NOTE: One of the chief offenders in spreading lies in the SBC is the Capstone Report, which anonymously publishes a string of half-truths and falsehoods, without conscience. They recently made up a story about Dr. Jason Allen that was related to his involvement with “Soros-funded EIT” and to everyone’s surprise, had the common decency to retract the story when it was demonstrated to be false. They stand by their lies about the EIT and ERLC and show absolutely no integrity or Christianity in any other area, but at least they had the decency to correct this lie. It is a start.
I have heard it so many times – “the Soros-funded ERLC.”
It is stated as a fact by many that our Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission has funding ties with the liberal icon George Soros. Breitbart.com recently repeated the lie, suggesting that the Evangelical Immigration Table, with which ERLC partners, has ties to Soros.
I am a conservative in every way, but the tendency of many in conservative circles to adopt an ethic that allows lying to advance their cause is disturbing. If we serve the God of truth we need to tell the truth.
The truth is simple: George Soros does not fund the ERLC or the EIT.
Baptist Press has released a statement clarifying the facts surrounding this stream of falsehoods.
Here are some of the facts from that statement.
EIT is a nonpartisan coalition of evangelical groups who partner together to advocate for a bipartisan solution on immigration.
Several evangelical organizations serve as the formal “heads” of the coalition, including World Relief, the Assemblies of God, the National Association of Evangelicals and the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Numerous individuals, while not a part of the coalition itself, have also joined EIT’s Statement of Principles as signatories. This includes Southern Baptist leaders Jason Allen, Danny Akin, Ronnie Floyd, Kevin Ezell, J.D. Greear, Johnny Hunt, Bryant Wright, Jack Graham, Fred Luter, James Merritt and many others.
The ERLC has a seat at the EIT.
The ERLC frequently participates with coalition groups on issues important to Southern Baptists. ERLC’s work with a coalition does not signify agreement with the other coalition members on every issue.
As such, the ERLC continues to work with other members of EIT to advocate for a solution to immigration reform. The ERLC originally partnered with EIT under the leadership of then-president Richard Land, partly in response to the Southern Baptist Convention’s 2011 resolution, “On Immigration and the Gospel,” which called for a just and compassionate solution to immigration reform. Messengers to the 2018 SBC annual meeting likewise passed a resolution “On Immigration,” and current ERLC president Russell Moore has remained part of the coalition, advocating for immigration reform as stated in both the 2011 and 2018 resolutions.
Where does George Soros come in?
He doesn’t. George Soros has absolutely no part in the ERLC’s work or in that of the EIT.
There is another organization called the National Immigration Forum which has received a small amount of funding from Soros, about 2% of its budget. That organization has made awarded grants to the Evangelical Immigration Table for specific purposes.
Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum said this.
Quite simply, there has never been a single penny from George Soros that has gone toward the work of the Evangelical Immigration Table.
ERLC has never received funding from Soros or any Soros-funded organization.
My church supports a ministry (led by my wife) that is involved in opposing human trafficking. She is on the board of a local community organization that seeks to combat trafficking and seeks grants from a variety of sources. By the logic of those who accuse ERLC of Soros-funding, my church is under the control of charities which give grants to the organization on which my wife serves. It strains credulity.
Some of these blogs are more interested in making their points than in telling the truth. An organization that receives minuscule funding from Soros gave a few grants to the Evangelical Immigration Table, in which the ERLC participates and suddenly, they are “Soros-funded organizations.”
It is not true.
- Some people spread things that are untrue because they believe they are true. Hopefully, those people, learning the truth, will correct the record and stop spreading falsehoods.
- Those who continue to spread these lies when they know they are lies are liars. Those who continue to call the EIT or ERLC “Soros-funded” show themselves to lack integrity.
It is either ignorance or a lack of integrity that causes one to call the ERLC and the EIT “Soros-funded.” Neither is a quality that honors Christ.
Read the full BP article. Jonathan Howe was a great hire there.
