Posted on 11/03/2014 12:38:59 PM PST by SeekAndFind
They should. But if Joel Osteen did it, he’d tell his people that the water is fine, don’t change horses.
The IRS is deathly afraid of a challenge getting to SCOTUS. Based on how they’ve ruled on things like Citizens United in recent years, they’d likely chuck this stupid rule once and for all.
And even then it would only matter if you were audited.
There has been a trend in recent SCOTUS opinions that indicate the IRS regulation would be deemed unconstitutional. The Court has usually decided establishment and free exercise cases as restricting religion in American public life (Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius being a notable exception). However, where the religious entity has been able to argue an independent claim of exercise of Free Speech, the Court has shown an increasing willingness to rule against the government. And this is political speech, which has routinely received the highest protection under the 1st Amendment.
I think this regulation would not survive a test in the Supreme Court, not based on Free Exercise, but Free Speech.
Right, and in non-black churches there are democrat plants sitting and recording everything.
This is just myth that pastors can’t endorse politicians.
They have always been able to. They have to preface the remarks that it’s their personal opinion, not an official church opinion. But they have always been able to do this without any IRS risk. People and pastors may think they can’t but they can.
Liberty Counsel has excellent reference and resource material on this very subject for pastors and people, discussing tax letters, being able to discuss candidates, and views on issues.
A record number of rogue Christian pastors are endorsing candidates from the pulpit this election cycle, using Sunday sermons to defiantly flout tax rules... Although the IRS was sued itself for not enforcing the law and admitted about 100 churches may be breaking the rules, the pastors and their critics alike say the agency is looking the other way. The agency refuses to say if it is acting... according to organizers, Alliance Defending Freedom. And this year, they've stepped up their drive, telling pastors to back candidates any Sunday up until the election, not just one Sunday as in past years.
Here’s info about a phony church where the ACLU’s local hq is located, right here in Grand Rapids
http://www.google.com/search?q=aclu+fountain+street+church
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