An Open Letter to the AFA

2/7/08

I Thessalonians 5:21 (NIV) says, “Test everything. Hold on to the good.”

I decided to send this message to everyone who ***** sent this to because I believe that the American Family Association has (possibly mistakenly) misrepresented one of the candidates positions on some of the issues in its Voter’s Guide (see the link below in the original email). I’m sorry that this is so long, but it is very important.

ABORTION ISSUE

In regards to the statement “Supports a national Human Life Amendment”, under Ron Paul’s name it says, “NO”. This is factually incorrect.

Dr. Paul has introduced several pieces of legislation which, if passed, would have nullified Roe v. Wade. Read the Sanctity Life Act of 2007. In Dr. Paul’s opinion, this type legislation is a better and easier way of bringing about criminalization of abortion than a constitutional amendment. Read more about this here and here.

Nowhere on his website does he say that he is opposed to a constitutional amendment to protect the unborn. In fact, this statement appears:

“The alternative is an outright federal ban on abortion, done properly via a constitutional amendment that does no violence to our way of government.”

The other candidates take compromising positions on the abortion issue. (See here, and here, and here.) You don’t have to worry about Rudy anymore. He is out of the race now.

Dr. Paul believes that abortions should ALWAYS be ILLEGAL (no exceptions). I can’t find any place where it specifically says what he thinks the punishment for abortion should be, but if you take the Sanctity Life Act of 2007 (it didn’t pass) together with the 14th amendment, a proper interpretation of law would be that the punishment for murdering an unborn baby should be the same as what it is for murdering any other person (this depends on what the laws for murder are in a particular state).

MARRIAGE ISSUE

In regards to the statement, “Supports a Federal Marriage Amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman only”, this is factually correct, but not the whole story. I highly recommend carefully reading the link they give as a source for this information. It is very enlightening. The Marriage Protection Act which Ron Paul co-sponsored was in fact signed into law by President Bush.

WAR IN IRAQ

The AFA voters guide is correct about Dr. Paul’s position on the war in Iraq. He doesn’t want anymore American children to needlessly lose their fathers in this war. I can’t think of anything more pro-family than this. Read my article on why Christians should be against the war in Iraq.

TAX EXEMPTIONS

The AFA is a 501(c)(3) organization. This is a completely voluntary agreement (called incorporation) which churches and other organizations can make with the government to receive tax exemptions. But there are restrictions on how much an organization can get involved with politics under 501(c)(3). Some of these restrictions are vaguely worded and subject to interpretation. My church (the Anderson Ferry Church of Christ) has this statement in its own constitution:
“No substantial part of the activities of the Church shall be in the attempting to influence legislation, and the Church shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.”

I agree that the tax code is very, very, unfair. But we should be careful to not violate the law in this matter. We need to hold ourselves to better standards than the world. Read more here.

If Ron Paul and enough like-minded congressmen and senators were elected, we would never have worry about the IRS “getting after” us. It (the IRS) would be gone immediately. Churches and organizations like the AFA would no longer have to worry about walking the fine line between “religious” and “political” organization. Donations to organizations like the Alliance Defense Fund could go to other important cases.

RON’S FAITH

Ron Paul is a Christian. This article contains his statement of faith.

If you have read this far, thanks for helping me set the record straight.

Matt

----- Forwarded Message ----From: AFA ActionAlert Sent: Friday, February 1, 2008 11:06:40 PM
Subject: AFA will not bow down to a threat from a liberal left-wing group


Dear *****,

The Rev. Barry Lynn, the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, has asked that the Internal Revenue Service investigate the American Family Association. Lynn says that AFA has violated IRS rules by distributing a voter’s guide. For years, Rev. Lynn and his Americans United, along with groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and People for the American Way, have used threats to silence Christians in an attempt to take away their First Amendment rights. The tragedy is that he has been successful in silencing thousands of ministers. Let me make one thing clear to Rev. Lynn and his cohorts. We have no intention of bowing down to his threatening demands. Rev. Lynn is mistaken if he thinks his threat will scare this minister from exercising his First Amendment rights. Lynn has also included a threat to churches. Trying to scare ministers from exercising their rights, Lynn said: "Any church that distributes these biased guides is risking its tax exemption and casting aside its integrity." The AFA Voters Guide was developed by three constitutional lawyers and reviewed by three more constitutional lawyers following Rev. Lynn's threat. All agreed that the voters guide is perfectly legal. The Alliance Defense Fund has offered to represent (free of charge) churches or organizations which distribute the voter's guide and encounter opposition from either Lynn or the IRS.
Take Action!

Show Rev. Lynn that his threats don't scare you by printing and distributing the AFA Voter's Guide. Click here.
Forward this to family and friends.


Thank you for caring enough to get involved. If you feel our efforts are worthy of support, would you consider making a small tax-deductible contribution? Click here to make a donation.


Sincerely, Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman American Family Association
Donate with confidence to AFA

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