You have to first understand, that the entire IRS in and of its self is unconstitutional.

Here’s a post and video to check out: America: Freedom to Fascism, A Movie Worth Viewing.

So really the whole federal tax system violates the US Constitution when we want to be honest about it. However, it is a law that we Christians must abide by just the same and pay our taxes. The church is not called to battle with government over the tax laws of man.

(I sometimes talk about taxation here, but it’s my personal viewpoint in those posts.)

To sum it up though, my point is/was this: “according to the constitution,” though the government may have a right to tax any organization they want, they have no right to dictate what a church preaches (I think that’s what the ADF wants to challenge, though they should do it without asking pastors to use the pulpit as a means to do so).

So, bottom line, I agree with your comment about no politics behind the pulpit (which includes playing politics with lawyers), but have to disagree with any IRS code or other law that so plainly ignores the constitution. And in order to make these two opinions consistent, let me say that it’s the Word of God that suggests what comes out of the pulpit, not the ADF or IRS.

If a church assembly desires to go political, fine, they should forgo their tax exempt status. There is nothing for them to “challenge” in court and nothing “unconstitutional” if they decide to go political. They simply need to stop acting like they can avoid paying taxes AND play in politics.

The real first ammendment restricts NO ONE from endorsing any candidate…the real first ammendment does restrict the Government from forcing one religion on everyone and from “preventing the free exercise thereof.” (still not promoting politics from the pulpit, just the right to preach without big brother dictating a pastor’s outline).
Unfortunately, however, the only way to overturn a law known by everyone to be unconstitutional (i.e., IRS restrictions on the church, whether mutual agreement between the two or otherwise), is to have it challenged in court.

Ahh, what a dilemma! I say let the government deal with their own politics and give Ceasar what is his, and give us Jesus! They will all bow the knee before the true King one day anyway, whether they like it or not

It is all about the Roman Catholic Church’s trying to destroy the barrier between church and state so that they can complete the process of bringing us under the Vatican. Evangelicals are just being used and deceived.

I agree 100% – these lawyers will trip overthemselves to represent pastors for defying a violation of non-profit tax code…but will they board a plane to represent our brothers and sisters to the evil governments that trample their ability to publicly proclaim the Name of Christ?

And if pastors really believed the Gospel that they claim to preach, then they would stand flat-footed and declare the Word of the Lord instead of hiding behind their precious 5013-c status.

I mean really, they preach about how God is going to “open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing”, yet they really on the sheep to feed them – not Him! Then, they puff up all big and bad at the government (i.e. “the man”) until they see that they might have to actually pay taxes, then the Gospel becomes an inconvenience.

What’s next – an army of gay-friendly lawyers will encourage pastors to preach how much Jesus loves gay people who remain in their sinful lifestyles, or they’ll threaten to take away their tax exempt status?

It’s detestable.