Wiley Drake's rant against Americans United for Separation of Church and State has the opposite effect he intended. His call for "imprecatory prayers" against his Christian brothers actually demonstrates the need for Americans United, which is an organization created to safeguard churches from government intrusion and government leaders from religious pressure.

If you are without benefit of dictionary "imprecatory prayers" ask God to rain his wrath upon the target of your anger so their teeth fall out, their legs break and they are childless forever. Other than that, they're full of Christian grace.

Background: Drake is a former second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He's a California pastor and catalyst for a split in the California Southern Baptist Convention. He wrote an endorsement on church letterhead using his church, pastoral, and SBC officer identities to endorse his favorite US presidential candidate.

The IRS has rules against that for good reason, and Americans United simply made sure the IRS was aware of that potential violation.

Be clear. Neither the IRS nor Arnold Schwarzenegger nor the federal government can keep a pastor, church or any other non-profit organization from endorsing anyone they want for any office they choose.

Just be aware that if they do it, they are breaking the rules that give them tax exempt status in the first place. That's not a punishment, not a threat. It's the law.

Beyond that, Drake's hateful, vindictive, graceless plea asking for Christian brothers to curse other Christian brothers is an echo from Baghdad.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State is not a Christian organization, so maybe Drake thought it appropriate to ask Christians to implore the God of the universe to destroy the lives of its employees. But in my conversation with two such employees--one of whom Drake named specifically and the other being Barry Lynn, executive director--both gladly proclaimed their Christian faith.

This is a danger in disassociating institutions from the individuals who run them.

Ironically, Drake's plea for you to join him in cursing our brothers who are trying to keep this nation safe from wannabe Christian imams demonstrates exactly why we need Americans United.

Posted by jameson ( Aug 16 2007, 10:48:37 AM EDT ) Permalink Comments [4]