Free Republic

I Oppose restricting free speech so shut up. Very Funny.
So I ask you. Does anyone who has posted here know why the churches does not have to pay taxes? Ever ask yourself that? Umm it is because a little thing called separation of Church and State. The Church need not pay for the state and the state need not pay for the church.
I agree it is wrong for Democrats to use churches to forward their agenda or worse say vile things about conservatives. I have been accused many times of being way to far to the right. I do not want government in my church, running my church,or collecting money from my church. They can stay out of my life and my pocket for that matter. I do not think it is right for a pastor to use God to forward his political agenda. I think the Muslims are proving beyond a shadow of a doubt why the government and political talk don't belong in church. Leave to God what is Gods and to man what is mans. I do believe we are supposed to be worshiping God in church. When did God become second to politics? I'd like for any of you to explain to God why you used his house for a political platform and his name for furthering your own agenda and not for learning about him and worshiping him.

Revenue Ruling 2007-41 provides guidelines for exempt organizations on the scope of the the tax law prohibition of campaign activities by section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. The ruling sets out 21 factual situations involving 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches, and activities that may be prohibited campaign intervention. In each situation, the ruling applies tax law and regulations and concludes that prohibited political activity has or has not occurred.

The IRS also released its Report on the Political Activity Compliance Initiative for the 2006 election cycle. This report, PACI 2006, follows the report on prohibited political intervention in the 2004 election cycle, which was issued in February 2006.

This is not a law it is a tax exemption. Created so that people could use their right to establish a Church without having to pay taxes on it.No one is descriminated against. Any religion fits under this rule. It assures even if you are a small church without a lot of money you can still pray as you like without having to pay taxes on the land, the pay the preacher gets or his or her housekeeping. It was created so all could pray as they like not so they could forward political views. Didn't Jesus chase the money lenders and others out of his house telling the people this was a place of worship. You think Jesus wants you to talk politics in his fathers or worhip him?

While the Internal Revenue Code allows faith-based groups and other tax-exempt organizations to register voters and to express their views on public issues, the code forbids activities that demonstrate support for a specific political party or candidate. Examples of activities that the IRS considers problematic include inviting a candidate to address a congregation, singling out one candidate for special praise, and highlighting a combination of issues tailored to a candidate’s campaign.

Umm hows that for where I got this crap. It doesn’t say you can’t say what you want. You just have to pay your taxes. And isn’t paying your taxes worth expressing your views.

I have got to send this around. I love it!

True. I believe that a preacher can have any political view he or she wants. They just can’t use their pulpit to reinforce their views if they want to continue not paying taxes. If they were allowed to do that, every left wing group would form their own “church” to aviod taxes. They would pray for more taxes, bigger government, and socialism. I’m sure Hillery would be founder and head.

You do not seem to get it. They contacted the IRS because you can not use your church to pass on political information and still not have to pay property taxes. You can say anything you want at your church or on your site. You just can not do it and get the same rights as those who only preach religion. NO first amendment rights stopped here. You just have to put your money where your mouth is.