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Photo: Minister delivering a serious sermon in church via Shutterstock
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by
Dave Bohon
As hundreds of pastors across America
prepare to defy the IRS on Sunday, October 7, by endorsing political
candidates from their pulpits, a survey by LifeWay Research, a division
of the Southern Baptist Convention, finds that nearly 90 percent of
America's clergy think that they should not use their pulpits for such
endorsements.
The survey of 1,000 Protestant clergy revealed that only
10 percent believe that it is appropriate to influence their
parishioners in the pulpit by favoring a particular candidate, while 87
percent said it is inappropriate.
LifeWay research director Scott McConnell
said the research indicated that pastors “clearly respect the sacred
desk of the pulpit enough to discourage its use to affect elections.”
The survey also revealed that only 44
percent of pastors had personally endorsed candidates outside of the
pulpit. “Less than half the pastors indicated that they had done that
this year,” said McConnell, while adding that it appeared “two-thirds of
them have to some extent, because only 33 percent 'strongly disagree'
that they've endorsed candidates from the pulpit.”
There were differences in the responses
between those who self-identified as “evangelical” pastors and those who
said they were “mainline,” with 86 percent of the evangelicals saying
that pastors should not endorse a candidate from the pulpit, compared to
91 percent of mainline pastors.
Likewise, political affiliation seemed to
make a difference. Among clergy who identified themselves as Democrat,
98 percent frowned on political endorsements made from the pulpit,
compared to 90 percent of Independents and 82 percent of Republicans.
McConnell noted that previous LifeWay
research showed that “pastors believe the government has no place in
determining what is and is not said from their pulpits regarding
candidates. Yet most pastors don't believe endorsement of candidates
should be made from the pulpit.”
He added that while the research
indicated “most pastors have opinions on who the best candidates are,
and those convictions may be heavily dependent on biblical principles …
very few pastors choose to make those endorsements from the pulpit.”
The findings come in the run-up to
“Pulpit Freedom Sunday” October 7, during which the group Alliance
Defending Freedom is encouraging pastors around the nation to defy the
1954 IRS statute, called the Johnson Amendment, that prohibits
tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from endorsing candidates
for office. “The purpose is to make sure that the pastor, and not the
IRS, decides what is said from the pulpit,” said Erik Stanley, an ADF
spokesman. “It is a head-on constitutional challenge.”
As reported by The New American,
pastors participating in Pulpit Freedom Sunday “will use their pulpits
to preach sermons focused on a specific candidate, encouraging
parishioners to show their support for that candidate at the polls. The
sermons will be recorded and sent to the IRS.”
Stanley told Fox News
that the hope is that the IRS “will respond by doing what they have
threatened. We have to wait for it to be applied to a particular church
or pastor so that we can challenge it in court. We don’t think it’s
going to take long for a judge to strike this down as unconstitutional.”
According to the 1954 law, tax-exempt
entities such as churches are “absolutely prohibited from directly or
indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign
on behalf of [or opposing] any candidate for elective public office.”
IRS guidelines for churches specify that violation of the code “may
result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition
of certain excise tax.”
However, Stanley, said, while the IRS has
often threatened churches for violating the code, it has seldom
followed through with prosecution because the federal tax collectors
fear the legal challenge that would result. He said the Johnson
Amendment is “blatantly unconstitutional,” adding that the IRS prefers
“to put out these vague statements and regulations and enforce it
through a system of intimidation.… Pastors are afraid to address
anything political from the pulpit.”
The ADF indicated that there has been a
shift in that intimidation, with more clergy stepping forward each year
to challenge the IRS. In 2008, the first year the ADF sponsored Pulpit
Freedom Sunday, only 33 pastors across the nation participated. In 2009
the number increased to 80, and by last year had risen to nearly 600.
This year, over 1,000 pastors have signed up thus far, agreeing to
preach sermons comparing the positions held by candidates with
scriptural admonition, then making specific recommendations about
candidates, including recommendations about candidates for which
parishioners should vote. The pastors will then bring their sermons “to
the attention of the IRS in the hopes that an audit of their churches
would spark lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the Johnson
Amendment,” explained the ADF.
The legal advocacy group noted that so
far in its yearly campaign “none of the participating churches have had
their tax exemption revoked, nor have any received penalties from the
IRS for what was said during their sermons.”
501(c)(3) Alternative For Churches: 508(c)(1)(A)
Churches are automatically already tax exempt under 508(c)(1)(A) and do not need to register as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation
26 USC § 508 - Special rules with respect to
(a) New organizations must notify Secretary that they are applying for recognition of section 501(c)(3) status
Except as provided in subsection (c), an organization organized after October 9, 1969, shall not be treated as an organization described in section 501 (c)(3)—
(1) unless it has given notice to the Secretary in such manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe, that it is applying for recognition of such status, or
(2) for any period before the giving of such notice, if such notice is given after the time prescribed by the Secretary by regulations for giving notice under this subsection.
