America's Least Free: Pastors and Churches [Michigan Senate candidate]

ReligionJournal ^ | 8/26/05

[ZGuy]

A black conservative pastor believes the least free place in America today is the church and the pulpit.

He says that is one reason why he wants to be Michigan's next U.S. senator. Keith Butler pastors the 21,000-member Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, Mich.

The former Detroit City Council member says incumbent Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow opposes legislation that would reverse a 1954 law prohibiting places of worship from engaging in the political process. Butler says churches should have the same rights as any union hall or non-profit group. "I certainly support ... giving churches their legal First Amendment rights," the pastor says.

"Union halls should not be able to say you can vote for so and so if they choose, [while] churches can't."

The potential Republican candidate wants to repeal the 50-year-old law that prohibits churches from being politically involved.

"I believe that the least free place in America is the church and its pulpit. That has not always been the case," he explains. "That became the case only in 1954 when Lyndon Baines Johnson attached an appropriations rider to an IRS bill, making it illegal for churches to be politically involved. That's wrong, and it should be reversed."

Republican Congressman Walter Jones of North Carolina has introduced the Houses of Worship Freedom of Speech Restoration Act, which has been endorsed on the Senate side by Sam Brownback of Kansas and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

[ndt]

Tax exempt status being pulled for some types of political activism applies to all nonprofit orgs, not just churches, so I'm not sure what hes complaining about exactly.

The bill mentioned at the end on the other hand picks out churches as deserving of special privileges, allowing them to violate the standards imposed on the other orgs.

If it is not applied equally, that is an issue that should be addressed, but thats not what the bill is about.

[Personal Responsibility]

A black conservative pastor believes the least free place in America today is the church and the pulpit. He says that is one reason why he wants to be Michigan's next U.S. senator. Keith Butler

The people who will bash this guy for wanting to be both a pastor and senator are the same people who endorsed Reverend Al for President.

[truthingod]

I will be looking to vote for Mr. Butler! Anyone but Stabenow! It is time that deeply faithful people seek to lead this country out of the mess that has been left in the wake of the near removal of God out of America. With God's help and one man's convictions--that is The majority God can use to help us all.

[truthingod]

The same people who willingly swallow every pill that Jesse Jackson gives as well. They can rely on their "reverend" title to promote their political agenda without fear, why not a minister who has proven he can lead people to do great things?

[HisKingdomWillAbolishSinDeath]

Its good to see the church getting involved, instead of waiting for the mythical rapture. Attention Christians: "Jesus doesn't need you in Heaven. Heaven is in good shape. Its the mess down here he wants us to clean up. Its the second Eve (the Bride of Christ) that is going to clean up the mess created by the first Eve. The second Adam (Christ) already did his work when he said "it is finished." Arise true Christian church, "it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."

[ndt]

Your church is free to contact the IRS and let them know you will not be filing your form 1023.

If your church has already sent in that form, then it has agreed to abide by the rules set forth and limit its purposes to those set forth in section 501(c)(3).

If they choose not to abide by those rules that regulate a nonprofit org, they are free to give up the tax free benefit and are free to endorse, promote champion whatever they darn well feel like.

[Personal Responsibility]

Because Rev's Jackson and Sharpton use the title for gain. They don't really believe it. Rev. Butler believes, and that crosses their ideological line.

[frannie]

There is a great deal of difference between Union" and "churches". Many are in unions or pay their dues because they have to. It isn't always people of the same belief about anything but their work.

These are both tax free organizations. Yet in a union you have no voice in how your dues are spent on political ads.
Some states have a right to work law but even in some of these states it has been judged that if you profit from the unions negotiations you have to contribute to the union. If you refuse to pay union dues you, most likely, lose your job.You can leave the church and find another one if you feel it is not "preaching " your view of politics.

[sageb1]

I'm a Catholic and I agree with you. If you want to discuss your political views with your parishioners, do it elsewhere. I would also point out that with a growing Islamic problem in America, we do not need any bill that would also sanction their inciteful politics in mosques, although as Islam IS the state, they are in an iffy area anyway.

If I wish to discuss politics with my priest, I will invite him to dinner.

[johnb838]

Is this the guy that was saying his son couldn't get a date for the prom because all the girls in his high school had gone lesbian? And that God didn't intend for any sex to occur anywhere you had to slap some lube on before you stuck it in, or words to that effect?

Tony Snow was talking about this the other night, how he's got the msm in a quandry because they can't rip him limb from limb because he's black, so they just don't talk about him at all, but that's hard because he's got a 21,000 member church and he says the most OUTRAGEOUS things.

I say, More Power To Him, Go Reverend!

And I think churches ought to wean themselves off their tax exempt status so they can speak their minds politically, and because they're more vulnerable to Eminent Domain takeovers as long as they aren't paying taxes.

[ndt]

"There is a great deal of difference between Union" and "churches"

I hope you weren't waiting for me to be a union apologist :)

Like I said in an earlier post, if the law is unevenly enforced (unions vs. churches) then that should be addressed. By that I mean that any orgs that overstep the law by endorsing specific candidates or parties should lose their tax exempt status, not the other way around.

The problem I have with the bill mentioned, is that it is very specifically targeting one subset of non profits and gives them a pass on the rules imposed on the others.

[SunkenCiv]

hmm. Stabenow has to go, but who all is running?

[KMarie23]

No, the preacher that you are referring to is Pastor Willie Wilson--I did hear that though, and it was funny as heck.