
<p>Religion in America is protected by the Constitution. Religions also enjoy 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. They pay no tax on income on purchases. That latter privilege has a stipulation, however. They are prohibited from engaging in partisan politics.</p>



<p>But they do. Some call it a grey area. But it is not as grey as the religious community would have us believe. Churches often use their power and authority over the faithful to push political agendas. Most recently, we see that in the Episcopal Church – which is taking a politically partisan stand against President Trump and his immigration policies.</p>



<p>Washington D.C. prelate Bishop Mariann Budde recently issued an Internet video message to the world. It was a highly political message cloaked as a religious sermon – and is part of a number of Episcopal bishops producing such videos. Since their messages are partisan, they lack objectivity and devotion to truth over the biased narrative.</p>



<p>To get a fuller grasp on the Episcopal Church’s political messaging, it is educational to take a detailed look at the messages and offer the counterpoints. In this case, I have chosen Budde’s video as a good example.</p>



<p>Budde opens by accusing ICE of <em>“doubling down on incredibly aggressive tactics [against] of all manner of people with no accountability and complete immunity from the federal government”.</em> That is minimally hyperbolic, potentially provocative and factually untrue. The shooter in the Alex Pretti case is currently the subject of a federal civil rights investigation. The shooter in the Renee Good case is under a normal federal investigation that ensues when a death is involved. There are also federal civil suits in both cases.</p>



<p>Budde goes on. <em>“We are seeing how children are detained. We saw how a child was used as bait to lure his parents outside.”</em> No, we did not. Those claims are emotionally charged but misrepresent the truth and the facts. ICE does not arrest children. They will take temporary protective custody when there is no other option. In the case of little Liam Ramos, he was outside with the father. (The mother recently took to the media to describe her “terror” in seeing her child being taken away. This is the same woman who refused to open the door when ICE agents made several attempts to return Liam to her. It was then that the father suggested that the child stay with him.)</p>



<p>ICE has had tens of thousands of children dropped at its doorstep – brought into the United States and lost by the Biden administration. The Trump administration is making a major effort to find and reunite those children. One would think the Episcopal Church would be interested in the welfare of so many by working with the administration to find those kids. But that does not comport with Budde’s or the Episcopal Church’s political mission.</p>



<p>Budde continues. <em>“We’ve seen people dragged from their homes and their cars.”</em> Yes, that is what arrests look like – especially when the person resists. Most of those (more than 75 percent) you see being “dragged” from homes and cars have criminal records or have been ordered to be deported. Others are in violation of their status. And others, including American citizens, are being arrested for interfering with or attacking police – including violent attacks. There is no swooping down on communities and rounding up folks. They are targeted arrests of those eligible for deportation.</p>



<p>Budde goes on. <em>“We’ve seen peaceful protesters being attacked simply for filming what they see – and in two instances, we’ve witnessed via video two Americans shot and killed.” </em>Sorry to say, that is a lie. Truly peaceful protestors are not being “attacked” by ICE. The confrontations come with protesters interfering with police or breaking the law. One can also see – including Budde – scores of individuals “filming” without incident.</p>



<p>What Budde also witnessed, but chooses not to see or admit, was the tragic death of two violent protesters who were resisting arrest. The shooting in the Good case seems clearly justified under policing rules and policies. The Pretti case is more nuanced, and we should withhold judgment until the various investigations are completed. Neither of them, however, was the sweet gentle people portrayed in fabricated pity stories in the left-wing media. And both of them would be alive today had they not resisted arrest.</p>



<p>And more from Budde. <em>“We are also seeing across the state of Minnesota hundreds of thousands of people who are determined to care for their neighbors and to stand up for the communities that they love. People are volunteering to help teach children who are sequestered in their homes, donating food, delivering groceries. We’ve seen doctors and nurses protect their patients.”</em></p>



<p>“Hundreds of thousands of people in the state of Minnesota” is a gross exaggeration. Budde omits, however, that we also saw hundreds – perhaps even thousands &#8212; of people protesting violently – attacking police personnel, vehicles and property. These were not protesters. They were rioters.</p>



<p>And more from Budde. <em>We’ve seen neighbors holding candlelight vigils in the dark, and one Friday afternoon, tens of thousands walking in sub-zero weather to show in common witness solidarity and support for </em><em><strong>those in Minnesota who are being targeted with a policy of fear. </strong></em><em>And they are asking us not only to tell their story, but to connect the dots and to see what is happening in Minnesota. How it’s related to </em><em><strong>a national policy of extreme immigration enforcement that we are witnessing in state after state</strong></em><em>.”</em></p>



<p>There is no “policy of fear”. The only individuals who need to be concerned are those who are scheduled for deportation. Budde calls it “extreme immigration enforcement &#8230; in state after state.” In fact, what we are seeing is almost unique to Minnesota. In almost every other state, ICE is doing its job with the cooperation of local officials and without interference from the populace. Budde’s hyperbole borders on outright disinformation &#8212; lies.</p>



<p>Then there is Budde’s call to action. <em>“And you may be wondering – as many of us are – what is yours to do. I am here to say that this is a moment for all of us across the nation. And we will all do something – something large, something small. We can look around and see who among our neighbors are in need of our care. We can donate our resources to agencies that are providing protection and care and also </em><em><strong>subscribe to those media outlets that are determined to show us what is happening on the ground</strong></em><em>. We can use our intellectual power and willingness to learn, to understand our constitutional rights and what the federal government has the right and authority to do and what they cannot do according to the Constitution. </em><em><strong>We can use our political power.</strong></em><em> We can, of course, </em><em><strong>vote when the elections come up</strong></em><em> in the coming year. But we can also </em><em><strong>express our thoughts in local media.</strong></em><em> We can </em><em><strong>subscribe to petitions</strong></em><em>. We can </em><em><strong>write our senators</strong></em><em> particularly now this week when funding for the agencies is being debated. We can also care for each other – and that is perhaps that is the largest and most important message of all that this is our moment to determine who we areas Americans. Who we are as the United States of America. And I believe, and I have seen, how Minnesota is showing us all &#8230; is showing us the way. And we can </em><em><strong>follow their example</strong></em><em> wherever we are and do what we can to recreate and restore fabrics of kindness that sustain us all.”</em></p>



<p>In this, Budde places her Church in the heart of the left-wing political movement – the left-wing establishment. It is a highly politically partisan call for action. Budde and the Episcopal Church are not addressing the issues with clarity, honesty and objectivity, but rather participating in the left-wing partisan narratives – the propaganda. These kinds of provocative statements do not mitigate the situation, they exacerbate it.</p>



<p>So, there ‘tis.</p>

Episcopal Church Goes Full Anti-ICE … Anti-Reality
