|
Advocacy Blog
Monday, September 29, 2008
Dozens of Pastors Violate Federal Tax Law by Endorsing Political Candidates from the Pulpit
On September 28, thirty-three pastors around the nation participated in "Pulpit Freedom Sunday," an initiative by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) designed to challenge a 1954 amendment to the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) that prohibits churches from supporting or opposing candidates for political office from the pulpit.
Churches, which are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC, can lose their tax-exempt status if they engage in prohibited electioneering. The ban against electioneering applies to all 501(c)(3) organizations.
ADF, an alliance of conservative attorneys, encouraged dozens of pastors to intentionally violate federal tax law by endorsing a political candidate from the pulpit, in hopes that the IRS will investigate the churches. ADF is hoping to challenge the IRS' ban on pulpit electioneering in federal court. Three former high level IRS officials filed an ethical complaint against ADF with the IRS.
According to an ADF Press Release, it will fight any attempt the IRS makes "to remove a church's tax-exempt status because a pastor exercised his constitutional right to engage in religious speech from the pulpit. The goal is to have the Johnson Amendment declared unconstitutional."
ADF released a list of the pastors who participated in "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" earlier today.
Rabbi Jack Moline, chairman of the Interfaith Alliance board, a group that believes religion and politics should remain separate, told the Washington Post that "a sanctuary should not be a place of political agitation on behalf of a candidate. On behalf of issues, yes. Of candidates, no."
Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed IRS complaints against six churches whose pastors endorsed candidates from the pulpit yesterday. Five of the six pastors in question openly endorsed Senator John McCain from the pulpit. The sixth pastor did not mention McCain, but he did criticize Senator Barack Obama stating, "according to my Bible and in my opinion, there is no way in the world a Christian can vote for Barack Hussein Obama. Mr. Obama is not standing up for anything that is tradition in America."
"Church leaders are supposed to tend to Americans' spiritual needs, not behave like partisan political hacks. I urge the IRS to act swiftly in these cases," said Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, in a Press Release.
Posted by Lateefah Williams
|