Sneaker bill in U.S. Congress will allow all churches (synagogues and mosques, too -- if that's reassuring) the right to endorse political candidates without fear of losing tax exempt status. What??? Scared yet? Read
this:
H.R. 235 would permit religious congregations to support or oppose candidates for public office and conduct partisan campaign activities without losing their tax-exempt status, as long as the activity takes place in the context of a religious meeting. It would apply to elections at the local, state or federal level. A congregation could use funds raised through tax-deductible contributions to fund these activities. Religious organizations could re-distribute and publicize endorsement-sermons and other election-related presentations made during their services or gatherings, through television, radio, and other media.
[Emphasis added.] Read more ...
How did I find out about this? I just received an e-mail response from my Congressman regarding an issue I had never heard of. I read Congressman's Shadegg's (R-AZ) note, growing more alarmed as I realized I had never written to him about the "Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act." My focus has mostly been saving Social Security. Mr. Shadegg informed me:
As you may know, the Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act will restore the rights of all religious organizations to determine for themselves what they can and cannot teach from their pulpits, or communicate to their congregants and the public without fear that their tax status may be in jeopardy. By lifting the IRS's absolute ban on political speech, the Act will restore their First Amendment rights and allow our churches, synagogues, and mosques to participate freely in our democracy, without fear that the government will penalize them for doing so. Currently, H.R. 235 has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
I haven't had a chance to do much research on this, but a bit of searching shows that concern about this bill has grown over the last couple of years, and it is still alive, ready to be tacked on to current legislation (as evidenced by my e-mail from Congressman Shadegg tonight). If you're not alarmed yet, see this site, set up to push the bill. BEWARE -- and be vigilant ...