Christian Tea

With yesterday being tax day (also known as the annual don't go to the crazy post office day), there was another round of "TEA Party" rallies across the country. Although there are some problems discussed at these events that are reaching new levels (like government spending and debt), it is interesting that there is so much attention to taxes. After all, the overall tax rate is currently lower than it was before Barack Obama became president and taxes are pretty low when compared to the past century of rates. What is also interesting is the high level of involvement of some Christian leaders with a movement that is primarily economic in focus. Perhaps it is a broadening of the political agenda beyond a couple of social issues or perhaps it is simply an effort to support their partisan allies regardless of the issues. Here are some examples of Christian leaders being involved in "TEA Party" events yesterday: Faith & Freedom Coalition leader Ralph Reed spoke at a rally in Atlanta, Vision America leader Rick Scarborough spoke at an event in Tulsa (and was one of the main speakers at the "TEA Party National Convention" earlier this year), Phyllis Schlafly spoke at a rally in Kalamazoo, Rick Green of WallBuilders spoke at a Houston event, and numerous local pastors prayed or spoke at other rallies. Last year, the American Family Association sponsored its own day of rallies across the country, and many others have been involved with events over the past year or voiced support for the efforts. Interestingly, conservative Christian leader Chuck Colson recently offered his criticism of the "TEA Party" movement in a Christianity Today piece. This movement is likely to continue, but it remains unknown just what its political impact will be or if Christian leaders will remain an important part of the effort.