(b) Presumption that organizations are private foundations
Except as provided in subsection (c), any organization (including an organization in existence on October 9, 1969) which is described in section 501 (c)(3) and which does not notify the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe, that it is not a private foundation shall be presumed to be a private foundation.
(c) Exceptions
(1) Mandatory exceptions
Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to—
(A) churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventions or associations of churches, or
(B) any organization which is not a private foundation (as defined in section 509 (a)) and the gross receipts of which in each taxable year are normally not more than $5,000.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/508
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For reference:
26 USC § 501 - Exemption from tax on corporations, certain trusts, etc.
(a) Exemption from taxation
An organization described in subsection (c) or (d) orsection 401 (a) shall be exempt from taxation under this subtitle unless such exemption is denied under section 502 or 503.
(b) Tax on unrelated business income and certain other activities
An organization exempt from taxation under subsection (a) shall be subject to tax to the extent provided in parts II, III, and VI of this subchapter, but (notwithstanding parts II, III, and VI of this subchapter) shall be considered an organization exempt from income taxes for the purpose of any law which refers to organizations exempt from income taxes.
(c) List of exempt organizations
The following organizations are referred to in subsection (a):
(1) Any corporation organized under Act of Congress which is an instrumentality of the United States but only if such corporation—
(A) is exempt from Federal income taxes—
(i) under such Act as amended and supplemented before July 18, 1984, or
(ii) under this title without regard to any provision of law which is not contained in this title and which is not contained in a revenue Act, or
(B) is described in subsection (l).
(2) Corporations organized for the exclusive purpose of holding title to property, collecting income therefrom, and turning over the entire amount thereof, less expenses, to an organization which itself is exempt under this section. Rules similar to the rules of subparagraph (G) of paragraph (25) shall apply for purposes of this paragraph.
(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/501
26 USC § 508 - Special rules with respect to
(a) New organizations must notify Secretary that they are applying for recognition of section 501(c)(3) status
Except as provided in subsection (c), an organization organized after October 9, 1969, shall not be treated as an organization described in section 501 (c)(3)—
(1) unless it has given notice to the Secretary in such manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe, that it is applying for recognition of such status, or
(2) for any period before the giving of such notice, if such notice is given after the time prescribed by the Secretary by regulations for giving notice under this subsection.
(b) Presumption that organizations are private foundations
Except as provided in subsection (c), any organization (including an organization in existence on October 9, 1969) which is described in section 501 (c)(3) and which does not notify the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may by regulations prescribe, that it is not a private foundation shall be presumed to be a private foundation.
(c) Exceptions
(1) Mandatory exceptions
Subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to—
(A) churches, their integrated auxiliaries, and conventions or associations of churches, or
(B) any organization which is not a private foundation (as defined in section 509 (a)) and the gross receipts of which in each taxable year are normally not more than $5,000.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/508
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For reference:
26 USC § 501 - Exemption from tax on corporations, certain trusts, etc.
(a) Exemption from taxation
An organization described in subsection (c) or (d) orsection 401 (a) shall be exempt from taxation under this subtitle unless such exemption is denied under section 502 or 503.
(b) Tax on unrelated business income and certain other activities
An organization exempt from taxation under subsection (a) shall be subject to tax to the extent provided in parts II, III, and VI of this subchapter, but (notwithstanding parts II, III, and VI of this subchapter) shall be considered an organization exempt from income taxes for the purpose of any law which refers to organizations exempt from income taxes.
(c) List of exempt organizations
The following organizations are referred to in subsection (a):
(1) Any corporation organized under Act of Congress which is an instrumentality of the United States but only if such corporation—
(A) is exempt from Federal income taxes—
(i) under such Act as amended and supplemented before July 18, 1984, or
(ii) under this title without regard to any provision of law which is not contained in this title and which is not contained in a revenue Act, or
(B) is described in subsection (l).
(2) Corporations organized for the exclusive purpose of holding title to property, collecting income therefrom, and turning over the entire amount thereof, less expenses, to an organization which itself is exempt under this section. Rules similar to the rules of subparagraph (G) of paragraph (25) shall apply for purposes of this paragraph.
