Politics in the pulpit: How far is too far?

The pulpit carries more weight than the tube.
Life for many New Mexicans begins at conception.

Tax them, and let them say what they want. They suck the blood out of the neighborhood by demanding 10% and then they do not pay taxes and then they turn on anyone who does not think like them. And George W. Bush gives them more tax payer money. Churches like this one give religion a bad name. And don't tell me they don't care if they get taxed........

TAX THEM THAT WANT TO POLITIC!

I don't see why churches are given a special tax advantage in the first place. The law seems to say, "If you don't use your freedom of speech, we won't levy taxes on you." If I don't use guns, or my freedom of assembly, can I avoid taxes, too? No, of course not. But churches have that "option." Has any group been more political in recent decades than fundamentalist Christians? Yet I've not heard of one church – not even that of Falwell or Dobson – losing its tax exempt status.

I say tax them all. Why shouldn't they support our military, schools, police and fire, and other tax-supported services like the rest of us?

The church (broadly stated) for decades has abondon its responsibility of advocating morality. The church has acquiesced this responsibility and now wants government to legislate morality. Freedom of wlll, freedom of choice is a fundamental biblical principal. If the church chooses to enter politcs by endorsing candidates than it violates the biblical principal of separation of church and state and therefore, should be treated as any other private entity.

Famn! Gotta send Americans United for Separation of Church and State http://www.au.org another $25. It is a great organization that seeks to stop the abuse of tax exemptions for churches that violate the the tax code.

Fortunately the Liberal American Founding Fathers were smart enough to ensure this great nation would sink so low as to be a a Christian nation.

Readers of this story might want to go to the Catholic Church's national website and look for its policy toward abstinence education. There is a form letter that one can download and send to Congress to continue funding the $75 million abstinence education program that Congress first funded in 1997. Then one can think about how each of the candidates for president and vice-president stand on this issue. One might find it interesting which of the four candidates was a co-sponsor of the legislation. One might also be intrigued at the lack of reference to this issue on either party's website.

AndrewLeoLopez wrote:

The pulpit carries more weight than the tube.
Life for many New Mexicans begins at conception.

Wow, when does it begin for Texans?

Let's tax all the non-profits, including the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.

From the article...

"Under the law, churches can hold voter-registration drives, prepare and distribute election guides or even hold a nonpartisan candidate forum. They can also take positions on public-policy issues, including those that divide candidates in an election — so long as they stop short of approving or disapproving an individual candidate. And a minister can be politically active as long as it is clear he or she is speaking as a private citizen."

Pony wrote:

<quoted text> Dumb **** churches are not the only ones that get a tax free statis.

I never said that they were the only ones, never. Where in my post did see that?

Hey John wrote:

Let's tax all the non-profits, including the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.

In total agreement.

Rita_S wrote:

From the article...
"Under the law, churches can hold voter-registration drives, prepare and distribute election guides or even hold a nonpartisan candidate forum. They can also take positions on public-policy issues, including those that divide candidates in an election — so long as they stop short of approving or disapproving an individual candidate. And a minister can be politically active as long as it is clear he or she is speaking as a private citizen."

Como estas Rita? They should be able to do what they want if they pay taxes. If not, stick to saving souls of their flocks and leave the rest of us alone.

Pastor Mike Narnajo has adopted 8 children and has done more than his share to answer the critics...

"It gives pause to wonder if (those who) create these messages and hang these signs have adopted any of the unplanned, unwanted or supported the orphanages and fosters where they are housed and warehoused," she added.

Religion is a pox on the world.

New Mexican wrote:

Religion is a pox on the world.

All generalizations are false.

Daniel Arellano wrote:

Pastor Mike Narnajo has adopted 8 children and has done more than his share to answer the critics...
"It gives pause to wonder if (those who) create these messages and hang these signs have adopted any of the unplanned, unwanted or supported the orphanages and fosters where they are housed and warehoused," she added.

Excellent. There aren't many who walk the talk. Sounds like he does, at least in this particular. Now, he should start paying taxes. It's the law. Or he can try to change the law; until he does, he should live under the law of the land.

New Mexican wrote:

<quoted text>
Como estas Rita?

Not feeling well today.

Rita_S wrote:

<quoted text>
Not feeling well today.

ventosas

John in Santa Fe wrote:

<quoted text>
All generalizations are false.

That is a generalization

Rita_S wrote:

<quoted text>
Not feeling well today.

Hope you feel better soon