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Pastors Deliberately Violate Law

Mon, 09/29/2008 - 12:09 — linda
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Anti-gay pastors in civil disobedience protest

A group of pastors is deliberately challenging the rules that prohibit endorsement of candidates. They aren't being subtle and trying to fly under the radar. It's a brazen act that has the potential make the already murky separation between church and state even more blurry.

Churches (or other non-profit organizations) should not be endorsing candidates. If they do, then their organizations should lose their non-profit status. It's pretty straightforward. This is one to write the congressman about. Not that I expect most to pay attention right now.

Comments

Mon, 09/29/2008 - 13:57 — Doug (not verified)

Tax-exempt and Freedom of Religion

Having heard many interviews on NPR on this subject, the argument seems to be:

  • Churches are Tax-free because of freedom of Religion. The power to tax is the power to destroy.
  • Thus limits on what can be said from the pulpit infringe on either Freedom of Speech (prior restraint) or Freedom of Religion (taxation).

But as a Gun Nut, I'll submit that many rights are taxed.

  • permits to protest/assemble.
  • Property taxes on presses
  • business taxes (giving money is protected as free speech. Yet earning money is taxed)
  • And, as mentioned above, all sorts of taxes on "having arms" (Now a Right, thanks to Heller)

So, Freedom of X does not imply tax-freedom for X. Thus, the churches Tax-Free status is a privilege, not a right. And thus the government can put limitations on that privilege. Churches are free to endorse any candidate they want. They are also free to pay the taxes they otherwise avoid.