How Do We Determine What Is A Moral Issue?

[Hamilton Porter]

Based on empirics, a moral issue is one that directly threatens the church's freedom or interest.

Ssm: threatens church's tax status if someday the church is forced to perform gay weddings.

Era: threatens the church's tax status if someday the church refuses to ordain women.

Immigration: threatens the church's operational privileges in Mexico if their government sees us as inimical to their goals. Immigrant bashing may also disrupt church unity.

[Yirgacheffe]

Based on empirics, a moral issue is one that directly threatens the church's freedom or interest.

Ssm: threatens church's tax status if someday the church is forced to perform gay weddings.

Era: threatens the church's tax status if someday the church refuses to ordain women.

Immigration: threatens the church's operational privileges in Mexico if their government sees us as inimical to their goals. Immigrant bashing may also disrupt church unity.

Whether or not a church has to pay taxes is a moral issue?

[Hamilton Porter]

Whether or not a church has to pay taxes is a moral issue?

Yes. Why do you think the founders of this country wanted to exempt churches? So the government can't screw churches over.

[Stone holm]

Based on empirics, a moral issue is one that directly threatens the church's freedom or interest.

Ssm: threatens church's tax status if someday the church is forced to perform gay weddings.

Era: threatens the church's tax status if someday the church refuses to ordain women.

Immigration: threatens the church's operational privileges in Mexico if their government sees us as inimical to their goals. Immigrant bashing may also disrupt church unity.

Interesting definition. I always thought morality had something to do with how we behave especially towards others, but I think you may have accurately captured the Church's position. So the Church felt threatened over gay marriage and the ERA, haven't ever thought of it in those terms.

[thesometimesaint]

Yes. Why do you think the founders of this country wanted to exempt churches? So the government can't screw churches over.

 

That's a two way street.

[pogi]

I wonder if the Ancient Greeks and the Head hunters think the same way about us.

 

I'm sure that we would disagree on many points.

[telnetd]

The Church has reserved the right to speak out on moral issues. And, I believe it probably has a duty to speak out on moral issues. So shouldn't we as a people have a firm grasp on what does or does not constitute a moral issue? Do we as a people have such a grasp?

 

I think only certain people in the church is authorized to speak out on moral issues.

But strangely enough, a lot of what is on the church's website is anonymous.

 

Gail

[Stone holm]

Yes. Why do you think the founders of this country wanted to exempt churches? So the government can't screw churches over.

Actually, the Founding Fathers did no such thing since the Bill of Rights only restrained the Federal Government and the Federal Government does not have a real estate tax. The States continued to have established Churches well into the 19th Century. The exemption of Churches is actually part of the concept that it is best if religion and government stay unentangled. Something that some fundamentalists forget from time to time. I question whether separation of Church and State can per se be a moral issue, however, religious tolerance or intolerance might well be considered one.

[Yirgacheffe]

Yes. Why do you think the founders of this country wanted to exempt churches? So the government can't screw churches over.

I don't see taxing churches as a moral issue at all.

[Stone holm]

I have trouble seeing the taxation of Churches as a moral issue, but then if you use the definition of anything the Church feels threatened by as your definition of a moral issue, well then, yes by that definition it would be a moral issue.