"More regrettable than the church being accused of not being Christian is when church members react to such accusations in an un-Christlike way," Hales said. "Surely our Heavenly Father is saddened — and the devil laughs — when we contentiously debate doctrinal differences with our Christian neighbors."

(Now there is some truth for us who are evangelical  followers of Jesus can learn from this Mormon leader.  We need to show the love of God to others including our Mormon friends. At the same time we should never back away from telling others the truth. The truth is Mormons are not Christians. Not because we say so but because they don't agree with the Bible. Mormons believe they will go to Heaven because of their good works. The Bible teachers it is only by grace through faith in Christ that anyone makes it to Heaven. (check out Ephesians 2:8-9  )

(Mormons also have other views such as everyone of us will become a god someday. Check this site out to find out  about other views of this cult. (  The Plain Truth about the Mormons . To read more on what this Mormon leader said  go here.)

Benedict says that "now with the collapse of big banks we see that money disappears, is nothing and all these things that appear real are in fact of secondary importance." He urges those who build their lives "only on things that are visible, such as success, career, money" to keep that in mind.

(Amen Pope. Money and things can be taken away. However faith in God  and   love for family and friends  can last forever.)

(I watched that video and thought they were about to say Obama walked on water and rose from the dead. No matter if he is elected or not Obama or any other leader is God though some  try to make them out to be.)

The Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal alliance of Christian attorneys, headed by President Alan E. Sears, whose activist roots go back to the 1980s, cooked up the idea. A press release from the organization promised that on Sept. 28 pastors in 20 states "will reclaim their constitutional right (and) from the pulpit, they will advise their congregation what scripture says about today's issues, apply(ing) those issues to the candidates standing for election just like their forefathers did 150 years ago."

(The above is part of a column Cal Thomas wrote. Read more of it below.)

The release might have added, "and just as many in some African-American churches do today, but without the pressure by the IRS, which many white conservative churches and institutions feel." Clearly a double standard exists as to how the law is applied (see the political pronouncements of Reverends Jeremiah Wright, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, as three of many examples.

The first obstacle is what Scripture teaches about a Christian's relationship to the state. In one of the best-known passages, Paul the Apostle writes, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established." (Romans 13:1) Is defying the law, no matter what political motivations were behind it, submitting to such authority, or opposing it?

Obstacle number two has to do with the reason people attend worship services. It is not, or should not be, in order to pledge allegiance to a party, candidate or earthly agenda.

No matter how hard they try to protect the gospel from corruption, ministers who focus on politics and politicians as a means of redemption must minimize their ultimate calling and message. The road to redemption does not run through Washington, D.C. Politicians can't redeem themselves from the temptations of Washington. What makes anyone think they can redeem the rest of us?

This pulpit rebellion also presumes that congregants lack a worldview or knowledge about candidates and politics that only a pastor can address. In my church, we have many highly educated people, Republicans and Democrats, who would not take kindly to the pastor discoursing on politics anymore than they would accept legal or medical advice from their auto mechanic.

The law has done churches a favor, however inadvertent, by protecting most of them from the downside of electioneering, but a strong constitutional challenge would most likely overturn it. The flip side would be whether the politicians would then allow churches to maintain their tax-exempt status.

Whether the law is repealed, or not, churches and ministers would do better to keep their attention focused on the things above, rather than the things below, because politics can be the ultimate temptation and pollute a far superior and life-changing message.

(Cal is right there is a double standard  far as this law goes. Churches from the left don't get in as much trouble as those from the right, but he is also right churches need to focus on the Bible and that salvation can never come through politics it can only come through the Lord Jesus. When I go to church I want to hear about my Lord and His Word the Bible not who I should vote for or against. Read the whole column Pulpit Bullies.)

The Department of Education - which has a long-standing policy barring teachers from wearing campaign buttons in schools - is set to send out an e-mail this week from Schools Chancellor Joel Klein laying down the law.

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"Schools are not a place for politics and not a place for staff to wear political buttons," said department spokeswoman Ann Forte.

(I have a silly idea why doesn't  the teachers union focus on making teachers better, and making schools better so the students can do a better job. It is an outrage that the teacher's union puts so much focus on politics from the left  that they forget what the kids need. Read more on this story TEACHERS TOLD NOT TO WEAR OBAMA BUTTONS.)