Reply #80: Here

[spoony]

http://www.irs.gov/charities/churches/index.html

Click on the first link, the tax guide. It's a PDA doc.

It says that a tax exempt church may not "devote a substantial part of their activities to attempting to influence legislation." This is not a total exclusion of discussion, or even attempts to "influence" such initiatives or legislation.

The more restrictive rule is that they "must not participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office". Note this one doesn't give the qualifier of "substantial...activities" it just says it flat out must not do it.

So there you go. But if people are going to hold a no tolerance stance on this, a lot of liberal-leaning churches, particularly in minority communities, are going to be the unintended casualties. Me, I think the First's preclusion of government interference in houses of worship is more important than any of this, including tax exemption. I'd rather see that gone than the spirit of the amendment.