Churches and Tax Exempt Status

[CuCullin]

Originally Posted by tahiti

this particular church i'm referring to wants you to vote for McCain. Not an ideology, not with your heart and bible, but for the "right".

"McCain" or the "right"?

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

There is a BIG difference from telling someone to vote with their heart, or even the Bible (which is VERY subjective), than telling someone vote for THIS candidate.

Read the statements FROM the sermons themselves. Except for one (who stated that Obama's beliefs do not coincide with the bible he was reading), I don't even see a name mentioned anywhere.

Which makes ALL of these sermons subjective, thus a judgment call - your "BIG difference" to some may be a "TINY difference" to others. And you make it a government call.... and you make the government able to censor churches.

But atleast they'll be paying taxes right?!?

[EEEPNJ]

Want my honest opinion? I'm not going to Church on Sunday to hear about how I should be voting. I don't want to hear about McCain or Obama or the right or the left or the middle. I want to hear about God and what my Church teaches.

Issues... if they are taking a stance on abortion - my church's "subjective" view would be to vote for McCain.

If they are talking about war or the death penalty or care of the poor, my church's "subjective" view would be to vote for Obama.

But again - they should not be talking politics at all.

My particular Church is more left leaning (are you SHOCKED? ) and is very much about peace and respect .. If I had to guess (and it would be a guess) the priests at my Church will probably be voting for Obama. But it is a guest. And I have dinner with these men. But they would never tell me who they are voting for or who I should support. Now, they DO discuss social issues in their sermons... but they don't politicize it.

[CaptainNJ]

Originally Posted by EEEPNJ

Issues... if they are taking a stance on abortion - my church's "subjective" view would be to vote for McCain..

i was hoping they would unlock that other thread which you discussed abortion. id like to comment on your position that the people who oppose abortion arent being consistent with their "Pro-life" stance when they are in favor of capital punishment. i think its interesting that you decide to take the terminology "pro life" so literally. its just a couple of words put together for political purposes much like "pro choice" is. just because someone is "pro life" with regards to abortion doesnt mean they have to be against extinguishing life under any circumstances. much like a "pro choice" person doesnt always have to favor giving people a choice. i would love to choose not to pay taxes but i doubt many "pro choice" people think its ok for me to have that choice.