Comments on: Coon Rapids Baptist Church: Are they violating IRS law or not?

By: Doug Alder

Doug Alder — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 01:58:02 +0000

Tom Hunt nails it –

By: sailor

sailor — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 23:06:16 +0000

Just as a first step I would like to see churches have to be proper non-pofits and fill out all the paper work and accounts non-profits have to. Maybe if we did that some of them would opt to pay taxes!
The violation there or not is moot, the IRS are doing nothing.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:35:57 +0000

I agree that there should be no religious tax exemption, but I feel I should point out that tax-exempt churches are allowed to electioneer on issues… just not candidates.

By: Tom Hunt

Tom Hunt — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:01:45 +0000

To put it another way, I think all churches should have their tax exempt status revoked. That way, they will not be burdened by having to worry about IRS compliance.

Speak your mind, pay taxes. Just like the rest of us.

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:57:31 +0000

When people tell me religious leaders should be able to endorse candidates from the pulpit (and still be tax-exempt), I ask if they think it would be OK for me to use my position of influence as a teacher to endorse candidates in my classroom.

What’s frightening are the answers I often receive.

By: Eric Lund

Eric Lund — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:43:31 +0000

The first sign is sufficiently ambiguous to be legal. Fred Clark of Slacktivist has argued that supporting marriage equality is the Christian position to take on the issue, though this is a minority view, and evidently this church disagrees with Clark.

The second one qualifies as lobbying, according to the linked brochure (p. 6): “Legislation includes action … by the public in a referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional amendment, or similar procedure.” By itself, it is not enough to violate the substantial part test for whether the lobbying is excessive (churches are forbidden to use the expenditure test). But if this church is engaging in other lobbying activities, then this sign should be considered in whether the lobbying is excessive.

By: Stacy Scott

Stacy Scott — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:28:44 +0000

I agree Tom.

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:05:57 +0000

Right, in fact, this is already true! They are totally free to endorse whomever they want. And pay taxes.

By: Tom Hunt

Tom Hunt — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:47:25 +0000

I think it’s time that churches were free to endorse issues and candidates just like everyone else in this country. They should be free to speak out and encourage their parishioners as they see fit. There should be as few restrictions on speech as possible.

And I think they should pay taxes, just like everyone else. Then no one has to worry about whether there is a violation of any IRS rule.

Motherf&$ker