Minister Challenge IRS regulations:

[Keith_Hixson]

Politics From Pulpit Will Deliver Challenge to IRS

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- About 30 ministers across the U.S. plan to protest federal tax laws Sunday by endorsing a presidential candidate from their pulpits, the Wall Street Journal reported, in a move orchestrated by a conservative legal-advocacy group.

A group of ministers in Ohio has also filed a complaint with the IRS to stop the conservative group from encouraging pastors to take political sides, the Associated Press reported. The group of 55 religious leaders from Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and other states said Monday the actions by the Alliance Defense Fund jeopardize the separation of church and state.

The Alliance Defense Fund hopes that at least one sermon will prod the IRS to take action, sparking a court fight over a law that bars nonprofits from partisan political activity, the AP reported. Alliance and several ministers taking part in the protest insist that the law is unconstitutional and believe they would prevail in a court battle.

Some experts say the churches are misguided, and their nonprofit status can be lawfully regulated, the Journal said. "Congress has created a provision" to exempt churches from taxes, "and that provision has restrictions," says Donald Tobin, associate law-school dean at Ohio State University and a former Justice Department attorney. Churches "are obligated to follow them if they want the benefit."

The Alliance Defense Fund says ministers should have the right to speak spiritual truths about societal issues without fear of losing their tax exempt status, the AP said. The ministers opposing the initiative say it's inappropriate for lawyers to be encouraging ministers to break the law.

[Advisor]

How 'bout this. Give up the nonprofit benefit from the government...no problem. When will people learn that when you get a bennie from Unka Sammy there is always a downside. Kinda like taking the king's shilling.
Don't be beholden to Sam & you can say whatever you want politically.
Frankly I don't agree with churches endorsing candidates..criticizing policy is different.

[Keith_Hixson]

This is an IRS determination and not a law per se. Ministers and Churches cannot officially endorse a particular candidate or engage in political agendas as an official policy. Both liberal and conservative churches often endorse political issues and as some church leaders say, it is hard to tell the difference between a political issue and morality. For instance, abortion, gay marriage, etc. Various denomination are on either side of the issue and promote their views which is "against the law." But both the liberal and conservatives denominations violate the law somewhat.
What these minister are saying is: we feel we have the right to endorse a candidate base on his/her stand on the moral issues. And in their sermons they tried to explain just why they wanted the people to vote a certain way based upon their moral beliefs about that individual. They believe its a freedom of speech issue. I personally don't preach politics from the pulpit. But, I agree with you to a certain extent that tax exempt means limited political involvement or is that taking away a right, freedom of speech. Both sides have some valid points. However, there are some very tax exempt non profit organization that are very public with their speech, ie. The Democrat Party and The Republican Party, are they going to take away their tax exemptions, think about it. Let's tax all the money that flows through those parties. If they are tax exempt and political why can't churches be the same? Most ministers, both liberal and conservative, believe there is a double standard there, and I believe that's what will catch the IRS regulation as being unconstitutional and unfair, you must apply the same standard to churches that you do other tax exempt organizations.

Keith

[Advisor]

I do agree about the double standard. However, the Church does have a higher standard (or at least it should). My own, very personal opinion, is that churches should be taxed on their properties and facilities. Perhaps this would slow the frenzy of building and empire building so the Church can get back to what it is supposed to do..preach the Gospel.

[Keith_Hixson]

In the State of Washington church property exceeding 5 acres is taxed. Of course there are exceptions, camp grounds and recreational facilities are given some exemptions. So, many churches do pay some tax. We aren't given tax exemptions on sales tax and we ministers pay every tax that everyone else does. Of course a minister can file as self-employed with IRS which allows us to have a few more exemptions than the average person, but not anymore than any other self-employed individual. Churches and ministers do pay taxes, no one is totally tax exempt.

Keith

[Seascamp]

My rule; when a religious organization uses the pulpit for political purposes, I vanish, as in poof. I’ll have none of it. Same with charities or supposedly non-partisan orgs like La Raza that say one thing but do quite the opposite. In the last months I have gotten scolded by a number of orgs that I have ceased to provide any funding. Oh boy, they can really turn on the guilt trips, but water off a duck's back, man.
Last church service I went to had the place working alive with hespainc gang punks; presumably seeking absolution in advance. I spotted six and left before the first word was spoken, no more of that for me and no more funding from me either, fini.

Scamp