Why let any organization have non-profit status, then? Churches are as deserving of non-profit status as any of the other non-profits. Once again, where is the limitation on free speech in the Constitution to those who pay taxes? Do we have to "pay" for our free speech with taxes? Plenty of people, and other organizations, don't, and they still have free speech rights.
Nobody in a church has to vote the way any Pastor or Priest tells him/her to. But commenting on moral/political issues should be the job of any Pastor or Priest who has something to say on a given issue.
This is a grossly unconstitutional law, and is also manifestly unfairly applied (only a secondary issue).
Amen. The church as seen by the Founders was principally made up of tax paying citizens. And as the Gov. itself is the largest non-profit, and yet suppported by taxes, a requirement that an org. must be a paying taxes to express pol. speech is problematic.
I agree with all the reasons why churches shouldn’t pay taxes.
But right now, they are afraid of loosing their non-profit status, and that is ridiculous. The churches need to become vocal.