What is Christ-like about selling politics from the pulpit?

Reuters has a story about """"pastors"""" preaching politics from the pulpit. It is part of yet another false and cynical campaign about freedom of religion.

(Reuters) - Pastor Jim Garlow will stand before congregants at his 2,000-seat Skyline Wesleyan Church in La Mesa, California, on Sunday, October 7, just weeks before the U.S. presidential and congressional elections, and urge his flock to vote for or against particular candidates.

He knows such pulpit pleading could endanger his church's tax-exempt status by violating IRS rules for a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. A charity can take a position on policy issues but cannot act "on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office." To cross that line puts the $7 million mega-church's tax break at risk.

Garlow and other pastors celebrate "Freedom Sunday" each year by endorsing politicians and telling their congregation how they are to vote on election days. And just for good measure, these glorious men and women of gOd even videotape their stump speeches and send them to the IRS, hoping to provoke a fight over a violation of tax-exempt status. Not only do they want to be tax-exempt, they want to be law-exempt. This idea that laws do not apply to me because I am religious is becoming something of a fad. Perhaps, even an epidemic.

The IRS has been slow to react the provocations by Garlow and others. The tax collectors are hated and reviled just as much in America today as they were two thousand years ago in Galilee and Judea. Of course, Jesus hung out with the tax collectors (Mark 2:16), paid his taxes (Matthew 17:24-27), and advocating others do the same (Mark 12:13-17). He even chose a tax collector to be one of His disciples (Matthew 9:9). How odd that Garlow and his mob have excused themselves from paying taxes and want to pick a fight with a secular organization over the few rules that apply to that privilege. Fascinating.

Two things are clear about these little games. The beneficiaries of using the name of God to sell politicians are easy to spot.

The result of agency inaction, according to tax experts and former IRS staffers, will be a lot more electioneering by leaders of the faithful, in local races as well as national, and to the benefit of Democrats as well as Republicans.

It is the body of Christ that pays the price for praising Mammon in the name of Christ. I doubt the Lord will find all this nonsense amusing.

Of course, there is a great deal of Mammon at stake. The potential for income generation is enormous. You can create tax-free enterprise zones labeled as churches and sell all sorts of products and politicians. The trouble is that reduces churches to just another barker in the carnival marketplace.

If we truly love Christ, then we have to push back against the misuse of His name. The gifts of His presence, teachings, death, and resurrection are being cheapened by people like Garlow.