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Lynn doesn’t see government prohibition against political campaigning from the pulpit as censorship, but as a trade-off. Churches are exempt from taxes, he says, in return for not using the proceeds for political activities.
“Nothing is being squelched,” he said. “The only thing being required in exchange for the lucrative tax exemption is that you don’t participate in partisan activity.”
Despite the threat of losing their churches’ tax-exempt status — a potentially huge financial blow — pastors participating in Sunday’s protest will do so openly. After previous Pulpit Freedom Sundays, some pastors sent tapes and recordings of their sermons to the IRS in hopes of prodding the government into a public fight.
Stanley insists that the Alliance Defense Fund is politically nonpartisan. “We are focused on making sure a pastor has the right to freely speak from his pulpit without fear of punishment,” he said, adding that preachers from a wide array of denominations including Mormons, Catholics, Anglicans and Quakers will participate on Sunday.
But Lynn counters that there isn’t much political diversity among this Sunday’s participating pastors. “In almost every instance, the person being endorsed is a conservative candidate,” he insisted.
Pulpit Freedom Sunday’s ultimate goal is the repeal of an amendment to the tax code that became law in 1954. The so-called Johnson Amendment marked the beginning of the end for tax-exempt organizations that endorsed political candidates. In 1987 the IRS regulation was broadened to also forbid opposing candidates.
All tax-exempt organizations covered by Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code — not just churches — fall under the Johnson Amendment’s umbrella. But the Alliance Defense Fund is only fighting for the rights of religious groups, and this threatens to become a sticking point if the IRS should ever decide to relent.
“If they did it for religious groups, they would have to do it for all non-profits across the board,” said Lynn. “I don’t encourage that, but you could do it.
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Interesting turn.
If a corp is a person in the eyes of the law, would a 501 corp also be a person?
I did not post the whole article.
Lynn doesn’t see government prohibition against political campaigning from the pulpit as censorship, but as a trade-off. Churches are exempt from taxes, he says, in return for not using the proceeds for political activities.
“Nothing is being squelched,” he said. “The only thing being required in exchange for the lucrative tax exemption is that you don’t participate in partisan activity.”
Despite the threat of losing their churches’ tax-exempt status — a potentially huge financial blow — pastors participating in Sunday’s protest will do so openly. After previous Pulpit Freedom Sundays, some pastors sent tapes and recordings of their sermons to the IRS in hopes of prodding the government into a public fight.
Stanley insists that the Alliance Defense Fund is politically nonpartisan. “We are focused on making sure a pastor has the right to freely speak from his pulpit without fear of punishment,” he said, adding that preachers from a wide array of denominations including Mormons, Catholics, Anglicans and Quakers will participate on Sunday.
But Lynn counters that there isn’t much political diversity among this Sunday’s participating pastors. “In almost every instance, the person being endorsed is a conservative candidate,” he insisted.
Pulpit Freedom Sunday’s ultimate goal is the repeal of an amendment to the tax code that became law in 1954. The so-called Johnson Amendment marked the beginning of the end for tax-exempt organizations that endorsed political candidates. In 1987 the IRS regulation was broadened to also forbid opposing candidates.
All tax-exempt organizations covered by Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code — not just churches — fall under the Johnson Amendment’s umbrella. But the Alliance Defense Fund is only fighting for the rights of religious groups, and this threatens to become a sticking point if the IRS should ever decide to relent.
“If they did it for religious groups, they would have to do it for all non-profits across the board,” said Lynn. “I don’t encourage that, but you could do it.
...
Interesting turn.
If a corp is a person in the eyes of the law, would a 501 corp also be a person?
I did not post the whole article.
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