(August 20, 2015 at 1:38 pm)lkingpinl Wrote: Pink, keep in mind adding churches to the 501c3 exemption status was put in place by LBJ in 1954 to limit the churches influence in social policy. It's essentially the governments way of paying the church to stay quiet. For a 501c3 church to openly speak out, or organize in opposition to, anything that the government declares "legal," even if it is immoral (e.g. abortion, homosexuality, etc.), that church will jeopardize its tax exempt status. The 501c3 has had a "chilling effect" upon the free speech rights of the church. However, despite that I 100% agree with you on what should be required of a tax exempt organization.
Yep, I got that history lesson. But I also got the follow up lesson in testing theories. Guess what? It doesn't really keep the churches out of politics or keep them quiet. It just keeps them quiet about particular candidates. So? Tax em, unless they qualify as a charity.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.
