'Pulpit Freedom Sunday' to Defy IRS

[Judi Lynn]

Source: ABC News

'Pulpit Freedom Sunday' to Defy IRS
Pastors Across the U.S. Say They Will Defy Law and Talk Politics
By KEVIN DOLAK
Sept. 25, 2010

Nearly 100 pastors across the country planned to take part in Pulpit Freedom Sunday, an in-your-face challenge Sunday to what the government says can and cannot be said in church.

The pastors, along with the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based nonprofit Alliance Defense Fund, are reacting to a law stating that churches are not allowed to support politicians from the pulpit, according to the ADF.

The growing trend is a challenge to the IRS from the churches, and may jeopardize their all-important tax-exempt status. But some pastors and church leaders said they are willing to defy the law to defending their right to freedom of speech.

Federal tax law, established in 1954, prohibits churches and tax exempt entities from endorsing or opposing political candidates.



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/defiant-pastors-irs-pulpit-freedom-sunday/story?id=11726610

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[williesgirl]

1. And EVERY one of their churches should lose their tax exempt status immediately.

Fuck them. rec'd

[cstanleytech]

2. 100% agree.

[SouthernLiberal]

5. Count me in, too!

I'm not convinced that churches deserve a tax exemption to begin with, since that puts the federal government in charge of deciding what is and what is not a church. These churches are perfectly free to become political, if they want, but then they are no longer only places of worship, and do not merit the tax deduction for such places.

This is not a limitation of free speech. They will, of course, argue that it is. Perhaps the rest of us should then claim that our free speech is denied because we have to pay taxes.

[AlecBGreen]

3. yup

nt

[Zavulon]

17. I'n for every church losing tax-free status whether they support candidates or not,

but I really hope the IRS goes after these assholes in particular.

[cstanleytech]

23. I am not sure if i could support that extreme of a measure.

Now taxing them for any property they are renting to earn income I could see but otherwise as long as they follow the rules about not supporting or opposing a political candidate I am willing to let them slide on paying taxes.

[naaman fletcher]

27. agreed. nt

[chieffeathers]

20. transparent

Churches aren't recreation yet it seems to me that entertainment is more a pulpit style these days than preaching to the choir.

Pretty soon churches will be on the Dow And Jones list of recreation and development.
(Not to mention a hot bed of philosophical pandering using religion as a mask for willing their mighty way upon the masses.) Pretty transparent if you ask me.

[chieffeathers]

21. transparent

Churches aren't recreation yet it seems to me that entertainment is more a pulpit style these days than preaching to the choir.

Pretty soon churches will be on the Dow And Jones list of recreation and development.
(Not to mention a hot bed of philosophical pandering using religion as a mask for willing their mighty way upon the masses.) Pretty transparent if you ask me.

[Gormy Cuss]

24. Well, yeah. The government isn't forcing them to declare exempt status.

Churches have the God-given right to pay taxes on earnings rather than live with the Federal guidelines for exempt institutions.

[peacebird]

25. agree 100%!

[Newsjock]

4. If tax-exempt status is 'all-important' to these churches ...

... then perhaps they're not really churches after all. Whatever word they are delivering to their congregations, it is not the word of God.

[trusty elf]

16. "perhaps they're not really churches after all"

Pulpit Fiction?

:D

[Plucketeer]

6. Balance the federal till with the collection plates!

[Teaser]

7. 100 pastors is chump change

.

[felix_numinous]

8. If this law is not upheld, the separation of church and state

will be further dismantled.

[COLGATE4]

9. The sad part is that I believe there's absolutely no way that

this Justice Department or the IRS will take any action against them. We're too busy cowering in the corner these days.

[bluedigger]

10. They've been in the game forever and a day.

I welcome their joining the rest of the tax paying body politic.

[rpannier]

11. There'll be a sharply worded letter sent to those ministers

It might even raise to the level of terse and then... nothing
We'll be told it isn't politically prudent to do any more

[denbot]

12. The Pukes will forget how loudly they screamed for blood when pastors spoke out agaist the War.

They wanted those churches shut down..

[alfredo]

13. I wonder if any of those churches do any charitable work

in their community? Do they do anything to justify their tax exempt status, or are they just drains on society?

[CubicleGuy]

14. Yes, freedom of speech is a right

Tax exempt status, on the other hand; not so much.

[krispos42]

15. If the pastors want to be political pundits, then that's fine...

...but don't expect the taxpayer to subsidize them.

[indimuse]

18. I think I've had about ENOUGH

of the RELIGIOUS RIGHT!! PAY UP!!!

[ixion]

19. Good. Bring it. Churches are a business like any other, and should pay taxes

just like all other businesses.

[Cirque du So-What]

22. I guess Jesus was just fuckin' around

when he said 'render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's,' eh? No matter how fundie snake-oil salesmen clergymen spin that phrase, they still can't justify breaking the fucking law.

[kickysnana]

26. Easy, give up the non-profit status and talk away..all orgs are held to the same standard. n/t

[Atticus]

28. I have already emailed my senator (Durbin) and urged that these "churches" be stripped of their

tax-free status and taxed on all their 2010 income just as any business would be.

[Roland99]

29. Because Justice Sunday worked so well 5 years ago....

fucking idiots.

Tax the fucking shit out of them.

[mikeSchmuckabee]

30. Good, tax them back to the stone-age.

Ooops too late.

[daleo]

31. Speak all you like

But pay the appropriate taxes...render unto Caesar and all that.