Marriage Changes May Shake Churches' Tax Exemptions

CNS News ^ | 2/23/04 | Robert B. Bluey

[HostileTerritory]

Robert H. Knight, director of the Culture and Family Institute at Concerned Women for America, predicted that homosexuals would try to chip away at the tax-exempt status of churches that reject same-sex relationships.

No one is that politically brain-dead. This is a nice talking point if we want to win over people in the middle, but it's not going to ever happen.

[Spok]

"I don't think people will stop until the whole sacred institution of marriage crumbles."

This is the REAL objective of gay marriage.

[truthandlife]

No one is that politically brain-dead. This is a nice talking point if we want to win over people in the middle, but it's not going to ever happen.

Oh yeah, I forgot homosexuals love a Church who preaches that homosexuality is wrong according to the Bible (sarcasm off). The militant homosexual organizations will do anything to destroy anyone who gets in their way, including the Church.

[HostileTerritory]

Like I said, no one is that politically braindead.

I don't assume the best of what they believe in their heart of hearts, but from what I've seen in my own poor state this year, the queer activists try their best NOT to look like their picking a fight with churches.

[HostileTerritory]

they're they're they're UGH.

[Unam Sanctam]

Other faiths, including the Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists, aren't likely to change their ways anytime soon, he said.

Here's hoping, but the Episcopal abandonment of Christian sexual morality is not an encouraging sign.

"Churches, quite clearly, have the right to marry or not marry whoever they please," Volokh said. "Maybe somebody could sue them for discrimination in marriage, but the churches will certainly win."

Let's hope the Constitutional protections on freedom of religion and speech and association will last through a generation at least of agenda-driven leftist judges.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Let's hope the Constitutional protections on freedom of religion and speech and association will last through a generation at least of agenda-driven leftist judges.

Spoken like a supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. I hope one generation is all it will take.

[Esther Ruth]

Maybe some of you :) out there have seen the movie "Judgement" with the man from L.A. Law, I can't think of his name, but in the movie, he finds a way to turn the trial around for quicker resolve and a way also to protect Helen Hannah, guilty of being a Hater. He decides that the trial is really about God, and we should put Him, put God on trial and His Word. This keeps going through my mind. As Christians this is our foundation and our authority. Our authority is in God and His Word, the Bible. Maybe we should make that the issue. Put those in opposition to our Godly heritage, our tradition of Godly ways to govern ourselves -- put them, who oppose it, and are trying to deconstruct it, on the defense. Make them have to defend what they believe by proving that what God says and the Bible says is wrong.

[VRWC_minion]

The militant homosexual organizations will do anything to destroy anyone who gets in their way, including the Church

Discrimination is one of the main arguments used by the liberals to change the ECUSA policy on gay bishops. Its logical to assume the people that pushed it in the ECUSA will push the same in other churches internally and externally.

[17th Miss Regt]

"If political correctness wins the struggle for hearts and minds," Land said, "then you may see tremendous pressure to take away the tax-exempt status of churches and denominations and organizations that refuse to fully affirm and accept the homosexual lifestyle."

That sword is definitely two-edged! If the tax-exempt status of a church is taken away, that church no longer has to stay out of politics. A priest or pastor could then advocate for candidates and urge the congregation to vote one way or the other with no fear of reprisal.

[TheGeezer]

Way back in the 1960s, Pope Paul VI wrote in Humanae Vitae that separating fertility from sexuality would result in legitimation of all sorts of wrongful uses of sex and sexuality.

It seems he was a prophet.

[fso301]

More of the Clinton legacy.

[Kahonek]

"The militant homosexual organizations will do anything to destroy anyone who gets in their way, including the Church."

I don't think the churches are in any danger of losing tax-exempt status. There's nothing that the left likes more than to champion minority rights, and churches have never been forced to perform interracial marriages against their teachings.

[sarasmom]

right...
Just like nobody is brain dead enough to force the Boy Scouts to accept homosexual scout leaders....

[sarasmom]

And I never thought my chld flipping through broadcast news would be subjected to homosexuals kissing on the news and "getting married".

I dont think I will ever object to "gay" bashing in any form, again.

[puroresu]

I don't know that it won't ever happen. If you had told people thirty years ago that U.S. Senators would grill a judicial nominee, and vote against his confirmation, because he wouldn't expose his small children to homosexual partying, would they have believed it could happen?

It probably won't happen soon, but ultimately gay groups will try to close down churches that don't validate their lifestyle, and with enough "liberals" on the court they might win. After all, the Boy Scouts almost lost. Their freedom of association and conscience was upheld only by a narrow 5-4 vote.

[HostileTerritory]

Going after someone's tax exemption... look at it this way, would anyone go after the tax exemption of an orthodox synagogue, a Catholic Church, or a Mormon Church if the clergyman refused to perform an interfaith marriage? God, no.

Interfaith marriages have been allowed for decades now but no politician is going to go chasing down a fight that won't win him anything.

This discussion is surreal. We have actual "gay" "marriage" on my own doorstep, and people think the real battle is tax exemptions for churches. Please.

[Chewbacca]

You know, the government could get a lot of revenue if it removed the tax exempt status of all churches and charity groups.

[maro]

Agreed. If any court extended the Bob Jones precedent that far, in 48 hours there would be a bill on the President's desk rectifying the error.