tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post2339992183931294176..comments2024-02-21T03:20:21.898-08:00Comments on An Inch At A Time: Reflections on the Journey: Pastors plan to defy IRS ban on political speechSUSAN RUSSELLhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795717638621668638noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-44367267003637507862008-09-26T19:23:00.000-07:002008-09-26T19:23:00.000-07:00For Ronf:What I mean is that under the Constitutio...For Ronf:<BR/><BR/>What I mean is that under the Constitution as it was marvelously fashioned there was no restriction of speech.<BR/> I am sure that the Founding Fathers never imagined an America where a pastor would be restricted in his pulpit speech by rules set by the government.<BR/> The IRS is the fanciful creation of a runaway bureaucracy. I don't believe those who founded our country Jim of L-Townhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03941398804273985677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-16629741245259360052008-09-26T12:09:00.000-07:002008-09-26T12:09:00.000-07:00Susan, I'm quite curious to hear what you think of...Susan, I'm quite curious to hear what you think of the Catholic Bishops' instruction to pro-abortion rights candidates and office holders such as Sen. Biden and Rep. Pelosi that they should not take Communion?<BR/><BR/>Do you think that telling people that they should not vote for any candidate who is pro-abortion rights (while not naming them specifically) is in violation of IRS guidelines? RonFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13533867151466876449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-52312280146005832732008-09-26T12:05:00.000-07:002008-09-26T12:05:00.000-07:00Jim, I'm not clear on what you mean by your commen...Jim, I'm not clear on what you mean by your comment. Do you think that the IRS revoking the tax-exempt not-for-profit status of a church that endorses a specific candidate is equivalent to restricting that church's speech?RonFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13533867151466876449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-7360713543478471052008-09-26T09:40:00.000-07:002008-09-26T09:40:00.000-07:00Dear Rev. Russell:Before there was an IRS who rest...Dear Rev. Russell:<BR/><BR/>Before there was an IRS who restricted speech in churches or non-profits.<BR/> We have taken a beautiful system and perverted it by slowly removing the liberty and freedom it was crafted with.<BR/> We have a President holding people indefinitely - some would say using torture - and that seemingly goes on.<BR/> If George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or any of the Jim of L-Townhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03941398804273985677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-33906816959561015162008-09-26T08:35:00.000-07:002008-09-26T08:35:00.000-07:00Proponents of letting churches and other tax exemp...Proponents of letting churches and other tax exempt organizations endorse political candidates need to say whether they also believe that the people have a right to know who is paying for candidates' campaigns. The practical effect of letting churches endorse candidates would be to allow large sums of money to be channeled to candidates from unidentified donors from entities that are legally janinsanfranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07548452260456734928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-44713678511492366492008-09-26T07:54:00.000-07:002008-09-26T07:54:00.000-07:00Pastors should be free to preach whatever they wan...<I>Pastors should be free to preach whatever they want from the pulpit without punishment from the IRS.</I><BR/><BR/>A requirement to pay the same taxes everyone else does is not punishment. An ability to avoid paying taxes is a privilege. That privilege is granted based on certain rules (which All Saints observed, in my opinion, and I favored it's position at the time and now). But being heldRonFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13533867151466876449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-59502855886145716792008-09-26T07:46:00.000-07:002008-09-26T07:46:00.000-07:00Having said that, I think that this statement is i...Having said that, I think that this statement is incorrect:<BR/><BR/><I>These critics, such as Americans United for Separation of Church and State, argue that Sunday's sermons at churches in Oregon, Texas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and other states will violate federal tax law by politicizing the pulpit.</I><BR/><BR/>Not that, mind you. <B>That's</B> true. This is what I have a problem with:<BR/RonFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13533867151466876449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-20515973806695303162008-09-26T05:32:00.000-07:002008-09-26T05:32:00.000-07:00This is just crazy. There is an enormous differenc...This is just crazy. There is an enormous difference between promoting a stance on an issue and promoting a certain candidate.<BR/><BR/>If the IRS regulations were changed to allow political endorsements and campaigning for 501(c)3 religous organizations, it would be the beginning of the end for tax-exempt status for Churches in America. Politics is a dirty business, but religous extremism (i.e. David and Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09545394141617985139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-74739683776523050202008-09-26T04:00:00.000-07:002008-09-26T04:00:00.000-07:00Dear Rev. Russell:Here in Flint, Michigan the Afri...Dear Rev. Russell:<BR/><BR/>Here in Flint, Michigan the African-American churches have preached politics from the pulpit for 50 or more years.<BR/> I was one of those who stood behind All Saints against the IRS investigation into your case.<BR/> This is America, free speech is the foremost freedom we have. Government is supposed to be neutral on religion (not pro and not hostile, which they Jim of L-Townhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03941398804273985677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21609676.post-53385689416646267402008-09-25T19:31:00.000-07:002008-09-25T19:31:00.000-07:00So tell me, Susan - what do you think of this?Me, ...So tell me, Susan - what do you think of this?<BR/><BR/>Me, I think that churches have every right to take a position on a particular issue and still retain their not-for-profit tax-exempt status. But if it comes to "Vote for Joe Blow", then they should lost their tax-exempt status.<BR/><BR/>What do you think of the Catholic Bishops who are telling Biden, etc., that they are not to take RonFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13533867151466876449noreply@blogger.com