Open Forum: Fear

I am told the rabbi, the priest, and/or the minister cannot preach on politics. To do so would subject them to the loss of “tax exemption,” and, I suppose destroy the congregation by the cost of taxes!

Beyond the loss of “tax exemption,” the government is seeking the application of hate laws to silence the ordained whereby a sermon on homosexual behavior or same-sex marriage would be subject to hate-crime punishment of money penalty or even prison!

The early Hebrew religious decided to die on Masada rather than be subject to the pagan Roman rules, and the early Apostles and Disciples of Christianity decided on death by fire, lions, or whatever the government provided for such disobedience. In no case did the Jewish or Christian leader give in to the Roman laws and customs.

Today, the “fear” of the loss of “tax exemption,” or even the potential criminal penalty for “hate crimes,” has silenced our clergy. The result is an uninstructed laity, and our society pays the penalty of clergy silence and fear. This is evident in our slide into the gutter in values and standards.

Black or Hispanic minorities are told they must vote for a president of color (namely Obama) in spite of the fact that he (Obama) promotes abortion on demand and even infanticide if the child should survive the abortion; in spite of the fact that his (Obama’s) record in these first four years has been severe unemployment, even worse in communities of color; and in spite of the fact the entire world is either at war (the Middle East) or near collapse as in southern Europe due to socialism, and the rise of powers like Russia or China or Iran.

With a complete failure in both domestic as well as international affairs, we are told we must give him (Obama) another four years! This is spite of the fact that the U.S.A. is now in debt up to its ears and promises to kill any opportunity for our children and grandchildren.

I, for one, have no fear. The matter of the future of our country is safely in God’s hands. God may choose to protect America from itself and give us continued opportunity to prosper — to continue to express His love and values to a hurting world.

God could also decide that we have not earned this second chance with our killing of 25 million little girls and 25 million little boys in abortion mills, or with our sanctioned change in His marriage criteria of one man and one woman. Yes, it is in God’s hands!

If you intend to influence God’s decision, I suggest you join me on your knees and pray very hard. Yes, my Jewish friends, my Catholic friends, my Orthodox friends, and my Protestant friends, the time has come to pray — first and foremost for His city of Jerusalem — and then for our country, America.

L.H. Milotte Jr. is a resident of Stephens City.