Is there a "One-Degree of Separation Rule" for church electioneering?

[Ian David]

The question is: can a church's website link to a political activist group that endorses candidates?

For example, I know a church can't link to political candidates to endorse them

However, can they link to a website that links to political candidates they want to endorse?

Does one degree of separation protect their tax exempt status?

For example, can Pembroke Assembly of "God" link to Article 8 Alliance, which campaigns for and against candidates, and lobbies for the impeachment of particular judges?

http://www.pembrokeassemblyofgod.org /


Links

*
The Assemblies of God
*
Southern N.E. District
*
Teen Challenge
*
Honorbound Men
*
Women's Ministries
*
Article 8 Alliance {emphasis mine}
*
Pentecostal Evangel
*
Contemporary Christian Music Magazine




That's the legal question.

That ignores the moral and ethical question, which is of all the things that the bible teaches, of all the things that christianity supposedly stands for, and of all the alleged "sins" that god and jesus say we should oppose to-- out of all of those, why is it that Pembroke Assembly of "God" chose to pick one-- just one-- of those things to worry their crazy little fundie heads about?

Of all the dilemmas and moral crises and troubles in all the world... they picked gays?

Poverty... hunger... drunk drivers... homelessness... war... cancer... diabetes... out of so many things they could have worried about, they picked.... gays?

Perhaps someone at Pembroke Assembly of "God" doth protest too much. Some people say.


See also:
Anti-Gay Pembroke Assembly of God Endorses Healey / Hillman?


More:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=158&topic_id=10466&mesg_id=10466

[leftofthedial]

1. there are no rules for "separation"

provided that the church is indorsing repukes

BUT, if a church supports a democrat, there is no protection for the church

[madrchsod]

2. the article 8 alliance is technically within the boundary

of non political speech because they do not come out and directly endorse a candidate.should be interesting when they get the site done.

[Ian David]

3. Yes, Article 8 DOES endorse candidates.

In fact, I have emails from them where they quite plainly tell people who they should vote for.

They even do get-out-the-vote drives in support of anti-gay candidates.

Article 8 is most deffinitely engaged in directly campaigning for or against particular candidates.


See:

From: MassResistance <[email protected]>
Date: Sep 18, 2006
Subject: Sept. 18 pre-election update!

<snip>


GOOD WRITE-IN CANDIDATES FOR THE STATE HOUSE.
We know getting on the ballot in the primary as a write-in then winning the general election is always a long shot (tho it's not that unusual -- one candidate did it in 2004 and he's now a state rep). But there are some write-in efforts that are so compelling that we need to let people know, and wish these candidates the best! Heck, you've got to admire these guys for putting in the effort.


5th Middlesex (Natick/Sherborn/Millis)
Unopposed Rep. David Linsky (D-Natick), who got our award for THE most dangerous legislator, based on the number of vile bills he sponsored and supported last session, including the one to soften the penalties for bestiality.
GOOD WRITE-IN: William Whittlesey (R-Sherborn)

6th Middlesex (Framingham)
Unopposed Rep. Deborah Blumer (D-Framingham). Another horrid leftie, who also scores a big ZERO from Citizens for Limited Taxation.
GOOD WRITE-IN: Jim Rizoli (R-Framingham). Solid on all conservative issues, and a leader on opposing illegal immigration.

7th Middlesex (Ashland/Framingham)
Unopposed: Rep. Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland). First-termer, endorsed by the homosexual groups, and another CLT ZERO.
GOOD WRITE-IN: Kevin Looby (R-Framingham)

10th Plymouth (Brockton/West Bridgewater/Easton)
Unopposed: Rep. Christine E. Canavan (D-Brockton). Another state house liberal.
GOOD WRITE-IN: William Pribusauskas (R-Brockton) Pribusauskas is pro-tradl marriage, pro-family, pro-life, and one of original 10 signers of CLT Prop 2 1/2.

12th Plymouth (Duxbury/Kingston/Plymouth)
Rep Thomas. O'Brien (D-Kingston) resigned, and decided not to run again after filing papers.
Republican Paul Curtis is on the ballot.
But Olly Demacedo (R-Kingston), brother of Rep. Vinny Demacedo, is out to beat Curtis as a write-in to get on the ballot. The word is that Olly would be even better than Vinny in the State House (and Vinny's pretty darn good).

WELL, TUESDAY'S THE BIG DAY!!

[Innocent Smith]

4. Unitarians

There is a page on the Unitarians' site that discusses this issue here:

www.uua.org/news/2006/061005_voting.html

Also on their links page they have links to different sites that endorse candiates so I guess it is okay - at least as far as the legal issue goes. Here is a sample of one of their links page:

http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?id=544">http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?id=544

[Ian David]

5. Hmmm... then perhaps they're in the clear. Thanks! n/t

[Innocent Smith]

6. No Problem

I wasn't sure what the answer was myself so I learned something new myself too :)