2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumPolitics in church -
I've noted many posts demanding that the IRS check into churches where the leaders have endorsed Romney. I've also seen posts lauding churches where the leader endorses Obama.
Does politics have any place in church ( or synagogue, mosque, temple etc) at any time, only when the church is on our side, or what?
FWIW, I think discussions of politics in church are more likely to drive people away from that church than to influence how people vote!
12 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited | |
Politics in church should be limited to encouraging people to vote | |
7 (58%) |
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Our side should do it because their side does it. | |
0 (0%) |
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Church leaders should speak their minds. | |
0 (0%) |
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No politics of any sort - not even an encouragement to go out and vote! | |
5 (42%) |
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0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided. | |
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Drale
(7,932 posts)They should not even be allowed to encourage people to vote. Religion and Government need to be kept completely separate.
Raster
(20,998 posts)Sorry, couldn't resist. Yep, the Catholic church (as an example) sure could part with a few bucks - maybe they can put the PopeMobile on ebay for starters!
hedgehog
(36,286 posts)cbayer
(146,218 posts)JRLeft
(7,010 posts)cbayer
(146,218 posts)if church's were not allowed to take political positions, the Gay rights and abortion debates would look very very different
cbayer
(146,218 posts)Do you wish to exclude all of them? Do you wish to exclude all non-profit organizations from that tax exempt status and it's rules?
stillcool
(32,626 posts)That provide charitable services should be tax exempt.
Liberalynn
(7,549 posts)If they do they should face taxation just like the rest of us. Sorry for such a harsh line in the sand, but they are proving they cannot abide by the rules and are trying to establish a theocracy in this country.
It is one thing to have religious belief yourself, but trying to force feed it to an entire country is a whole other matter, which is what the right wing fundies, etc have been trying to do these past several years.
They were given an inch and now they are trying to take a mile.
I realize not all religions are guilty of this but the ones that are should definitely be taxed, and the rules keeping church and state separate should be strictly enforced.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)Are you suggesting that churches should be excluded from that status while other non-profits continue to have it?
Liberalynn
(7,549 posts)or violate any other federal laws such as the ones against discrimination should loose tax exempt status. Not for profits are not allowed to do so. If they can't follow the rules of the federal government then they shouldn't take money from the federal government.
They were given the guidelines when they were granted their tax exempt status. It is a privilege not a right. If they no longer wish to abide by the rules, then they should loose the privilege. Plain and simple,no exceptions.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)northoftheborder
(7,574 posts)Religious institutions should be tax exempt only for the actual sanctuary and/teaching space. Anything which is money making (hospitals, schools, real estate, etc.. should pay property taxes at least.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)Should the rules be changed for all non-profits or just for churches?
OldHippieChick
(2,434 posts)essentially told everyone to take a chill pill. He said for anyone to say a living individual was going to lead the way, we are reminded that that job has been taken.
That was pretty much it and it landed well w/ our very diverse (politically) congregation.