Preaching Politics from the Petroleum Pulpit
“Are you a pastor, elder or church leader? The Alaska Family Council would like to buy you breakfast at the Petroleum Club on Friday, October 5th at 9:00am. Pastor Voddie Baucham will be presenting on why pastors should be involved in matters related to civic engagement.”
Because that’s where Jesus would invite you to breakfast…
That, believe it or not, is part of the email that was sent out last month from Jim Minnery and the Alaska Family Council.
“The Alaska Family Council and our legislative arm, Alaska Family Action, believes very strongly that church leaders should bring cultural issues, relevant in many arenas including the political sphere, into perspective from the pulpit… Groups like Americans United for the Separation of Church and State are working overtime to intimidate church leaders and tell them what they can and can’t say from the pulpit.”
I don’t think any 1st amendment-loving American really wants to tell you what you can and cannot say from the pulpit. They’re telling you what you can and cannot say from the pulpit AND NOT HAVE TO PAY TAXES. And by not having to pay taxes, it doesn’t mean you miraculously become a non-burden on the community. Your parishioners still use the street lights to see, and drive on the roads, and expect them to be plowed, and figure that if the church catches on fire someone will put it out, or if someone has a heart attack during service, someone will come help. The number of cars in and out of your ginormous parking lot might even mean that your intersection requires a street light.
And the cost of all those services gets passed to other people to the tune of $71 billion every year in lost tax revenue. And as the representative body of the people who are picking up the slack for your common usage of services the government is not in the business of subsidizing your political endorsements. Those are the rules, and you don’t get to have it both ways. Lookie here:
Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code describes what the government considers to be an eligible nonprofit, religious group. “A tax-exempt religious organization is a legal entity or vehicle created and operated exclusively for religious purposes, no part of the net earnings of which insures to the benefit of any private individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and which does not participate in or interfere in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.”
It’s an exchange. You provide an important public service and talk about love and peace and what Jesus would do. You help people —> ergo, you get a break.
It’s a multiple choice answer:
A) You get to say whatever you want and endorse political candidates, and forego your tax-exempt status.
B) You keep your tax-exempt status (see above), and don’t endorse political candidates from the pulpit.
That’s it. There is no third option.
“Standing against the IRS” sounds great. Nobody is a huge fan of the IRS, but basically they’re’ saying they’d like to pay less, and have you pick up the tab.
If we wanted to hear a petroleum fueled sock puppet bloviate about how evil the guy on the other side of the aisle is, and get all jacked up on divisive partisan rhetoric while telling you who to vote for, all we have to do is listen to Sean Parnell, or his minions in Juneau.
Well, I don’t know what happened at the Petroleum Club prayer breakfast, because I am not a pastor, and was not invited. But yesterday was “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” and almost 1,500 pastors across the country stood at the altar and told everyone who to vote for.
The IRS has thus far not taken action against any of the churches participating in these events, which began several years ago. And that means that (mostly evangelical conservative) churches now have an actual organization behind them saying it’s OK to do this. Statistically, 56% of their parishioners don’t like the idea, but they’re going to get to hear it anyway.
The principle of keeping church out of state is just as vital as the concept of keeping state out of church. It’s like that whole chocolate/peanut butter commercial, only without the deliciousness.
Yes, I found this.
I’m not sure what these pastors are going to have to say for themselves when their Jesus-endorsed candidates with the Holy Spirit Seal of Approval turn out to be embezzlers, or cheats, or covet somebody’s something-or-other, or do a tappy-toe-wide-stance in a public restroom, or play fast and loose with campaign money. Letting personality politics into church is kind of like letting a wet dog into an elevator. It’s only a matter of time before something goes horribly, horribly wrong.
Despite that, this Sunday, Baptist pastor Mark Harris endorsed a Supreme Court candidate from his pulpit in North Carolina.
“I don’t feel I’m breaking the law,” Harris said before addressing a congregation of almost 1,000. “I am speaking as a pastor and as a citizen of the United States where we have that freedom of speech.”
Well, as long as he doesn’t feel he’s breaking the law, what can you say? This clearly passes the feely litmus test of lawdom. I guess he doesn’t feel he’s doing anything wrong by not paying taxes for the services his church uses either.
Don’t forget you can make a contribution to the Alaska Family Council so they can keep hosting events like the Political Pulpit Breakfast. And don’t worry, your contribution is tax deductible! Would you expect anything less?
I’ll sign off with that memorable closing line from the Alaska Family Council email…
“Hope to see you at the Petroleum Club !”
Given that, nationally, the number of church goers is declining, I wonder if that is one of the things upping the politicization of the pulpit. Desperate times for churches require desperate measures, I guess. It would be asking too much, I’m sure, for churches to self-enforce the separation of church and state. They know that no government will ever come after them. After all, they have “freedom of speech,” that so-handy fall back for right-wingery in this country.
Way OT-Candygram from Mongo. Mongo(Alex Karras) has left the building for the last time. RIP #71. Gone at 77.
You guys are on a roll. Loving it. 😀
shhhhhh…..snowdrift snookie and fumbly are -uh-writing a book on fitness. no publisher yet. voting is 77% vs 23% against wanting advice from the thin man-woman. from people magazine.
shhhhhh…..snowdrift snookie and fumbly are -uh-writing a book on fitness. no publisher yet. voting is 77% vs 23% against wanting advice from the thin man-woman.
