Church gives pre-election scorecard: Should we revoke tax-exempt status?

[prolesunited]

As legislative elections loom, the Massachusetts Catholic Conference is sending letters to all 710 parishes in the state urging Catholics to ''share their profound disappointment" with lawmakers who did not vote to ban gay marriage earlier this year.

The mailings, issued by the lobbyist for the state's Catholic bishops, also prodded Catholics to offer their ''highest praise" for lawmakers who opposed gay marriage during this spring's Constitutional Convention, saying they acted ''so courageously in favor of traditional marriage."

While the letters made no reference to Election Day, they are arriving just five months before all 200 seats in the House and Senate are up for grabs on Nov. 2. The mailings did not endorse particular lawmakers or compare incumbent legislators to their opponents, but they follow earlier attempts by the bishops and the conference to influence the Legislature on gay marriage.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/06/15/church_gives_pre_election_scorecard/

Even if the church was lobbying FOR gay marriage, I would be opposed to it.
Do you think they should crack down on churches engaged in this type of activity?
How effective is it?

[Hubert Flottz]

1. Yes we should!

For the same reasons Unions now pay taxes!

[sniffa]

2. priorities

cLose over 60 churches and their schooLs because they don't have the money..... but wait a minute! they have pLenty of money for these mass maiLings (this isn't the first - there's been quite a few recentLy).

i hope the now parish-Less church goers find a new pLace to give their money too.

[mopaul]

3. start with pat and jerry, the american taliban

if they are going to mix religion and politics then they should be taxed. for many other reasons too, but i'm sick of this political influence being bought and sold to the hightest bidder (senator).

and when they pass the plate, most of it goes to pat and jerry, then lobbyists who allow them to sell NOTHING on t.v. for billions.

[sniffa]

4. aLso.. is there a Link?

[prolesunited]

5. Whoops!

Fixed it. Thanks. Just an early morning brain fart.

[Redhead488]

6. ALL Churches in the US

should lose tax exempt status. EVERY SINGLE ONE.

[Somawas]

7. Maybe not

People of faith have always discussed how that faith affects public policy and elections. Like Baptist Churches all through the South being opposed to liquor votes. And like black churches all over the country handing out voter cards, with lists of candidates. And getting out the vote. Like Martin luther King, Jr. and Jesse Jackson were/are preachers.

Revoking tax exemptions because you don't like the politics of a particular church group is wrong and dangerous. And puts the IRS in the business of establishing religion. Or approving of particular religions.

Tax them all or leave them all alone.

[Hubert Flottz]

9. We pay dog taxes!

They should have to pay snake taxes!

What the Pubs did to the unions should happen to the churches, for the exact same reason! Every church member who puts money in the plate does not support BUSH, just like every union member who pays dues does not support Kerry!

[bryant69]

8. What if it turns out that it was just an eager

church member with no real ties to any church who puts out the score card?

I mean you have to announce the rules in advance (you usually can't pass a retroactive law). So the church just employes a janitor who doesn't clean much but on his own time (wink, wink) puts out flyers showing exactly where each candidate stands.

Seems like it would be easy enough to move around this.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[sniffa]

11. that gives me an idea

DU scorecards sent out to the church foLk.

[LWolf]

10. Yes.

Tax exempt status should be revoked for any organization involved in political lobbying, or in urging political leanings/viewpoints/votes to members.

[qb]

12. That would be a good start. Revoke tax-exempt status for partisan

religious organizations first. Then do the rest of them.