Republican candidate for vice-president, Mike Pence, shared a video with thousands of Christian churches this Sunday. In the brief video he
shared a bit about his own personal faith experience and urged Christian voters
to vote for Trump.
In the video he also promised that “President Donald Trump” will repeal the “Johnson Amendment” which Pence says, “threatens tax exempt organizations and churches with losing their tax status if they speak out on important issues facing the nation from the pulpit.”
This is not true.
The Johnson Amendment prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations
from, “directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any
political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for
elective public office.”
Church leaders can – and should – and do – speak about important issues facing the nation, from the pulpit even. But they cannot endorse or oppose any particular candidate on behalf of their organization. Churches are not threatened by this amendment. Not at all.
But if any particular church feels the need to campaign for a particular candidate they can certainly do that. They are free to do so, if they choose. But they will have to relinquish their 501 (c)(3) status and pay taxes.
This is not a threat. This is not harassment. This is not an infringement of the first amendment. It is the tradeoff between rights and responsibilities in a pluralistic, democratic society.
Mike Pence is fear-mongering.
Watch the video here
Church leaders can – and should – and do – speak about important issues facing the nation, from the pulpit even. But they cannot endorse or oppose any particular candidate on behalf of their organization. Churches are not threatened by this amendment. Not at all.
But if any particular church feels the need to campaign for a particular candidate they can certainly do that. They are free to do so, if they choose. But they will have to relinquish their 501 (c)(3) status and pay taxes.
This is not a threat. This is not harassment. This is not an infringement of the first amendment. It is the tradeoff between rights and responsibilities in a pluralistic, democratic society.
Mike Pence is fear-mongering.
Watch the video here
Church Greeting 40MB from Phenomenon Post on Vimeo.
The Johnson Ammendment will soon be repealed as it should be. Vice President-elect Pence is the finest example of.a Christian politician that the USA has seen, on a national scale, in a long time. I very often disagree with statements you make, but I seldom comment. This post, however, is one on which I could not resist
ReplyDeletePence identifies himself as a Christian, as a Conservative, and as a Republican - in that order. And that is fine.
DeleteBut it is untrue to say that Churches are threatened by or are being silenced by the "Johnson Amendment." We still have the opportunity (and obligation) to speak on the important issues. And we do. The only thing that we cannot do is endorse a particular candidate or party.
Unless
We're willing to give up the tax exempt status. If we want to be the mouthpiece of a particular politician or party, we can do that. The "Johnson Amendment" does not stop us.