Churches taunt the IRS by violating 501-c laws on political activism

[Angrboda]

He knows such pulpit pleading could endanger his church's tax-exempt status by violating IRS rules for a 501[c](3) charitable organization.

How in the hell do churches qualify as "charitable organizations"? They're in the BUSINESS of selling religion! If I give money to the Cancer Society, I know my money is being used for cancer research. If I give my money to the Red Cross I know it's being used to help people displaced by disasters. If I give my money to a church.... I have no clue what it's being used for!

The 501 ( c) section of the tax code is fairly broad and in particular, 501 ( c) 3 includes both charitable and educational foundations; the primary division being that 501 ( c) 3 organizations are forbidden from engaging in politics (rather narrowly defined as supporting or opposing the election of particular candidates), and that the income of the organization does not go to the penury interest of any individual or group (they can't be run simply to make one or more persons rich). I believe they're also prevented from engaging in certain types of business activities, but I'd have to research that. Organizations like movetoamend.org are also 501 ( c) 3, and I believe the political parties are 501 ( c) 6 organizations. Basically this section of the tax code is meant to encourage the flourishing of organizations that benefit the public interest, and are an incentive designed to encourage behaviors that are, generally, seen as serving a secular good. You might disagree that religion actually serves any good, and I might be inclined to agree with you; however, like free speech, it's probably best to let people make their own choices in the matter of religion, and attempting to remove that protection from religious organizations and not secular organizations (I believe the NCSE is a 501 ( c) 3) is probably not a good direction to go for either the religious or non-religious.

Of course, we as a society are perfectly free to differ with that view via legislation, but we both know the atheists and non-religious simply don't have the votes.

The sad thing about this is, both the government and the IRS are likely going to just turn a blind eye to this activity, for political and practical reasons. But, what can you do. It sucks, but thems the breaks.

(ETA: Would a Unitarian Universalist church be considered secular or religious? If you're not familiar with UU, their churches range from pseudo-religious to almost atheistic; I attended a UU church here, but was later informed that it is the most atheistic UU church in the city. What about semi-spiritual organizations like meditation centers? Or for that matter, what about things like humanist associations whose beliefs, politics and advocacy walks a thin line between secularism and a quasi-religious message? This is another demarcation problem, and I don't mean to invoke the fallacy of the beard, but it is a thorny practical issue. [and if you read up on the IRS website about this section of the tax code, you can get a greater appreciation for how difficult these issues can be, but also how the IRS deals with them in practical terms])