Minnesota preacher joins challenge of IRS on (political) endorsements

Minneapolis StarTribune (aka The Red Star) ^ | 10/03/08 | Paul Walsh - Staff Reporter

[MplsSteve]

A northern Minnesota preacher's presidential endorsement from the pulpit of Republican John McCain over the weekend is part of a national challenge of federal restrictions on such political expressions.

The Rev. Gus Booth of Warroad Community Church made his endorsement Sunday as part of the Alliance Defense Fund's "Pulpit Freedom Sunday." The fund said Booth and other pastors around the country were exercising "their First Amendment right to preach on the subject, despite federal tax regulations that prohibit intervening or participating in a political campaign."

Booth, a delegate to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, said Monday he did not set out to break a law but to challenge conflicting laws.

"The scripture is very clear about our need to obey all laws," he said. "I want people to realize that there are two laws here that compete with each other. The IRS says that I cannot talk about politics. The Constitution says I can. Unless there's a court battle, we don't know which law to obey."

[MplsSteve]

Comments or opinions - anyone?

[MplsSteve]

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[LegalEagle61]

add me to ping please

[catbertz]

I like to see church and state separate, even when our side is in charge. I don't think government should be fiddling with religion, unless it represents a direct threat to public safety/security ie: ROP.

I'm also happy to see people push back against the IRS as often as possible.

[pnh102]

Of course when clergy like Pastor Wright openly endorse and campaign for Hussein, the IRS looks the other way.

The "outrage" at clergy like the one described in this article is so overtly phony that it isn't even funny anymore.

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

One doesn’t check their free speech at the door of the church.

[dirtboy]

The IRS says that I cannot talk about politics. The Constitution says I can.

No, the IRS says you cannot take a tax-exempt status and talk about politics. Otherwise, there would be ten thousand chapters of the Church of the New Messiah, all doing His community organizing and political needs tax exempt. The NRA is careful to segregate its non-exempt political activities from its tax-exempt education and safety programs.

[dirtboy]

One doesn’t check their free speech at the door of the church.

One doesn't have to if the church in question decides not to be tax-exempt.

[JSDude1]

AWESOME, Guts, this man has guts, and I know he is obeying The Lord, God bless him!!

[Manic_Episode]

A preacher can endorse principles and a world view with extreme specificity leaving no doubt how to vote yet still stop short of endorsing a specific candidate, or they can say "off the record" who they are going to vote for.

I like seeing people push back but you have to choose you battles wisely and I question the wisdom and necessity of this fight.

Good luck to them.

[smokinleroy]

A local Presbyterian preacher is on the Texas Democratic Platform Committee.

[smokinleroy]

A local Presbyterian preacher is on the Texas Democratic Platform Committee.

He's also a member of something called "Respect Our Faith"

http://www.respectourfaith.org/clergypledge.html

where members take the following pledge:

I PLEDGE TO PROMOTE faithful civic responsibility by:

Ensuring that all political points of view are respected in my house of worship;
Helping all members of my congregation to become informed about candidates and issues;
Encouraging all members of my faith tradition to vote; and
Inspiring the members of my congregation to let their faith convictions inform and infuse all of their actions in the public sphere.

I ALSO PLEDGE TO PROTECT the integrity of my congregation by:

Refraining from endorsing – or appearing to endorse – a candidate or political party in my capacity as a religious leader;
Inviting all candidates to address my house of worship, if I invite any at all;
Refusing to allow the distribution of partisan political literature in my congregation; and
Avoiding the direct involvement of my congregation with partisan organizations or campaigns in any electioneering activities.

One Sunday, as part of a lesson on Christian Charity, he took his congregation of a field trip to see Michael Moore's "Sicko"

What's a little hypocrisy among libs?

[DManA]

Wasting their energy. They will lose. Just give up the tax exemption and they can say anything they like.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Black churches have been doing this for years.

They’ve never been challenged.