Pastor Makes Meaningless Endorsement

Although the media dutifully shows up when he calls, one Buena Park pastor thinks he's taking a stand against the IRS by making a meaningless presidential endorsement:

BUENA PARK – Contending government wasn't going to push him around, a pastor today announced he's backing a third-party candidate for president.

"The church is not endorsing a candidate, I am personally endorsing a candidate," said Pastor Wiley Drake of the First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park.

Drake spoke out in front of his congregation before launching into his sermon – the same day pastors across the country were scheduled to make similar statements in defiance of an IRS rule prohibiting the endorsement of candidates from the pulpit.

The Alliance Defense Fund organized the day as "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" encouraging pastors to exercise their First Amendment rights to preach about the moral qualifications of candidates seeking political office, despite federal tax regulations prohibiting preachers from intervening in a political campaign.

"I'm angry because the government, the IRS and some churches have taken away the right of pastors to endorse who they damn well please," Drake said during his sermon to approximately 40 people in attendance, along with another 10 members of the press. Later during his sermon, Drake, who has staked out controversial positions in the past, came out with his own personal endorsement from behind the pulpit.

"I'm here to tell you that I personally endorse Alan Keyes as our next president of the United States," said Drake. "There's no way a Christian can vote for Barack Obama. You could vote for John McCain. I want you to vote your conscience. Let the Bible act as your guide."

Keyes is the candidate of the American Independent party, which says it asserts a pro-life, pro-family view.

Any wonder why there's only 40 people in that church? Wiley's been chasing media attention for years. He fought with the city for a long time over housing of the homeless that he was doing on church property without a permit, and his latest publicity gig is this IRS protest.

You'd think a church has existed in the community for as long as this church has would be able to draw a decent-sized crowd, but despite the fact that his church is located in one of the most populous parts of Orange County, nobody wants to attend there.

Gee, I wonder why?