Should churches be able to endorse candidates and still be tax exempt?

I think that church officials should be able to endorse a candidate but, that if a church were to officially back a candidate that the churches tax exempt status should be permanently revoked.

"The power to tax is the power to destroy." So said Supreme Court Justice Marshall in 1819. That is probably why the government doesn't tax religious institutions. Too many of those pesky First Amendment issues.

Interesting that the same people who would agree that church and state should be separate have no problem with the government taking a cut out of donated money. If religions can be taxed, then they should be able to lobby or endorse candidates; they'll have the same stake as everybody else.

Do you really want that to happen? If you do, repeal the laws allowing for tax-exemptions for churches. Write your congressman today!

I've never heard a candidate endorsed by any church I've been to. Pro football teams, yes, but candidates? NO.

No I don't think the ban against churches endorsing candidates should be lifted. I think all churches should stop endorsing all candidates. If someone is running for a local office I don't think the pastor should say. So and so is running for such so get out their and vote. That's not saying go vote for so and so. But it is in my opinion giving a hint that. The pastor wants you to vote for so and so. So people go vote for so and so because the pastor hinted. Would Obama be frowned upon if it hadn't of been for what his pastor said?

I think the church needs to stay in it's place. The state needs to stay in it's place. Mixing the two together causes confusion and a mess.

No. The Christian right feels entitled to have its cake and eat it, too. Having to pay one's way like the rest of us is "government intrusion"? No, what they want is representation without taxation.

Churches are *already* entitled to endorse all the candidates they want, provided they give up what the rest of us don't have.

This action is just another attempt at an American theocracy.

_________________

@chopper - Religious institutions in the USA are tax exempt because they have applied for and received 501(c)(3) non-profit charity status. It has nothing to do with the 1st Amendment. (If you think about it, granting them tax exempt status on religious grounds would be "respecting an establishment of religion," which *would* be a violation.)

I don't understand why they're tax exampt in the first place. But I definitely think that they shouldn't be tax exempt if they are going to get involved in politics.

BTW - the right to vote is such a personal thing. EVERY person should vote according to their own reason and conscience. I would be offended if a church (or anyone else) tried to tell me how to use my vote. I'm amazed at the audacity of these churches and that there hasn't been a bigger outcry about it.

If they are going to endorse political candidates, then not only should they be taxed, but they should fall under the same regulations as other political advocacy groups. If they threaten voters with excommunication, as happened in some cases during the 2004 election, then they should be seen in the same light as intimidating voters.

of course it is going to be criminal... And for the stable sir who pronounced that African American pastors have been doing this for years, properly its not extremely impressive to single out the single group, whilst almost each church in u.s. probable does this. although, that's real, if a church gets a tax wreck they'd desire to maintain politics out of the pulpit. in any different case, the pulpit is theoretically on the industry. Who can supply extra breaks, who can supply extra incentives for the church homes? that may not anti-faith, yet faith could have not got any effect on secular politics, and would receive no specific scientific care.

Never should have become tax exempt in the first place. But now that they are, such a ban would be unconstitutional. Sad but true.

Churches should not endorse candidates.

They should not be tax exempt at all.