(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/501
Catholic Church Control of Government Un-Noticed: False Belief of Religion and Politics Don't Mix
The Catholic Church knows all to well that religion and politics
mixes very easily, and they use it to their advantage. While the
Protestant Church is constrained by their greed to retain their tax
exempt status, and the Political junkies fear losing their lives in
another Inquisition if Church and State were ever to come together
again. What they don't realize is that the Catholic Church doesn't work
with any these pre-conceived ideas or constaints, and go un-noticed in
their control of our Government, and have been controlling and
manipulating this Country since its creation.See: The Secret Terrorists (Secret Jesuit Plot to Take Over USA) http://www.scribd.com/doc/36056155/Hughes-The-Secret-Terrorists-Secret-Jesuit-Plot-to-Take-Over-USA-2002
The Enemy Unmasked http://www.scribd.com/doc/108804475/The-Enemy-Unmasked-By-Bill-Hughes
What I have noticed in years of posting news regarding the combination of politics and religion, the religious people complain that politics has no place in their religious discussions, most likely due to their fear of losing the 501(c)(3) tax exempt status that they work so hard to keep. For an example, look at the Official Seventh-day Adventist Church website regarding their Trademark Guidelines -
'Church trademarks shall not be used in any manner that will jeopardize the Church's tax-exempt status'.
Seventh-day Adventist Trademark Guidelines http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/guidelines/main-guide5.html
John Brownlee 501c3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVq0M2ab6U&feature=
When I post in political groups, they bring up the separation of Church and State argument.
Separation of church and state in the United States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States
Is 'Separation of Church & State' in the US Constitution?
http://www.examiner.com/article/is-separation-of-church-state-the-us-constitution
IRS–ROMAN CULT’S COLLECTION AGENCY
The Roman Catholic Jesuits started the international banking system
called the Illuminati and the Agentur (and blamed the Jews for this).
Rome’s motto is, “He that holds the money bags runs the nations.” The
Vatican started all the wars (inquisitions) to rid the world of heretics
(non-Roman Catholics) and then made loans from her banks to nations so
they would have enough money to fight them. We foolishly permitted
this cult’s collection agency into our country (the IRS—which answers
only to Rome).According to God’s laws in the Bible, every fifty years there is to be a clearing of debts that can’t be paid (a relief). This is called the year of jubilee (Lev. 25:10). Let’s bump cultish Roman canon law of death and bondage and get back to God’s law and His Son, Christ Jesus. Let’s have a clearing (the year of jubilee). These debts have been instigated by Satan (the Roman Catholic cult) to hurt us and put us into financial bondage. We didn’t start these wars, we didn’t want these wars, and we didn’t borrow that money. So why should we have to suffer? These wars were all Roman Catholic inquisitions to mold the world into a one-world government, church, and media.
At the one-world church convention in Vancouver, some of our volunteers were shocked by the pro-homosexual booths and literature, pro-witchcraft booths and literature, drunkenness, and total ungodliness, which this “universal” world’s largest cult and sect exalts. These satanic people call anybody that preaches the true Word, which is separation from evil, consecration unto good –they call this a cult or a sect. But they worship this one-world organization and its cult leader, the pope...
“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he [or a soon to come pope] as God [will soon sit] in the temple of God [in Jerusalem], showing himself that he is God” (II Thes. 2:4).
“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish” (II Thes. 2:9-10).
They kneel and kiss his ring and feet and call him “holy father,” which is forbidden in the Bible. They obey his every wish. By calling us a cult, who walk in the Spirit and obey God’s every wish, they have possibly committed the unpardonable sin–blasphemy of the Holy Spirit–which is never forgiven in this world nor in the world to come (Matt. 12:31-32). But Satan does not care because he already has blasphemed the Holy Spirit.
501 (c)(3) Government Takeover of the Church http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MF4FgXpS3o&list=PLCCF8654F98136456&feature=
More: IS THE POPE THE SUPER-BOSS OF ALL GOVERNMENT'S? http://inquisitionnews.blogspot.com/2009/11/is-pope-super-boss-of-all-governments.html#links
Remember Tue Jul 7, 2009? Pope calls for a "global authority" on economy http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/07/07/us-pope-encyclical-idUSTRE5662VM20090707
Then: Given in Rome, at Saint Peter's, on 29 June, the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in the year 2009, the fifth of my Pontificate. ENCYCLICAL LETTER CARITAS IN VERITATE (Charity In Truth) is introduced to the public . http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html
ENCYCLICAL LETTER CARITAS IN VERITATE explained by ex-Catholic Priest Richard Bennett - CARITAS IN VERITATE: The Pope’s Plans on Organizing Political, Economic and Religious Activities Worldwide http://inquisitionnews.blogspot.com/p/caritas-in-veritate-popes-plans-on.html
Then: Mon Sep 21, 2009 after the pope discussed the global downturn with U.S. President Barack Obama: U.S. to push for new economic world order at G20 http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/09/21/us-g-idUSTRE58G34Z20090921
Finally, Please view this video for more on the New World Order and the Re-Distribution of the Worlds Wealth: Walter Veith - A New World Order / Total Onslaught http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BomP-eZ5lYM
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