This one is about the role of government and fraudulent spirituality, reminiscent of the scene from “Ghosts” when spiritualist Whoopie Goldberg actually sees a ghost.
Years ago, I read of Herodotus’ account of Amasis, king of Egypt. As a disclaimer, Herodotus has a reputation for repeating the words of liars in his historical compilations, and those who call him a liar are accused of revisionism. The reader therefore is referred to his own inner light before political correctness makes it impossible to tell any story without a billion excuses.
Anyhoo, Herodotus said Amasis was a party animal who often had to appear before oracles for judgment. When he became king, he dismissed all the oracles who had acquitted him, because he knew they were fakes.
That brings us to another mix of church and state that feels a little creepy. Anytime society feels discomfort these days, the legislative response to perceived voter opinion is to legislate, legislate, and legislate. In Jackson County, people who are evidently not destitute for money are scamming churches, posing as indigents. Really? What church that has been around the block has not encountered this? As a church, those holding the purse strings have traditionally chosen to forego material gifts and offer “such as they have,” given unconditionally and counted it a blessing, or given the candlesticks also to try to buy the soul of an honest man. Evidently, those tactics no longer work as well as putting a church’s email address on a list:
Sheriff’s Office personnel are asking all area churches to contact them to provide an email address for their church. This list will be used to strengthen relations between law enforcement and congregations by encouraging communication, Queen said. It will also allow the Sheriff’s Office to send out alerts as needed, he said.
The alerts might warn those churches that don’t wish to be about their Father’s business, “Hide! A sinner approacheth!”
