Dear Doug,<BR><BR>Indeed it is a sad thing when one is caught upon the horns of his own <BR>words - and our community is doubtless ever grateful for your <BR>pointing it out. Alas, a sadder day yet, when he who is called to a <BR>higher standard (e.g., a pastor in the service of the Lord) falls <BR>victim to same - applying the self-same moral code more strictly to <BR>other than to himself. And to watch the self justifying that ensues <BR>(<A href="http://dougwils.com/index.asp?Action=Anchor&CategoryID=1&BlogID=1101" target=_blank><FONT color=blue>http://dougwils.com/index.asp?Action=Anchor&CategoryID=1&BlogID=1101</FONT></A>) - a <BR>pity indeed.<BR><BR>So my boy, let this little passage serve as a reminder - alleged <BR>hypocrasy in others does little to remove the logs from our own eyes.<BR><BR>The following passage was posted by one "Chris Maland" (likely a <BR>false name) back in late May. Nonetheless, the content is just a <BR>relevant today as in May, for one reason - Doug is still justifying <BR>himself.<BR><BR>Enough prelude, here is the passage.<BR>----------------------------<BR>In light of the recent zoning complaints filed at the behest of your Pastor<BR>(Douglas Wilson) by his subordinates, it is worth considering Wilson’s<BR>recent statements concerning the ethics of taking legal actions for mere<BR>illustrative purposes.<BR><BR>Within the last month (on Wednesday, April 25, 2005, at 1:30 in the<BR>afternoon) Wilson, met with the Board of Latah County Commissioner (BOCC) to<BR>discuss the alleged selective enforcement of property tax laws. For<BR>confirmation of this fact, click this link:<BR><BR><A href="http://66.102.7.104/customq=cache:qpVt9jZjnu8J:www.latah.id.us/Dept/BOCC/2005/04_25_05_Agenda.pdf+%22Doug+Wilson%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8" target=_blank><FONT color=blue>http://66.102.7.104/customq=cache:qpVt9jZjnu8J:www.latah.id.us/Dept/BOCC/2005/04_25_05_Agenda.pdf+%22Doug+Wilson%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8</FONT></A><BR><BR>Wilson highlights the similarity he sees between the zoning and the<BR>tax-exemption issues, on his monoblog post of May 24, 2005 (caps are mine):<BR><BR>“…given the current ruling, the zoning code is now free to be used as a<BR>weapon by citizens who only want to be Puritans for one day, and only for<BR>one building, only for one church, and only for one church’s people. And oh,<BR>by the way, THE SAME GOES FOR PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION.”<BR><BR>An abridged version of the relevant portion of the discussion between Wilson<BR>and the BOCC is transcripted below:<BR><BR>Doug: …Our adversaries have been overt about what they want to do. They want<BR>to run us out of town. And they are using every device that they can get<BR>their hands on to do that. And so, whatever you do, I would implore you to<BR>do it consistently and across the board. That means, if—<BR><BR>Commissioner #1: I’m sure that’s our goal.<BR><BR>Commissioner #2: …I struggled very hard to follow the law, and what was<BR>right and equal. And so, I certainly am not going to change my position as<BR>far as equality and religious freedom and all those things that we all have<BR>access to.<BR><BR>Doug: I appreciate that, but we’re a year later and there are two entities<BR>that have had the tax-exempt removed and those are our two. And the next two<BR>that are on the docket are two more that I sit on the board of. And there is<BR>no action that has been taken concerning any other tax-exmept entity in<BR>Moscow. AND I’M NOT GOING TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST ALL THE ENTITIES<BR>BECAUSE WHAT’S BEEN TO US, I BELIEVE IS UNJUST. SO, I’M CERTAINLY NOT GOING<BR>TO ILLUSTRATE THE INJUSTICE OF IT BY FILING A SIMILAR COMPLAINT AGAINST THE<BR>PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ACROSS THE STREET. I’M NOT GOING TO DO THAT…<BR><BR>Commissioner #1: Well, I appreciate that. And I know, if somebody protested<BR>any other tax-exempt organization, I would treat it the same as I have this<BR>here, except that, unfortunately right now, you’re the only one that has<BR>been protested.<BR><BR>Doug: That’s exactly the point. AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO FILE COMPLAINTS<BR>AGAINST THESE OTHERS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE WRONG TO DO SO. I would just like<BR>you to be aware of what’s going on in the bigger picture. There’s a reason<BR>why we’re the only entities coming before you. There is a reason for that.<BR>And it’s a publicly documented reason. So…<BR><BR>Commissioner #1: Ok.<BR><BR>Doug: Thank you, Gentlemen.<BR>
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