I have a grievance I'd like to air. Let me tell a story by way of introducing this...peeve.
Several nights ago, I was sitting in the bible study/prayer meeting my father regularly attends. The group is fairly tight-knit and they end the night by mentioning praises and prayer requests. Well...one of the women mentioned Bush's inaction on global warming and how the environment is going into meltdown, literally.
I noticed one of our family friends squirming a few feet away from me. Now this dear brother has been a missionary for many years...many more years that I've been alive, so I have great respect for his service all over this part of the world. However, we have our issues, and this includes some of his conservative values.
He jumped in and mentioned that according to that venerable institution, the Adventist Review, the Democrats were in the process of putting a bill through congress that would limit religious freedom.
Well, needless to say, I rushed home afterwards and did my own research. And indeed, the Review did contain an article claiming that section 220 of S.1, the new ethics bill, was in danger of taking away the rights of religious organizations. The article contains a link to the Baptist Press where the story originated. Well, now I had to see this, so I pulled up the Senate web page and found the bill.
I have been having trouble linking to the bill, but if you follow these simple steps, you too can experience this delightful piece of reading:
1. Head to The Library of Congress' search page for the 110th Congress.
2. Enter "grassroot lobby" in the word/phrase search.
3. Click on the link to S.1.PCS.
4. Click on Section 220 in the table of contents, and voila!
Well, now, I'm going to let you read what each document states, and don't worry, Section 220 isn't all that long, but am I missing something; because the bill seems to only want to make all that all grassroots lobbies involved in "paid attempts" to influence public opinion are above-board and transparent. Perhaps I am too naive and am missing the finer points of this bill.
My frustration is that the minute the Democrats do anything that could affect religious organizations in a way that is perceived to be negative, (oh, now you have to report your dealings with congress) the Christian right goes nuts. Apparently this bill attacks the free speech of churches and "pro-family groups." Where were they when the Patriot Act was passed? What about that endangering free speech? What happened to our values that we have become so partisan to tear one group of people apart and leave another group, doing equally bad or worse things, completely alone?
I'm confused.
I'd love to hear what you all think.
Continue the journey...
