re: IRS made deal to scrutinize churches

This is only a futile intimidation play.

Everyone knows that any church can print the positions of all candidates on a card/brochure without advocating a candidate.

So in esence if one candidate gets a check on being for abortion and homosexuality, the church has raised the issues and spotlighted their candidate without officially endorsing anyone, and this is 100 percent legal.

But the government wants to intimidate those that don't understand the facts.

Is Mr "Hillary ain't never been called a ****!" still tax exempt?

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I still don't understand how exercising one first amendment right (religion) means you surrender another first amendment right (speech).

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It doesn't. It just means you forfeit the right to claim tax exempt status. I personally think we should do away with TE status for everyone. Couple it with a flat tax and we would have a fair system. But I really don't trust our reps to do anything fair.

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We just need to abolish the IRS altogether. I believe the Fair Tax would pretty much cover this.

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Your "Fair Tax" would eliminate tax exempt entities?

ANN ROMNEY HAS HORSES!
BINDERS FULL OF WOMEN!

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A political organization subject to section 527 is a party, committee, association, fund, or other organization (whether or not incorporated) organized and operated primarily for the purpose of directly or indirectly accepting contributions or making expenditures, or both, for an exempt function.

A political organization must be organized for the primary purpose of carrying on exempt function activities. A political organization's primary activities must be exempt function activities. A political organization may engage in activities that are not exempt function activities, but these may not be its primary activities.

The exempt function of a political organization is influencing or attempting to influence the selection, nomination, election or appointment of an individual to a federal, state, or local public office or office in a political organization. The election of Presidential or Vice-Presidential electors is also part of the exempt function of a political organization.Activities that directly or indirectly relate to or support an exempt function are exempt function activities.

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So, a church, whose theology and core beliefs run against the current tide of morality and are inimical to current popular, important or trendy "political issues" can have their teachings and sermons closely monitored for the faintest whiff of electioneering (as determined by the report of an unbiased IRS stooge) and possibly lose their tax exempt status or be forced to spend vast sums on expensive litigation in self-defense, yet a PAC, whose raison d'etre is electioneering is tax exempt for that purpose and that purpose alone.

Well, first, churches should reincorporate using 527 rules under the theory they are the moral leaven of society and seek to influence political elections from the pulpit through preaching the gospel and making disciples and those are their only reasons to exist.

IRS attention will not fall on churches with a progressive or liberal Democratic track record but on churches which profess being biblical and remain orthodox. The IRS will never hire enough "agents" to monitor churches. They will rely on "complaints" from "disinterested" citizens who attend churches and record violations. It would not surprise me if a large number of these concerned citizens were militant atheist liberal ideologues and secularist cranks with axes to grind and donning their Sunday's best. (not really, they'll probably be wearing cargo shorts and Whale Wars T-shirts)

BTW, I agree with your flat tax comment and that our representatives are suspect or corrupt.

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The best thing for churches to do is present the facts of each candidates' position without endorsing any candidate.

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So, you're saying that the threat of losing their tax deductions should be a tool used to keep them out of politics?

Freedom!

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IRS settles and says they'll monitor sermons for said abuse.

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I'll bet the black churches are all upset about this.

I'll bet you're the sixth person to say that in this thread.

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As far as enforcing the 2009 law that the IRS was sued for not enforcing, I imagine it'll have 99% to do with endorsing candidates and discussing issues specifically tied into politics.

If you speak about abortion, that's fine.

If you speak about a specific candidate's views on abortion and why those views are right or wrong, then it's probably not.

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This is true and how it should be. Will the IRS start attending black churches in the south to monitor them? Black churches down here are very involved in politics.