Tag: section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code

January 30, 2015

Removing Restriction On Electioneering Might Be A Good Thing

clipart of preaching from the pulpit

Earlier this month, as soon as the Republican party took full control of both houses of Congress, Rep. Walter Jones [R-NC-3] introduced a bill that would remove the electioneering prohibition for churches and other 501(c)3 tax-exempt groups. This is a good and bad bill so I’m torn over it. While it would open a Pandora’s box of electioneering for churches, the current language of the bill would remove the restriction for all tax-exempt groups.

The American Humanist Association is sounding the alarm:

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July 19, 2014

IRS Settles Lawsuit, Agrees To Enforce Church Electioneering Rules – Soon

October 30, 2012

Billy Graham Electioneers For God

image of Rev. Billy Graham from his electioneering ad
Rev. Billy Graham

Rev. Billy Graham, or rather his ministry, had a full page ad in the New York Times and other news papers around the country electioneering for god. In the ad, Graham asks people to “cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel.” Graham’s call crosses the line against churches electioneering for candidates.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation will be filing a complaint about the “coded” message:

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October 22, 2012

Pulpit Freedom Sunday Was A Failure Due To Bureaucracy

image of the IRS logo

Alliance Defending Freedom, which sponsored Pulpit Freedom Sunday on October 7th, claimed over a 1,000 pastors would be taking part in violating the tax laws prohibiting a tax exempt group, such as churches, from electioneering at the pulpit. If the law breaking pastors had done some basic research they would have seen that having a protest now was a waste of time. The IRS suspended investigations of churches in 2009 due to a federal law suit. Basically Pulpit Freedom Sunday was a failure.

As I posted previously:

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September 24, 2012

Pulpit Freedom Sunday Falsely Thinks Breaking The Law Is Freedom Of Speech

clip art showing Preaching from the Pulpit

On Sunday October 7th, Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative evangelical Christian group, will be promoting ‘Pulpit Freedom Sunday’. It’s an event where the ADF says it has 1,000 pastors pledged to violate Federal tax laws by preaching about the election, endorsing a candidate, and sending a video of their sermon to the IRS. Their stated point is that the tax law prohibiting endorsing specific candidates violates the pastor’s freedom of speech. Once again the religious right is wrong.

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