Repeal the Johnson Amendment

[SILVERNAME]

Because our founders believed churches were essential to maintaining the kind of Christian culture necessary for a free society in America, houses of worship were free of taxation and regulation by government.

Pastors, priests and rabbis were free to say what they wanted to say about politics and the issues of the day through the early history of our nation – in fact, right up until 1954.

That year, Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson, D-Texas, was facing opposition in his re-election bid from Christians and anti-communists, some of whom were speaking their minds freely from the pulpits.

Johnson, a powerful figure in the Senate who would later become John F. Kennedy's vice president and succeed him following the assassination in 1963, had a solution for his own political predicament – to muzzle churches and clergy with federal regulations.

Through what became known as "the Johnson Amendment," the U.S. Congress changed the Internal Revenue Service code, prohibiting non-profits, including churches, from endorsing or opposing political candidates.

It should have been seen as a clear infringement of the First Amendment back in 1954, but it wasn't. And this most regrettable action has haunted America ever since.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57224

[Soldier4Christ]

Hello SILVERNAME,

Welcome to Christians Unite forums.

There were many things that occurred in the 50's and 60's that started this nation in a downward spiral and is escalating even further today. The removal of school led prayers, the removal of Bibles as a useful source by schools. The support of evolution, abortion and now homosexuality and other deviant sexual behaviour. Allowing groups such as the ACLU, Planned Parenthood and AU to have control over our children, courts and government. The infiltration of many of these supporters into our government passing such laws forbidding free speech by those opposing them is just one of them. All the while churches, Christians stood idly by and did little or nothing to oppose these things all in the supposed name of freedom and the false ideology of "separation of church and state".

[Rhys]

http://spofga.org/ten_commandments/2006/feb/church_info.php

"Although many church officials and members think a church must be 501(c)(3) to be exempt from taxation, this status is not necessary for a church to carry out any of its functions. There are also theological objections to it, as stated by Rushdoony and others.

The lack of a 501(c)(3) designation does not exempt a church from any legal prohibitions against “politicking,” but not being 501(c)(3) would make any politically motivated investigation of a church more difficult. (The IRS, then, would have to examine church members’ individual tax returns, financial statements, etc.)

A church’s right to speak out on controversial issues, which may cross the line into prohibited political activity, is protected by the First Amendment. No church has ever lost its tax-exempt status as a result of “political speech” by the pastor."

[Brother Jerry]

Agreed it has never happened.....but all it would take is once.  Once would bring down the full power of the gment on our churches.  And that is the scary part of it all.... Once it starts it would continue to cascade down and then with the laws in place and that the liberals want in place would bring the IRS down on pastors preaching about homosexuality, deviation, child discipline, husband/wife relations, and all things moral.

We need to remove the laws that are in place that are useless before someone abuses them and makes them useful for their own agenda.

[Rhys]

Agreed it has never happened.....but all it would take is once.  Once would bring down the full power of the gment on our churches.  And that is the scary part of it all.... Once it starts it would continue to cascade down and then with the laws in place and that the liberals want in place would bring the IRS down on pastors preaching about homosexuality, deviation, child discipline, husband/wife relations, and all things moral.

We need to remove the laws that are in place that are useless before someone abuses them and makes them useful for their own agenda.

While I agree with you that the law should be repealed, I doubt that the liberals will carry it that far as it would then prevent their churches from doing the same thing. http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080227/31340_IRS_Investigates_Obama%27s_Denomination.htm: "The IRS is investigating the United Church of Christ over a speech Sen. Barack Obama gave at its national meeting last year after he became a candidate for president, the denomination said Tuesday."

Black churches, for example, are notorious for politicking. Although hypocracy does seem to be a liberal trait!

And actually the law just prevents churches from endorsing individual candidates, not speaking out on issues.

The real issues are whether the church will stop preaching the truth to keep a tax exemption, and whether people are giving to get a tax break or because they love the Lord.

I remember when I was in Bible School someone in a local church gave some money to help a needy student, saying the Lord had led him to meet the need, then asked for it back because he couldn't get a receipt to deduct on his income tax. I don't think he is going to get much praise when he has to stand before the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

And actually the law just prevents churches from endorsing individual candidates, not speaking out on issues.

Unfortunately many don't realize this truth and end up listening to the liberal lawyers the teach otherwise.

I remember when I was in Bible School someone in a local church gave some money to help a needy student, saying the Lord had led him to meet the need, then asked for it back because he couldn't get a receipt to deduct on his income tax. I don't think he is going to get much praise when he has to stand before the Lord.

There are many today that do this for tax purposes or for social standing in their church, sometimes both. If giving were done according to scripture no one would know the source of the gift except for the Lord.

[Brother Jerry]

What I find peculiar in alot of these instances where large churches get "investigated" by the IRS is that no one ever prints the supposed letter from the IRS.