Thread: Take a look at this

http://www.washingtonhispanic.com/html/metro.html

This is a link to an article in the Washington Hispanic newspaper. It is translated into English into a version also appearing on Free Republic.

What caught me eye is that this meeting is being held in the gym of the Catholic grade school where we sent our kids. My son no longer attends there -- Aquinas School in Woodbridge, VA, but obviously this element is using this private Catholic school property -- church property, to hold its meeting.

I can't even believe this.

Yes! We must stop hate and racism, that is why we must stop them!!! What can be said when the cup-shaker turns philosophic? Irony of ironies.

My question would be: Can we identify the "sanctuary movement" as essentially a political movement? It has had a large participation by political entities, unlike standard refugee asylum where the foreign government has been persecuting or attacking the refugees. Central American governments have publicly expressed their desire to assist emigration to the US, so there is a clear political element. The fact that this element is a foreign entity and not a domestic group should not alter the fact that it is still blurring the demarcation between church and state. The "state" in this case, foreign ones.

What would help this argument, and distinguish it from simple protected humanitarian concerns, IMO, would be evidence of speakers, consultants and advisors coming into these churches who actually are employees of those governments.

My church, a Baptist one, has gone far out of its way to assist a Russian immigrant community. This could irk US citizens who don't like Russians but if it is strictly a humanitarian venture I don't think there would be a church-state conflict, and as far as I know would be a protected religious activity.

But perhaps a church-state onflict could be demonstrated where there is overt political activity by a political party, even a foreign one. Church-state conflicts when proven, have worked effectively to counter poltical lobbying in US churches. A lot of people don't like it (led by groups like Americans United), but it has worked both ways.

So to stop this I think we have to show that this is little more than assisting a domestic poltical agenda. Tax exemption status complaints go to a bureacracy in the IRS---if anything expect a long wait. I think I'll write to Barry Lynn of AU to get their opinion.

its in spanish????

Churches crossing over the line into endorsing political parties can have their non-profit status challenged. There is a fine line: Having a voter registration drive that is non-partisan would not be crossing that line: some religions explicitly encourage civic responsibility.

However, having a voter registration drive in which it is even suggested that they should join a particular party would be crossing that line. Even if it is just a whisper. ( Do you get my drift?) Having a voter registration drive in which non-eligible people are registered would be serious fraud
It would be interesting to see if---now--- certain churches are encouraging Democratic Party voting and registration because they feel such a strong moral impetus for their beliefs. Most church leadres have wised up to not overtly endorsing any given party. But I think they are crossing the line into illegal and illegitimate conduct in many other ways---caliing for insurrection, anger and struggle. It seems like they are inciting others in the process.