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LINK Why doesn't the IRS care when churches endorse candidates from the pulpit?

On Sunday, the Texas Tribune and ProPublica published a lengthy article confirming what atheist activists and white evangelicals have known for decades now: The IRS isn’t doing a damn thing to enforce the Johnson Amendment and stop churches from endorsing political candidates from the pulpit—even though that violates the terms of their non-profit status.

Even if you don’t care about IRS rules, you need to know this: Just about all non-profit groups (including charities, cause-based organizations, and churches) are considered 501☕(3)s. With that designation, the IRS is saying these groups are not looking to make a profit but rather serve a greater cause. As a way to encourage people to give money to those groups, contributions to them may be deducted on donors’ taxes. It’s theoretically a win-win for both sides.

To keep the 501☕(3) designation, though, there are certain rules most of these groups must follow: For example, they have to fill out paperwork each year (a “Form 990&rdquo😉 detailing how much money they took in and how much is getting paid out and to whom.

They also cannot endorse political candidates.

Houses of worship actually get an even sweeter deal. They are automatically granted a tax-exempt status (while secular charities have to fill out paperwork to earn the designation) and they don’t have to fill out the Form 990 at all. (Church/state separation groups have argued that the government’s preferential treatment for houses of worship in that regard is unconstitutional.)

snytiger6 9 Nov 1
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10 comments

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1

I wish these rules were enforced. Then maybe would hear less repub and religious bs.

The problem is the IRS budget is determined by the congress which "controls the purse". No politician has yet had the guts to enforce the Johnson amendment.

4

From the viewpoint of this Australian who has seen the corruption of religion displayed in all its horrendousness in the police, in the schools and in the legislators in Australia in the early 1960s, the answer is obvious: the IRS is corrupt.

Maybe it’s time to bring back the guillotines.

I don't think the IRS is corrupt so much as there is political pressures to NOT enforce the Johnsom Amendment. The politicians are too spineless to allow it to be enforced.

Ironically, the budget of the IRS is determined by politicians.

@snytiger6 You are describing exactly what was happening in Australia in the early 1960s. I think you have been smoke screened.

3

Religions like the religious followers are always victims!!!

6

The basic underlying principle of a theocracy is: create or embrace a god, cause everyone to be subjugated to that god, control the god you created, and you will control everyone subjugated to your god.

Money is the god of this world. They use belief systems like religion in order to help establish a system where they can better operate and deceive the people into accepting this controlling power.

That is why they push religion and why they don't hold religion accountable. They create an idea that they are above the rules and the laws they force everyone else to follow.

This notorious Catholic understood this concept: "FOR HOW SHALL WE FILL PEOPLE WITH BLIND FAITH in the correctness of a doctrine, if we ourselves spread uncertainty and doubt by constant changes in its outward structure? Here, too, we can learn by the example of the Catholic Church. Though its doctrinal edifice, and in part quite superfluously, COMES INTO COLLISION WITH EXACT SCIENCE AND RESEARCH, it is none the less unwilling to sacrifice so much as one little syllable of its dogmas - IT IS ONLY SUCH DOGMAS WHICH LEND TO THE WHOLE BODY THE CHARACTER OF A FAITH." [Adolf Hitler, "Mein Kampf" Vol. 2 Chapter 5]

"I have followed [the Church] in giving our party program the character of unalterable finality, like the Creed. The Church has never allowed the Creed to be interfered with. It is fifteen hundred years since it was formulated, but every suggestion for its amendment, every logical criticism, or attack on it, has been rejected. The Church has realized that ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING can be built up on a document of that sort, no matter how contradictory or irreconcilable with it. THE FAITHFUL WILL SWALLOW IT WHOLE, SO LONG AS LOGICAL REASONING IS NEVER ALLOWED TO BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON IT" [Adolf Hitler, from Rauschning, The Voice of Destruction, pp. 239-40]

""Take man's most fantastic invention - God."/

Well said.

7

Right now as usual the Republicans have us between a rock and a hard place. Even if the Democrats hold on to Congress, enforcing the Johnson amendment would end up in the Supreme Court. Anyone here think that would turn out well for us?

During Republican administrations it was definitely not going to be done and even with a reasonable Supreme Court it wasn't done because politicians felt it would rev up the Republican base to a frenzy. I have a feeling they would get even angrier than the women that have lost their right to control their own bodies.

In a perfect world the rule of law should always be enforced and our constitution should be followed when it comes to separation of church and state.

7

Revoke the tax-exempt status of every church, synagogue, mosque, and temple that violates the Johnson Act!

All religious leaders and religious building need to lose there tax free status.

@xenoview Yeah, you're right. They don't deserve tax-exempt status anyway.

The IRS lacks the cojones and the level of ethical needed to do that.

4

Because Dems are afraid to confront religion, Xtian or Islamic, for fear that they will be encroaching on the constitutional Right to religious convictions. It's also because Dems have long been in bed with religion, as evidenced by our current POTUS being a devout Catholic, but unwilling to inseminate the public with mandates. We just coddle it, kiss Jesus' ass, and joyfully celebrate their holidays as fun (gleefully parting with money to enrich The Red Cross for proselytizing efforts). When it comes to god the Dems are almost as bad as the Xtian Theocrats.

5

Just like big pharma, big oil, the insurance industry and the multinational food conglomerates.

Just buy the right politicians.

7

Because the Johnson Amendment was little enforced for decades and after Bush Jr and Trump all but annulled it, the churches have pretty much been thumbing their noses at the whole idea.

9

ALL churches and religious groups should not have tax-exempt status.
So much for "law and order ".
😡😡😡

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