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In reply to the discussion: Florida church violated its religious exemption status and got slapped with a $7.1 million tax bill [View all]catbyte
(34,372 posts)6. Aren't churches supposed to refrain from political activity, too? Why aren't they taxed?
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."
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
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Florida church violated its religious exemption status and got slapped with a $7.1 million tax bill [View all]
Soph0571
Dec 2018
OP
So there's a church in Miami that needs to get right with Jesus and the IRS ...
marble falls
Dec 2018
#1
and extremely political...jesus is just their cover because they aint christian
Larrybanal
Dec 2018
#19
Aren't churches supposed to refrain from political activity, too? Why aren't they taxed?
catbyte
Dec 2018
#6
Definitely!!! Most are a sham benefiting the authoritarian rulers of the church. And the little
RKP5637
Dec 2018
#12
Give them tax write offs for real charity, tax their property and income,
greymattermom
Dec 2018
#17