Declaring that clergy have a constitutional right to endorse political candidates from their pulpits, the socially conservative Alliance Defense Fund is recruiting several dozen pastors to do just that on Sept. 28, in defiance of Internal Revenue Service rules.
The effort by the Arizona-based legal consortium is designed to trigger an IRS investigation that ADF lawyers would then challenge in federal court. The ultimate goal is to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to throw out a 54-year-old ban on political endorsements by tax-exempt houses of worship.
“For so long, there has been this cloud of intimidation over the church,” ADF attorney Erik Stanley said. “It is the job of the pastors of America to debate the proper role of church in society. It’s not for the government to mandate the role of church in society.”
Yet an opposing collection of Christian and Jewish clergy will petition the IRS today to stop the protest before it starts, calling the ADF’s “Pulpit Initiative” an assault on the rule of law and the separation of church and state.
Backed by three former top IRS officials, the group also wants the IRS to determine whether the nonprofit ADF is risking its own tax-exempt status by organizing an “inappropriate, unethical and illegal” series of political endorsements.
Government has no business in saying what churches can and can not preach. It is totaly inappropriate to use the tax code to regulate religious speech.
I think this is a step these churches would do well to reconsider. It weakens the Church to get mixed up in politics, and making named endorsements is bound to boomerang.
#2 I agree w/you. Nevermind tax considerations. I look to my priest for guidance regarding Christ/Biblical matters/spiritual and moral matters. Figuring out my political philosophy I can do myself.
I am a regular church attendee and also participate in “extra-curricular” activities both at church and elsewhere. So I have regular interaction w/my priest. You know what his political leanings are? . . . Neither do I. He’s never said and I’ve never even considered asking. I don’t think either would be appropriate. I really don’t think one can wear their politics on their sleeve and wear a collar at the same time. The politics can’t help but do damage in at least subtle ways (and obvious ways at worst) to one’s efforts to live out their calling.
Let the clergy go forward and proclaim the Good News of Jesus – not the questionable news of politics. I’m all in favor of the Clergy telling us to vote and let that end the matter. If and when they tell me whom and what party to consider I get get very deaf. I treat that intrusion the same way I treat telephone politicians. I politely cease communication with them. If they insist on carrying the intrusion further I will tell them blunty it is none of their business!!!
I fully agree with and endorse comments 2-4 above.
That’s right. Clergy should preach the Good News of Jesus Christ and tell about what the Kingdom of God on earth should look like. They should never offer us examples of how to actually do anything to help make the Kingdom fo God a reality.