On October 31, 2004, mere days before the presidential election, the Reverend Dr. George F. Regas, Rector Emeritus, gave a sermon at All Saints Episcopal Church entitled "If Jesus Debated Senator Kerry and President Bush." In it the Reverend declared such incendiary truths as, "Mr. President, your doctrine of pre-emptive war is a failed doctrine" and "...Jesus has been hijacked and turned into the guardian of privilege instead of a champion of the dispossessed." (These comments are necessarily taken out of context, so I encourage you to read the sermon. It's six pages, large type.)Soon after the election, All Saints found itself in the international news when its tax-exempt status was threatened by the IRS on a charge of "campaign intervention." (Guess they couldn't charge 'em with "free speech.") It's a long story. To make it short: the IRS picked on the wrong church. As of this writing, the investigation's been dropped.
This garden near the cloisters at All Saints looks so serene, you'd never guess at the activism inside.
Today marks five years of war in Iraq. If you're looking for activism in Pasadena today, try the 5:30 vigil at Orange Grove Blvd. & N. Hill Ave. (wear white, bring a candle and a friend). Or if you're a desktop activist, how about checking out a blog from an unfamiliar place? Make a friend in Lahore. Or Iraq. or Iran. Something tells me this internet thingy has healing potential.
3 comments:
Its a sad anniversary.
You know, that is really shocking that the government would threaten the church with the IRS just for expressing an opinion!
The loss of freedom happens in thousands of little unknown instances every day - it's insidious.
Ararat: What's pleasing is that loss of freedom didn't happen this time. The church and its supporters fought back and won. I think the system works when the citizens participate.
Post a Comment