It doesn't matter if they were stating their spiritual beliefs - if they are participating in the political process in a way that is not allowed for organizations given tax exemptions, that's a problem. Some investigations result in no charges. That's the whole purpose of investigating: to figure out if anything improper was done - that seems like common sense. Churches who want to avoid risking their tax status can do so fairly easily by not involving themselves in ballot initiative campaigns.
Is teaching that homosexual acts are sin according to the bible, or teaching that abortion is killing a human life participating in the politcal process?
It is when you actively politic for candidates who share those views. That stops being religious teaching and starts being a political organization.
No - unless you link that to trying to pass/reject specific ballot initiatives or support/oppose specific political candidates.
So it is ok to teach those things, but not expect people from congregation act on those teachings. Such as picketing Planned Parenthood or church members helping politcal campaigns that agree with their teachings. Or is it just determined by what the pastor says, or Sunday school teacher, someone who speaks at a bible study?
Yep. If you want to keep that tax exempt status, then you play by the rules.... Which is what this is all about.... Groups trying to bend or circumvent the rules.....
So if during say a church business meeting a group of ladies in the church presents a motion to have a picket at planned parenthood and write the local, state, and national legislators about banning abortions, would that lose them tax exempt status? And If a pastor is doing a sermon on current events lets say during an election cycle and presents what certain candidates stand for on key spiritual subjects. Is that a offense?
So churches with tax exemptions engaged in politics being investigated for such is now Obama targeting Christians. Haha. Scandalous!!
Well, it would be if you want tax exempt status. I mean, if the churches really don't want people keeping tabs on them to make sure they fall under the tax exempt status, then they can simply not ask for it. Then they can do whatever the hell they want and the government wouldn't give a damn. I mean, don't you guys always get your panties in a wad when it comes to subject of food stamps? Are you saying that anyone should be able to apply for food stamps and other subsities without the government asking whether they're allowed such subsities?
I don't recall Christian conservative groups rallying in anger when the NYPD covertly infiltrated mosques in the NYC area.
No - people can act on them. You just can't officially recommend them to do so as an organization. "Abortion is bad" = OK "Abortion is bad, so vote for Mike Huckabee" = not OK This isn't complicated stuff. It applies to religious and non-religious non-profits. As Huckabee said, if churches want to directly be involved in politics, then they can just give up their tax exemption. (On a side note, nothing Jesus talked about had anything to do with changing laws anyway, so trying to do so has nothing to do with the faith.)
If my tax money is paying for that sermon encouraging parishioners to vote for one candidate or proposition versus another? Yes, in my opinion that is an offense. Just as it would be an offense having your tax money paying for a public school teacher encouraging students to vote for a candidate or proposition.
Fairly far-right wing sources at that. And people will eat it up with a spoon because Obama is, well, he's so "other". Of course he tasked the IRS to go after churches, that, that Kenyan Muslim. Oh, boy, here we go. Just proves my point. That Obama, he's going after the white churches: just you watch out! Black churches? Ah, brother, it's all good. We got your back.
It's not okay IF it is organized by the church. I think you are grasping a bit here for the sake of arguing. Again, until more facts come out, I don't have any issues as of yet. Perhaps that changes if we see more facts and less conjecture.
Ya but they rallied in anger when radical muslims blew up the world trade center buildings killing thousands of inocent people.
To show the hypocrisy. Blacks churches are always getting involved in politics. How many have lost their tax exempt status?
