Comments on: The preachers’ revolt: Dobson-affiliated group encourages breaking the law, endorsing candidates from the pulpit

By: John K

John K — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:05:34 +0000

Voter Issue Guide: 2008 Presidential Race
http://www.afa.net/08VG/indexhtml

By: Erik Stanley

Erik Stanley — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:19:21 +0000

It should never be “breaking the law” for an American pastor to preach from the Bible in his pulpit. That should be true whether the pastor is talking about a virtuous Christian, a promiscuous celebrity, a noted criminal, a local hero, or even one of America’s future leaders. And it was true from the time the Constitution was ratified in 1787 until 1954. For 167 years, churches freely preached directly on political candidates’ qualifications for office. That was no problem under the Constitution, or when the first Commissioner of Internal Revenue was appointed in 1862, or when the federal income tax was authorized by the 16th Amendment in 1913. Nor were churches transformed into political machines. Churches simply spoke when their moral voice needed to be heard—even during election season—and decided for themselves how they wanted their pastors to preach.

When the IRS code was amended in 1954 to ban “intervention” in political campaigns, it was an act of political retaliation by then-Senator Lyndon Johnson against two anti-communist groups. It had nothing to do with “church politicking,” and scholars agree that churches were not the target of the regulation. It's time for the churches to exercise their constitutional rights as they were guaranteed, not as they have been gutted by the tax code. That’s not “civil disobedience.” Its called “free speech” and the “free exercise of religion.” It's called upholding and defending our constitutional rights. For more information, click here.

Erik Stanley
Senior Legal Counsel
Alliance Defense Fund

By: Bernice

Bernice — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:05:04 +0000

They're not just violating US tax law, but are weakening (shredding?) the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution. Maybe the IRS should send out pre-emptive letters right now .

Jim Ohern in his comment asks, ” What's the problem with advocating a person from the pulpit?” The problem, Mr. Ohern, is that our founders deliberately forbade the establishment of a state religion after living through the effects of such arrangements before coming to America. Jesus said we should render unto Caeser's what is Caeser's and to God what is His, not that whatever religion happened to have its member(s) in positions of political power should use that power to influence what are supposed to be elections free of such pressures and, by so doing, attempt to make their particular beliefs the law of the land.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:24:28 +0000

I've linked to your article from Against pressure the religious right is working hard to get the vote out

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:25:16 +0000

Where have all the sane Christians gone?? Tax these ignorant devisive fools! They have destroyed what little was good about religion!

By: Ardell R. Sjolander

Ardell R. Sjolander — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:12:11 +0000

A fine idea…..Wait till they get their tax bill…….

By: Rev. John

Rev. John — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:01:19 +0000

Correction to inaccurate information in the article -- IRS is not now investigating the UCC; please see below.

Re: UCC investigation - this from the UCC web site:
Concluding its UCC inquiry, IRS offers complete vindication

Written by J. Bennett Guess
May 21, 2008
The Internal Revenue Service has concluded that the UCC did not violate tax laws when U.S. Sen. Barack Obama addressed the denomination's 50th anniversary General Synod in Hartford, Conn., in June 2007.

"Based on your response to the inquiry, we have determined that the activity about which we had concern did not constitute an intervention or participation in a political campaign … and that the United Church of Christ continues to qualify as an organization described in section 501(c)(3)," according to a May 13 letter from the IRS.

* * * * * * *

In addition, please note that in terms of this story, the UCC situation is an orange offered in the context of several apples.

By: Larry Linn

Larry Linn — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:03:08 +0000

George Carlin:
Think about it. Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever ’til the end of time! But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He’s all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can’t handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more. Now, you talk about a good bulls**** story. Holy ****!”

By: jim ohern

jim ohern — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:54:31 +0000

What's the problem with advocating a person from the pulpit – churches that feel compelled to do so should go ahead, hold to their principles and go forward – no one, the government or otherwise is trying to STOP them – and the only consequence is losing tax exempt status. Dr. Dobson should be brave and bold enough to promote that churches forgo tax exemption in order to express their opinions of politicians and who to vote for. The church is holding itself hostage by wanting to have it all – having the law adjust to them. They are missing the opportunity to be truly radical in this culture, and go forward, and taking the costs of holding firm.