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tax exemptions for churches advocating certain specific POTUS candidates?

Here is what the IRS says about charitable [501(c)(3)] organizations, and I think most churches qualify:

>>Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.

Certain activities or expenditures may not be prohibited depending on the facts and circumstances. For example, certain voter education activities (including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides) conducted in a non-partisan manner do not constitute prohibited political campaign activity. In addition, other activities intended to encourage people to participate in the electoral process, such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, would not be prohibited political campaign activity if conducted in a non-partisan manner.

On the other hand, voter education or registration activities with evidence of bias that (a) would favor one candidate over another; (b) oppose a candidate in some manner; or (c) have the effect of favoring a candidate or group of candidates, will constitute prohibited participation or intervention.

The Internal Revenue Service provides resources to exempt organizations and the public to help them understand the prohibition. As part of its examination program, the IRS also monitors whether organizations are complying with the prohibition.<<

Now, you know that it follows, like night follows day, that if the leaders of the LDS church were to stand up in the pulpit and publicly endorse Mitt Romney, or any candidate, for POTUS, our enemies would be all over us, like white on rice! Yet, these other pastors will stand up in front of God and everyone, and either publicly endorse Gingrich or Santorum, or speak out against Romney, and NOTHING happens. I mean, is there something I'm missing? Why are these guys allowed to do this?

Update:

Right wing radical, nothing Obama does is ok with me.

5 Answers

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  • 9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    This may be one of the most common violations of the IRS code and it is not being enforced.

  • Teekno
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    Well, you're confusing the restricted activities of the church with the free speech of the pastors.

    Yes, a church cannot endorse a specific candidate. But that doesn't mean a PASTOR can't do that outside of his or her church.

    Usually when someone claims a church is breaking the tax code by doing this, it's very short on specifics, and when you dig deep, what you actually find is that a well-known pastor has appeared at a political rally supporting a candidate.

    The limitations that the IRS puts on the churches in no way abrogates the First Amendment right of the employees of that church, including the pastor.

  • Marcie
    Lv 4
    9 years ago

    I think these pastors who support a political candidate are phonies. Anybody can call themselves a 'pastor'.

  • 5 years ago

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  • 9 years ago

    and obama politicking in black churches that don't invite gop candidates is a ok with you .

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