Cute Little Federal Governments

Want to help young people be physically fit? Consider giving to the Capital Athletic Foundation. Want to contribute to a foundation for good ideas about better relations around the globe? Consider giving to the American International Center. Want to give a generous helping hand to all kinds of disadvantaged people all over the place? Consider giving to the Good Things for All People Foundation.

When the federal government found out that a good way to be its brother's keeper was to institutionalize good-deed-doing through non-profit incorporation, it had to have known that a lot of people would really really try to be good-deed-doing by signing on, but fail miserably. And that they would not just fail but criminally fail, as in, "What a great scam! I can just pretend that I'm doing good things for everyone, and I get a nice cut! In fact, why even do the good things? Why not pretend to be real good! More money for me! And with our society so codependent, so addicted to 'doing good' even when they're still very bad, it'll be easy!"

The recent scandal involving super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff now involves very questionable non-profits that he set up deliberately to funnel money to him and his interests. The first non-profits in that first paragraph were two of those (that third one wasn't, but it sounds like a really good thing, doesn't it? Who knows, maybe I'll make it a 501c3 and whammo, just like that, start getting some nice checks in the mail...)

I can't help think that the whole 501c3 is all about making miniature Cain agencies, thousands of them, all over the country. In the book of Genesis, chapter 4, you'll note that Cain went out into his wandering with the obsession to show God that he could be his brother's keeper, and went on to build a city. Many joined him convinced they could have all the cool stuff he made and still sin. As the legacy of Cain, our government does the very same thing: deftly market how good and powerful it is, how it is the salvation for people terrorized by not only the evildoing around them but the evildoing of themselves.

501c3 organizations do exactly the same thing. They are all cute little toddler federal governments.

Every 501c3 church conducts its business in virtually the same way as Caesar does. Pastors, ministers, and board members all sign on because they are all still sinners afraid of their own inability to truly touch those around them with Christ's love. They know that they must have the power of the law to mitigate their evildoing, and it may do that for a bit, but the fact is they are still not wholly free unless they were actually in the embrace of Christ.

I think if they really knew this and acted on it, they'd see. They'd see they've been just another government monitored entity, in league with Jack Abramoff and all the other evildoers who try to be good little non-profit good-deed-doers. They may indeed sometimes provide a spittle of relief to people, but ultimately leave them destitute, separate from the One who provides a gushing spring that never runs dry.

Interesting how politicians in Washington can't run away fast enough from any connection to Abramoff.

How come our churches aren't doing the same?

If you want to know what's with this 501c3 stuff, look here.

And what is the real deal with the law? Look here for that.

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