What if a substantial part of the MCC church is trying to influence pro-gay legislation? The sword cuts both ways.
Prop 8 - Petition against the tax-exempt status of the Mormons
by Devilsnok 81 Replies latest jw friends
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Tuesday
This is one case where I fully back the Mormon Church. Also if you strip their tax exempt status, then you must also strip the gay churches status too for opposing proposition 8.
Junction-Guy you're looking at everything with a very narrow scope. If it agrees with your personal viewpoint you feel it's justified. You have to step away from your personal viewpoint for a second to see why people think their tax exemption status should be taken away.
Churches cannot lobby for political causes because to retain their tax exempt status they must remain politically neutral. That's not to say that church members cannot donate personal funds to a political cause, it does not mean that a church cannot hold a fund raiser, it doesn't mean that priests or clergy cannot donate their own funds for a political cause. The church itself however cannot lobby for legislation. Regardless of whether you agree with it or not.
If a law came up in congress to ban bikinis and The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society donated millions of dollars for advertising to get the law passed, whether you like the law or not, it's in violation of the tax exemption law for religions. It would be different if say Sam Herd somehow had millions of dollars to donate to the bill, but if the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society donated, that specific entity then they would rightfully be subject to loss of their tax exemption status.
Whether or not you agree with what they're donating to has nothing to do with whether they violated this law.
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Junction-Guy
Churches both liberal and conservative have been violating this law for years. What about the black churches who rallied during the civil rights era? The fact is that churches have been doing this for years.
I don't think there should be a clause in the tax codes. A church can preach all they want, but it is up to the individual how they vote. I am sure there were still many Catholics who voted against Prop 8, despite their religious beliefs.
I think this clause amounts to nothing more than a government susidized gag order.
Yes we live in a free society, and no particular church should hold the sway of power, but churches have been involved in social issues for years. -
yknot
Ummm:
Lobbying: intransitive verb : to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and especially members of a legislative body on legislation transitive verb 1 : to promote (as a project) or secure the passage of (as legislation) by influencing public officials 2 : to attempt to influence or sway (as a public official) toward a desired action.
So technically if you are a religious leader at a public official's house of worship, preaching from the pulpit or discussing privately with the official on any matters reagarding legislation could be a conflict of interest.
Again, can some one please provide evidence of the Mormons spending a substancial part of it's activities attempting to influence legislation.
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Tuesday
Churches both liberal and conservative have been violating this law for years. What about the black churches who rallied during the civil rights era? The fact is that churches have been doing this for years.
I don't think there should be a clause in the tax codes. A church can preach all they want, but it is up to the individual how they vote. I am sure there were still many Catholics who voted against Prop 8, despite their religious beliefs.
I think this clause amounts to nothing more than a government susidized gag order.
Yes we live in a free society, and no particular church should hold the sway of power, but churches have been involved in social issues for years.Again, no one said they cannot rally for a cause. No one said they can't hold fundraisers, no one said they can't preach against a proposition. There's a big difference between holding a fundraiser for personal donations to a cause, and the church itself spends, the entity donates it's funds for a political cause.
Do you see the difference at all here?
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yknot
Again is there proof of the LDS spending a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation?
If not then this is a case of sour grapes.....................
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Tuesday
Again is there proof of the LDS spending a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation?
Personally I'm not sure, I haven't signed the petition due to that. Junction Guy is saying it's OK for them to lobby, I'm pointing out whether he agrees with the reason or not it is absolutely in violation of the tax exempt clause.
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Junction-Guy
I understand your question and yes it may very well be in violation, however if they penalize the Mormon church they would have to peanlize all of them that get involved in the political process.
I have seen numerous figures on the amount of money spent on this proposition, both pro and anti.
My question is this----Has the Mormon church publicly revealed how much money they spent? -
Tuesday
I understand your question and yes it may very well be in violation, however if they penalize the Mormon church they would have to peanlize all of them that get involved in the political process.
No one is saying not to. Penalize any and all who violate this. I will re-itterate that if churches that were against Prop 8 only held fundraisers and people from their church donated, or if the church collected for the campaign against Prop 8 then distributed the funds from a Church check then they're not in violation.
My question is this----Has the Mormon church publicly revealed how much money they spent?
They haven't, but all political campaigns must show financing. So it will be seen shortly who donated where.
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Junction-Guy
Tuesday, it all depends on how strict you apply the rule. A simple bake sale to raise money for a political cause could be seen as getting politically involved too. Any organized effort by a church could be seen as politically crossing the line.