Why doesn't the United States follow it's own rules when it comes to the 1st amendmen

[Cato]

Could you provide some examples?

Blue laws.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_laws_...ted_States

[CapnAwesome]

Could you provide some examples?

Blue laws.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_laws_...ted_States

You could maybe argue that those violate the First amendment, although laws like that are generally on the decline anyway. It's not like Christianity even forbids alcohol use. Jesus drank, after all. I don't think they are enough to make me lose my mind, like the opening post. Just stock up on saturday.

[J.S.C.]

Public officials often use religion to rally the masses around their candidacy. It is a foolproof way to gain support -- there is practically nothing to lose by appealing to the faith values of the average voter (keeping in mind that 3 in 4 Americans are Christians).

[robvalue]

I hope that there will increasingly be something to lose.

If a candidate makes it clear that they make any kind of political decisions based largely on some form of superstition, I would never vote for them. I'm not saying I wouldn't vote for a theist though, of course; one who can keep their religious beliefs out of it all.

I'm in England though, the ironic version of America where we don't officially have separation of church and state, but we actually have it more than America.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I don't disagree, Min, but that wasn't the bitch in the first place (the First Amendment says nothing about taxes or exemptions therefrom).

Boru

It's really very simple.  In exchange for tax exempt status they give up their right to lobby congress or endorse candidates.  If they wish to engage in those activities all they have to do is give up their tax exemption.

(You'll see them cut their own nuts off with a rusty saw before that happens, man.)

Would you extend that stricture to non-religious charities? I'm not sure how it works in the US, but here many charities (and some other non-profits) are exempt from VAT, property, and income taxes, provided the income is used for charitable purposes.

In other words, would you require a group that provides help to, say, homeless war vets with PTSD give up either their lobbying or their tax exemptions, or is it only religious groups you feel should have this option required of them?

Boru

[robvalue]

As far as I'm aware, the tax exempt thing in exchange for keeping out of politics isn't a formal arrangement. Is it? More of an unwritten placation. I may be wrong.

No one should have to be paid in order to not break the constitution, in any shape or form.

[The Grand Nudger]

OTOH, it's justified at least in part by our history of oppression via taxation.

[Burns]

The Constitution of 1789, drafted in the ashes of its predecessor foundational document, The Articles of Confederation, is America's " I Have a Dream " speech to the world.

Though, for some, there has been a steady, painful crawl from the dungeons of our institutions, for most the reality that followed the ratification was nothing akin to any sort of dream a fellow would willfully experience.

Over time the Tyranny of the Majority has pretty much evaded its constraints.

For me it is not so much that "In God We Trust" adorns our currency as it is that the currency itself is the instrument of for-profit enterprises.

Pick your battles wisely old amigo.

[Minimalist]

It's really very simple.  In exchange for tax exempt status they give up their right to lobby congress or endorse candidates.  If they wish to engage in those activities all they have to do is give up their tax exemption.

(You'll see them cut their own nuts off with a rusty saw before that happens, man.)

Would you extend that stricture to non-religious charities?  I'm not sure how it works in the US, but here many charities (and some other non-profits) are exempt from VAT, property, and income taxes, provided the income is used for charitable purposes.

In other words, would you require a group that provides help to, say, homeless war vets with PTSD give up either their lobbying or their tax exemptions, or is it only religious groups you feel should have this option required of them?

Boru

I ran a dog rescue for 3 years and we could not and did not lobby or endorse candidates as an organization, on our web site or in any publications.  Individual members were free to do what they liked but on the rare occasion that someone posted something political on either our internal email system or our Facebook page it was immediately removed.  In the case of email the person got a cordial ( at first ) reminder that we were not a political organization.

It just is not that hard to comply with the laws.  For some reason....most likely the fact that they are fucking arrogant pricks... churches have a hard time dealing with it.