Neighborhood Ministries

Our forefathers came to the United States to escape the State supported churches that used their government influence to threaten and intimidate other churches in order to maintain their monopoly. Our founding fathers wrote into the Constitution a specific Amendment which forbid government interference with churches to protect them from the rise and domination of a State sanctioned religion. Our forefathers then wrote into the tax laws specific exemptions for churches to prevent the government from interfering with churches. It made churches tax exempt since the power to tax is the power to destroy. They also released the churches from filing the financial disclosure information required of regular non-profit organizations since filing it would open the churches to potential scrutiny that could lead to government intervention and control. Formerly, churches were held in high regard, even by unbelievers, because of the good which the churches did in their communities. Not only did they hold their members to a higher standard of morals, they also provided care and relief to those in the community through church benevolence and social services. Now social services have been divorced from the churches and is carried out mostly by the government and independent non-profit organizations and the church is no longer held in high regard. In fact, many cities now try to restrict the expansion of churches through zoning laws that prevent churches from expanding or building new buildings. They would rather have a business there that would produce tax revenue. Many liberal government officials also talk quietly about taxing churches which would provide a huge windfall for city and State governments, as well as for the federal government, but do not dare try it because of the huge backlash they would get from churches.

Attorney Generals of twenty two liberal controlled States have asked federal agencies to end all “conscience” provisions in the Affordable Care Act. That would allow those government agencies to force doctors and nurses to perform abortions and sex change operations and force pharmacists to dispense abortion pills and gender blocking drugs, even when they believe they are wrong. The Biden Administration is also considering a regulation that would enable government agencies to screen out conservatives in the hiring practice in direct violation of Civil Service regulations that mandate that people be hired based on merit rather than political policies. The administration and various liberal politicians have been openly vocal in stating that conservatives, particularly pro-life and Trump supporters are not capable in serving in government positions. Now they want to make it general government practice. The Civil Service laws were created to prevent politicians from passing out government jobs to reward their supporters. The new regulation would allow the agencies to fill government jobs with their supporters and block them from opponents. Those of us who worked for the Census Bureau experienced that when President Biden took over. We were forced to submit new applications for the positions we had already been hired for. We had passed a criminal background check when hired under the Trump administration but were required to undergo two background checks before we could continue working. The first was the standard criminal background check but we were never told what the second one was. It apparently was a check of our political affiliation which is a direct violation of the civil service law. I passed the first but after the second one, my application disappeared and no one ever found it. These are just two more steps in creating a totalitarian government where citizens must think and do what the government requires and all thinking and acting that deviates is crushed.

The Postal Service has started requiring workers to work on Sunday and denied a worker’s request to have Sunday off to attend church. A federal court has ruled that federal worker have no right to attend church. President Biden is seeking the Supreme Court to restrict the right of workers to attend church. It is a continuation of attempts by the administration and liberal radicals to shut down churches. If federal agencies can deny workers the right, it could easily be extended to private employers. Liberal politicians tried to shut down churches during the pandemic on the excuse they were not essential services and tried to keep them shut even after other group meetings were allowed. They know that committed Christians will not bow to their liberal agenda and recognize the power of a church committed to serving God in derailing their plans  to abolish the Christian faith. It is bad enough that many school sporting events have begun meeting on Sunday and do not allow students to be on the team unless they agree to attend Sunday morning practices and meets. Unfortunately, many churches are urging members to deny their faith and submit to the liberal agenda. When the liberal agenda contradicts the will of God, the Christian must choose between serving God and serving man. We cannot serve both.