Warroad Community Church & Minnesota pastor Gus Booth is the latest news regarding this matter as reported on drudgereport, abc, etc. Booth addressed the members of his Warroad Community Church one Sunday in May and told them, “If you are a Christian, you cannot support a candidate like Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton for president,” he very much knew he was violating the law. He even wrote a letter to the IRS explaining what he had said and challenging the tax collection agency to do something about it. Churches and other non-profit groups like charities and universities do not have to pay taxes. That exemption, however, comes with a price. Churches, and by extension the pastors who serve them in an official capacity, are not allowed to endorse or oppose political candidates. Booth, 34, is one of several religious leaders who this year hope to challenge federal law by flouting the regulations about endorsing candidates from the pulpit a move that could potentially cost them their tax-exempt status, creating financial ruin for many congregations. The separation of church and state may be one of our democracy’s most vaunted values, but its enforcement falls to one of our government’s most derided institutions — the IRS. Neither Obama on TV nor Reverend Wright in the pulpit will tell you this information. They’re too phat and rich from the Washington DC policy. Pastor Greg Dixon delivers this much needed modern-day sermon about the relationship of politics in Americas …
Christians in America need to stand up and defend our rights and our laws. Be feed spiritually. Have an informed world view and take action!
JESUS.ORG
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The 1st Amendment protects the church from being subject to government regulation and taxation. Moreover, even Form 1023, which is the government application form (i.e. contract) for tax exempt recognition, clearly and explicitly states that churches are already considered and recognized as tax exempt even if they do not file Form 1023.
So, the only reason the IRS provides the Form 1023 is for churches that want to offer their members a tax-deduction for their gifts. Perhaps the churches do that to encourage more giving. Or, maybe they think that’s the only way they can get offerings from some members. Or, maybe they are just ignorant of the identity and purpose of the genuine New Testament Christian church anyway.
it brakes down to being issued a marriage license. vatican london dc research it. churches are state owned. why do you think they used chuch buses when they kidnapped all those children and there parents.
These scum bag pastors do not pay any taxes, and they are not supposed to be pimping for republican candidates. Make them pay income taxes if they get political
Actually, the IRS is DEFENDING separation of church and state by cracking down on churches who abuse their cushy tax-exempt status for politics. Churches have sermons to teach the ways of the Bible, not to preach politics! Stay the fuck out of the political arena if you don’t wanna pay taxes. You wanna get involved? Pay your fucking admission fee like everyone else. Don’t be a fucking freeloader. God hates people who don’t pay their dues, right?
This is not a free speech issue.
If a church wants to be political, it can form its own separate political organization! But don’t go around preaching politics from the pulpit! The difference between churches and the other tax-exempt orgs. is that the others DON’T usually preach politics and endorse candidates. Churches do. Churches violate their right to be neutral and tax-exempt when they get involved. You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.
Surely a tax-exempt org. can pay at least 5 or 10% in taxes! That’s all I’d ask. Organizations that make more can pay more, a progressive taxation of orgs. It just makes sense. I’m sick of the freeloading. Every major organization registered with gov’t should pay its admission fee. If you make money, whether profit or donations, you should pay. In the end, it’s still technically income. So it falls under income tax.
What about the Knights of Columbus? Are they tax exempt?
>_> If you’re found not to be a religious organization under the definition laid down in the tax code, you won’t be considered a religious organization under the tax code?
Those bastards!
Why do churches need tax exempt status?
Because “God” has a shitty accountant.
These fuckers take money from poor people to finance their mega churches and mansions. They are evil.
Most likely. They are a part of the Catholic Church I believe.
ppl are missing the point. The Baptist Temple doesn’t WANT tax exemp status. They do not want any HELP from the government financial or otherwise. That would be REAL seperation of church and state, but the government wants to be able to have their mitts in everything, including the chuches.
maybe it would help if you understood that the fact still remains that this CHURCH or assembly of believers doesnt desire any cushy help from the irs. :O)
Well they are most definately crossing the line between church and state. They pre-dominately support republican candidates.
No they don’t! They don’t support Republican or Democratic candidates. They mainly support Libertarian or other third party candidates. The only Republican candidate that they have supported is Ron Paul, and he is practically a Libertarian.
Also, show me where at in the Constitution where you see the words seperation of church and state? Also, another question, was it ok for the churches that are predominately African-American in membership to support Obama or any other Presidential candidate who is a democrat? I saw a lot of articles getting the reaction of African-American churches when he was elected but is anyone going to speak out about a violation of their 501c3 status or the “speration of church and state”?
I can’t find the site of theirs I was referencing. I found it 8 months ago. They were endorsing John McCain. Do democrats claim to be pro-life? Knights of Columbus as far as I can tell will only support pro-life candidates.
I’ll have to get back to you on your question re:constitution. As for your question about Obama, I personally feel no one is above the law. If there is supposed to be separation of church and state it should apply to all churches. Unfortunately our constitution is practically non-existent at this point. I have been told by someone who works for homeland security that the NAU is most definately being set up as we speak.
Yup, that I can agree with you on. That the NAU is being set up.
That basically it. What the 501c3 allows is for you to tell the congregation that,”Hey, if you give the church money you’ll just get paid back in April when you claim it all on your taxes.” In exchange for churches to stop talking about anything really controversial (like homosexuality, abortion, political candidates and various other things that are hot topics in Washington.)
Now, Dr. Dixon and IBT has never supported a Republican candidate. In fact, they invite all parties to speakatchurch
The truth is that the churches DO enjoy the same freedoms as the rest of us while the rest of us foot the bill. Freedoms provided to them like police protection, fire department protection and military protection yet they refuse to pay for them. They will send our soldiers care packages but won’t pitch in to buy the soldiers a fucking helmet! The want to have a voice in politics, well then pay the entry fee like the rest of us !!!
The churches that came out for one side or the other should have lost tax exemption immediately.
Fools. There is no King but King Jesus.