I was waiting to see what the sermon would be like in our church on Sunday. It’s a Presbyterian church that is more conservative (than I like), but we like the style of worship (more traditional). For the most part social issues are discussed in the context of what is in the Bible. Until this fall. Now they are having some classes to talk about social issues. I should have gone to see if they were only one-sided, but I just didn’t want to argue with people on Sunday morning. This week they are having a forum about gay marriage which is on the ballot in Washington state. I already know that I’m voting for keeping it but I know a lot in church who will vote against it. I am out of town so I can only hope that this is really a community forum they are providing with both sides being represented.
So, back to the sermon. It was fine. It was our Assoc Pastor, who is a young woman I really like. In the past she has included praying for our leaders and for peace in the world, etc., without straying into that realm of picking sides. The problem came with the prayer by another woman after communion – on World Communion Sunday, btw. She started off well enough but about half-way through she took that decided turn that to my ears was way too political. I opened my eyes and stared at her for the rest of it and hope that she saw me. I also happened to see our Assoc Pastor open her eyes, look at the woman, and I think she saw me staring. I hope so. I didn’t say anything but if it continues, I am going to complain.
I will send along a link to this post, Jeanne, because I think you have explained it fairly and thoroughly. So thank you once again for cutting through the mirky waters of the separation of church and state. And thank you for including the IRS code – I’d never actually read all of it. It doesn’t sound to me like there is really any wiggle room for churches or religious organizations, does it.
The IRS really needs to go after them, individually. Some churches (I always thought our church was one) follow that rule very carefully and, imo, shouldn’t be penalized with the ones that knowingly break the rule.
Yuck. Minnery. Yuck.
Something is wrong with a person so stuck on a teens reproductive organs.
I got an email from God’s Own Party (Leah Burton’s site), with the link to Part I of their list of candidates for Congress (both incumbents and newbies) who want to force us all to live in their theocracy. Part I includes Alabama through California:
http://godsownparty.com/blog/2012/10/2012-voter-guide-of-extreme-rebiblican-candidates-part-i/
Just read through Leah Burton’s site listing theocracy supporting Congress Critters. Very scary. I hadn’t followed her site for quite a while. It has been updated a lot since I was there last, looks like I’ll be visiting it more often. Thanks door the info.
Just wonder how much longer our representative can hang on. Of course, we might have to defeat Joe Miller again… About those computers, I feel that we should help Alaska Pi with her efforts in that direction ; )
Love that auto- correct. “for” , not “door”.
You are welcome door the info.
Well,I guess it is unanimous. What is unanimous?
Oh my. The jaunts around the tubes some of your posts make for me, AKM!
Tracked back to the Secular Humanist article about the 71 billion ( conservative estimate) in potential federal tax revenue should all churches lose their exempt status dealie . Of particular interest to me was the low expenditure for charity by many but even more thought provoking was the whole section about sideways benefits to churches because donations to them are tax exempt for donors.
Should churches choose to endorse candidates and devote substantial resources to lobbying for legislation as 501(c)4s (like good ole Citizens United) they would likely find a significant drop in donations since most donations to those kind of outfits are not tax exempt for donors.How many Suzy and Sam Mainstreets can afford not to be able to deduct donations to their church for how long? How many Mitt Romneys want to just-be-good-guys and donate with no deduction?
So- at bottom, these Pastors for Shooting Off Their Mouths From the Pulpit are pretty much want-their-cake-and-eat-it-too types. They want to create some kind of 1st Amendment freedom of speech thing for their big mouths which bypasses conversation about taxes.
Also, too- how much of this phony game has to do with the mess created by the IRS reorganizing and not addressing formal rules to deal with these yahoos?
http://philanthropy.com/article/Court-Rules-Against-IRS-in/63006/
Yes- multiple choice test, AFC, and no 3rd option. Period.
“potential federal tax revenue ”
correction ——> potential multiple federal, state, and local tax revenue
Please send mike from iowa two dozen absentee ballots. What the heck. Ron Devon looks like he has an honest face and I don’t feel like I’m breaking the law.
Hey, Mike, I feel like I should help you with filling out absentee ballots for Ron. I also feel that Jeanne Devon is a High Priestess of the Church of Reason and Justice and obviously should have tax exempt status as an unofficial 501(c) (3).
mike from iowa would vote for Jeanne,too. Send more absentee ballots.
Sometimes I’m tempted to go-joe-miller and find a bunch of other computes to “vote”/hit like on to boost the ratings on some comments or conversations here.
You two get multi-layered-zingers-of-the-week award of the week ! 🙂
Thanks, Alaska Pi! A good word from you means a lot. Your comments are always spot-on. I always read them with interest. Here’s hoping our Anchorage presidential election goes more smoothly and CORRECTLY than the last one.
You’re welcome, AKMagpie. And the same backatcha! I enjoy so many many voices here but yours is one of the ones I pay close attention to.
and also and BTW tallimat pretty much owns the crown for most-wisdom-delivered-in-jaunty-oneliners 🙂
yes to a correctly run election in ANC!!! State can come in on this one too as is not just a MOA election.
Valentines are in the mail for both of you,bless your politics,,,er I meant hearts.
My politics ..er, heart is all aflutter, Mike. Seriously, these pastors should have a powerful dose of Chris Rodda’s books as required reading to counteract the totally unserious David Barton selective misrepresentations of history. Also, too, and I read them all doncha know.