Trump vows to destroy the law limiting churches' political activity

[Aegon]

Trump vows to destroy the Johnson Amendment

President Trump on Thursday vowed to "destroy" the Johnson Amendment, which prevents religious groups and churches from engaging in political activities.

"I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution," the president said Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast.

"I will do that, remember."

The president added that freedom of a religion is a "sacred right," but that it is also "under threat."

"And the world is under serious, serious threat, in so many different ways and I've never seen it so much and so openly," he said.
"The world is in trouble, we're going to straighten is out."

The Johnson Amendment prohibits churches and other tax-exempt organizations from endorsing political candidates. Repealing the amendment would allow religious organizations to engage in partisan political activities without losing their tax exemption status.

Repealing the law has long been a top cause of religious conservatives, who strongly backed Trump's White House bid.

During the presidential campaign, Trump also vowed to repeal the Johnson Amendment. 

“The first thing we have to do is give our churches their voice back,” Trump said during a campaign event in September. 
 
“The Johnson Amendment has blocked our pastors from speaking their minds from their own pulpit. If they want to talk about Christianity, if they want to preach or talk about politics, they’re unable to do so, they take a tremendous risk that they’ll lose their of their tax-exempt status.”

Pro-Trump and anti-Trump members have been clashing on my topics lately, but I'm assuming that all atheist/non-religious members, regardless of political beliefs, would disagree with this move by the POTUS.

[Tiberius]

I mean, on principle yeah, but was this ever actually enforced by the IRS? Seemed like every year you'd hear of preachers ain't political stuff in front of their congregations and nothing ever happened.

[Kosh]

I mean, on principle yeah, but was this ever actually enforced by the IRS? Seemed like every year you'd hear of preachers ain't political stuff in front of their congregations and nothing ever happened.

But now you'll get to see billboards with Pat Robertson's smiling face saying, "vote trump or burn in hell".

Christians eat that up.

[Iroscato]

Ah well, the country's been an effective theocracy for decades now. May as well start making it official.

[Angrboda]

The sucking continues unabated.

[Aoi Magi]

My deeply held religious views demand trump should be tied to a nuke and launched towards the sun

[Aroura]

I, for one, welcome our new Christian overlords. :p
Welcome to the new Dominion, all.

[vorlon13]

I'm pretty sure this ain't gonna be good for religion.

Politics have already corrupted the evangelicals and the fundamentalists. Having the religious folks stray even further from their piety in search of votes will count as a 'win' for atheism.

I think "Citizen's United" could be cited as a precedent of sorts, so Trump or not, the rule was quite likely to be found unconstitutional at some point regardless.

LOL, I've read enough of Ehrman by now to not be much impressed with any argument made from the Christer camp about anything these days. I had been of the mindset that while still false, Christianity as a whole was going to be better thought out than Mormonism.

Boy was I wrong about that !!

If the US Christers want to embrace politics, it is just one more way they have of dividing themselves further.

First Church of Jesus Christ Repentance Democrat , of Canton Ohio, anyone ?

As atheists, we have many things of greater import to concern ourselves with.

[Aroura]

Sorry Vorlon, corrupted religion is not a win for atheism. When church and state get intertwined, people don't leave the churches more rapidly, they stick harder.

This is an attempt to return to the Dark Ages.

[Kosh]

Next he'll proclaim watersports as the nations official past time.