What does everyone think of the new Executive Order on Religious Liberty? This would include a weakening of the Johnson Amendment so churches will be freer to either contribute to political campaigns and/or promote a candidate from the pulpit.
Religious Liberty EO
by Richard Oliver 13 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Simon
America: figuring out new ways to fuck things up since 1776.
It's a big mistake - it gives more power to people who think religion should control government as a theocracy and that never goes well. The world should be reducing religious influence and control, not handing over more to it. They should be taxing it, not obeying it.
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Landy
So much for separation of church and state.
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Richard Oliver
Just to be clear. The President can't revoke the Johnson Amendment as it was passed by Congress, all he has the power to do is instruct the IRS not to enforce certain aspects of the law, like how he did with the individual mandate of the AHCA, Obamacare, he can change his mind at anytime and any future President can instruct the IRS to start to enforce it again.
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snowbird
President Trump is pandering to his base - Evangelicals, et al - who helped elect him.
We shall see more of this.
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Village Idiot
I believe that religious right wingers will be ecstatic until left leaning churches such as most Catholic churches start doing the same. If any church/religion were to be selectively prohibited from doing so then all hell will break loose.
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Sanchy
Corporations and unions contribute and promote politically. Why should the state restrict the church's ability to do so? -
snowbird
Because the churches pay no taxes?
No taxee, no complainee ...
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Village Idiot
"Why should the state restrict the church's ability to do so?"
The unspoken arrangement is this. A church is given the privilege of not paying taxes because authoritarian governments, that might not like a particular church, might increase their taxes.
On the other hand, churches are prohibited from getting involved in politics because authoritarian churches might unduly influence the government to their liking. They can say whatever they want in their churches but organizing campaigns in the public is not allowed.
Until Mike Pence came along (Trump's puppeteer) this arrangement worked well.
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Richard Oliver
Just to be clear. Churches always had the right to say anything political that they wanted too, it would just put their charitable and tax-exempt status in jeopardy.