[highlander_UW]

The solution seems obvious to me. Churches should stop using the tax exempt status and then begin to speak freely and often from the pulpit about the issues of the day. With the threat removed they will be free to speak.

[ItsJeff]

Highlander:

[AmericaOne]

The solution seems obvious to me. Churches should stop using the tax exempt status and then begin to speak freely and often from the pulpit about the issues of the day. With the threat removed they will be free to speak.

Good Point. Then they would not have to worry about big brother when they speak about Morality and other issues of the day.

Although any church would likely have to forgo at least some of its charity work, like helping out the needy, etc., since the money that would be raised for these "help the needy" programs would likely have to go to pay taxes instead. We as tax payers would probably end up taking it in the chin with more social spending to make up for the churches not being able to help the needy any longer or as much as they used to.

[Always Right]

The solution seems obvious to me. Churches should stop using the tax exempt status and then begin to speak freely and often from the pulpit about the issues of the day. With the threat removed they will be free to speak.

The solution is to give back their tax-exempt status they always had. The idea that churches have to apply and meet government rules is unConsitutional.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

<Churches should stop using the tax exempt status and then begin to speak freely and often from the pulpit about the issues of the day.

You are of course correct. But then, if you do that, the first political issue your church might be interested in promoting would be a flat tax or the Fair Tax - neither of which would have the charitable deduction for yourself or anyone else.

[Spirited]

That is what Gene Scott did and he is highly disregarded here. He was smarter than all his critics bound together.

[Myrddin]

This seems to be a move by the Democrats to silence the religious right. They seem to forget all the speeches made from the pulpits of black churches. Jesse Jackson, Sharpton and Bill Clinton do a lot political campaigning from the pulpit. The sword cuts both ways. If not, there is a dirt simple cause to bring action under the equal protection clause.