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catbyte

(34,372 posts)
6. Aren't churches supposed to refrain from political activity, too? Why aren't they taxed?
Wed Dec 19, 2018, 09:04 AM
Dec 2018

From the IRS website:

The ban on political campaign activity by charities and churches was created by Congress more than a half century ago. The Internal Revenue Service administers the tax laws written by Congress and has enforcement authority over tax-exempt organizations. Here is some background information on the political campaign activity ban and the latest IRS enforcement statistics regarding its administration of this congressional ban.

In 1954, Congress approved an amendment by Sen. Lyndon Johnson to prohibit 501(c)(3) organizations, which includes charities and churches, from engaging in any political campaign activity. To the extent Congress has revisited the ban over the years, it has in fact strengthened the ban. The most recent change came in 1987 when Congress amended the language to clarify that the prohibition also applies to statements opposing candidates.

Currently, the law prohibits political campaign activity by charities and churches by defining a 501(c)(3) organization as one "which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office."


https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/charities-churches-and-politics
So there's a church in Miami that needs to get right with Jesus and the IRS ... marble falls Dec 2018 #1
Yet they still leave the Scientologist alone. Oppaloopa Dec 2018 #2
Exactly! AC_Mem Dec 2018 #16
No!!! atreides1 Dec 2018 #29
Understood and agree AC_Mem Dec 2018 #30
Tuition is going to go up! Sancho Dec 2018 #3
About Time Racerdog1 Dec 2018 #4
K&R!!! Absolutely!!! All the damn godly cults. n/t RKP5637 Dec 2018 #10
and extremely political...jesus is just their cover because they aint christian Larrybanal Dec 2018 #19
Now take their exemption Soxfan58 Dec 2018 #5
Yes! Lonestarblue Dec 2018 #18
Aren't churches supposed to refrain from political activity, too? Why aren't they taxed? catbyte Dec 2018 #6
Excellent question!!! n/t RKP5637 Dec 2018 #11
I think that was changed in a bill earlier this year Crutchez_CuiBono Dec 2018 #13
We need much more of this! mwb970 Dec 2018 #7
This should happen to about 90% of all religious establishments. nt Ferrets are Cool Dec 2018 #8
Definitely!!! Most are a sham benefiting the authoritarian rulers of the church. And the little RKP5637 Dec 2018 #12
Tax the churches! mountain grammy Dec 2018 #9
Give them tax write offs for real charity, tax their property and income, greymattermom Dec 2018 #17
Surrounded by high-rises and only 150 parishioners lostnfound Dec 2018 #14
Only 150 parishioners and they racked up over $6.5 million in taxes Farmer-Rick Dec 2018 #15
Being surrounded by high rises. property is valuable. lostnfound Dec 2018 #22
I say review tax exempt status of ALL religious institutions. usaf-vet Dec 2018 #20
Better yet just do away with the exemption altogether Major Nikon Dec 2018 #23
Ok!! that would work for me. usaf-vet Dec 2018 #28
Tax the churches!!! eom LittleGirl Dec 2018 #21
Agreed, NeoGreen Dec 2018 #25
Yup, that post should be an OP. eom LittleGirl Dec 2018 #27
Yes! Nitram Dec 2018 #24
Tax exemptions like those are a de facto subsidy for churches. MineralMan Dec 2018 #26
It's a start... Hulk Dec 2018 #31
Is the IRS in their future? nitpicker Dec 2018 #32
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