- NEW!
by Razzle-Fratchit
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by my2cents--Vote for Paul
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by OhLook - IamNoLongerAnonymous
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by John Pacella
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by pandora
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Meezermagic
on December 14th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Anonymous
on December 14th, 2009
voted:
No
by Theophilous
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by ryunkin
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Hellaphunt's Skynet
on December 21st, 2009
voted:
No
by donameche
on December 21st, 2009
voted:
No
by Tallyman
on December 15th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by tiredofgettingscrewed
on December 15th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Tom 47 is back in his bear COAT
on December 15th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by ccmyplaymate
on December 12th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Factotum
on December 12th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by qtfoot
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
No
by JustMyThoughts
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by tastiger
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Just Another
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Yeahwell...
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Halliburton Shill
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
No
by Yeahwell...
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by FoolishOne
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Twisted Taco on February 1st, 2010
by LarryH54
on December 16th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by TAPriceCTR s son is wearing his COAT
on December 15th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by the_kid1991
on December 13th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by snowberry
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by The Wraith of God is Coming
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Heather108
on December 10th, 2009
voted:
No
by RefreshPerspective
on July 22nd, 2010
voted:
No
by mrrw
on June 12th, 2010
voted:
No
by DA BEN DAN yanggui zi
on January 3rd, 2010
voted:
No
by Life Not Faith
on December 22nd, 2009
voted:
No
by Bull wears a COAT of many colours
on December 18th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Maul
on December 17th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Robertd903
on December 17th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by Observer
on December 16th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by hong kong phooey
on December 16th, 2009
voted:
No
by TAPriceCTR s son is wearing his COAT
on December 15th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by TAPriceCTR s son is wearing his COAT
on December 15th, 2009
voted:
Yes
by MasterDebater
on December 14th, 2009
voted:
No
by leetmeat
on December 12th, 2009
voted:
No
by Djinn
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
No
by LynfromNM
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
No
by ChrisDC
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
No
by Talamasca
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
No
by Anonymous
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
No
by MrJosh
on December 11th, 2009
voted:
No
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You're reading Should Religious Leaders Be Able to Endorse Political Candidates?
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Comments
If a priest (rabbi, imam, etc.) wants to discuss politics with their friends in their living rooms, that is their right as citizens, but when they speak with they speak with the authority of their church (temple, mosque, etc.), they need to refrain. It is the equivalent of telling their "flock" that god has chosen this candidate or that. If they want to be able to do so, they should pay taxes like businesses, journalists and celebrities.
by MrJosh on December 11th, 2009
The thing that's being missed is they can and do endorse candidate. It's their tax exempt organizations that can't -- or rather, they can, but if they do, people can't deduct their contributions.
Most politically active non-profits actually have PACs set up separately. It's no different for religious organizations. They're free to do that, too, endorse candidates and collect contributions. It's just that those contributions aren't tax deductible.
by ChrisDC on December 11th, 2009
I've never known a church to make contributions to political campaigns. Also, the question isn't about contriubtions, but "endorsements", nor is it about Churches but "religious leaders". As ministers don't "endorse candidates" in the secular sense (declaring they feel Mr. X is the best candidate in an attempt to sway voters) as a matter of sound pastoral wisdom (avoiding dividing the church over matters of merely temporal politics) the question is really asking whether a minister should be able to speak out against a candidate or holder of public office, or a policy or law, on MORAL grounds (i.e., to do their job as religious leaders) without it cost their church their tax-exempt status as a religious institution.
by Razzle-Fratchit on December 14th, 2009
you forgot unions... and unions strongarm their members far worse tham most churches
by TAPriceCTR s son is wearing his COAT on December 15th, 2009
Actually, I've never known a church (or its leadership) to strongarm its parishoners at all. But you are right that Unions habitually do.
I should probably point out my great-grandfather was a Presbyterian minister in the 1850s-1870s AND an ardent Abolitionist not to mention a station master on the Underground Railroad: his manse was the first stop north of the Mason-Dixon. As most of the folks in southern and western PA back then were really pioneer Scotch-Irish Virginians with STRONG southern sympathies, he routinely risked his job and sometimes his life by taking the extremely vocal stands he did. In the middle of the Civil War he caused a Church-split when he led his congregation in a prayer for the victory of the Union forces. I wonder how our contemporaries who deride political activism by religious leaders and want to silence them feel about the case of my Great-Grandfather.
by Razzle-Fratchit on February 24th, 2010
I havent either. I was just humoring the antireligious.
saying religious leaders cant endorse a political candidate is like saying politicians can't be of any religion.
by TAPriceCTR s son is wearing his COAT on February 24th, 2010