St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Round Rock.

Hose and more than 100 other Texas clergy have already signed on to the Respect Our Faith campaign. The Texas Faith Network, a project of the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund, is sponsoring the campaign.

The campaign calls on clergy and laypeople to pledge to promote civic engagement in congregations while still protecting sacred spaces from partisan politics. These pledge signers will also work to educate congregants about the campaign.

"This campaign is not intended to make houses of worship 'politics-free' zones," said Rabbi Neal Katz of Congregation Beth El in Tyler. "The goal is to stop politicians from using our sacred spaces to divide people of faith for partisan political gain."

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