It Begins: New Calls To Strip Churches of Tax Exempt Status After Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

For years conservatives and proponents of religious liberty in America have warned that if same-sex marriage became legal, the left would then pursue revoking the tax exempt status for religious institutions, particularly Christian churches, around the country.


Just days after the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that gay marriage is a constitutional right, progressive activists like Mark Oppenheimer of the New York Times are calling for tax exempt statutes to be stripped.

Quote from: Dori on June 29, 2015, 07:30:57 AM
It Begins: New Calls To Strip Churches of Tax Exempt Status After Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

For years conservatives and proponents of religious liberty in America have warned that if same-sex marriage became legal, the left would then pursue revoking the tax exempt status for religious institutions, particularly Christian churches, around the country.


Just days after the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that gay marriage is a constitutional right, progressive activists like Mark Oppenheimer of the New York Times are calling for tax exempt statutes to be stripped.

Everybody and his brother has weighed in on OUR flag situation and none of it is making any sense to me.  One black SC historian and professor claimed that bringing down the flag would be a first step in easing the racial barriers in this state.  My question is , what barriers?  Another question, is the unity I and millions of others saw amongst the people of Charleston after the massacre what this professor sees as racial problems? 

All these folks weighing in on OUR SC flag situation are just pot stirrers.  There hasn't been a problem until all the race baiting started.  These same folks wanted another Ferguson and just can't keep their damned mouths shut.  In other words, if there isn't a problem they'll make one.  I think it is just like the professor said, it will be a first step in getting things the way some think they should be.  Then we can all just gear up for whatever they want next. 

Quote from: Dori on June 29, 2015, 07:30:57 AM
It Begins: New Calls To Strip Churches of Tax Exempt Status After Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

For years conservatives and proponents of religious liberty in America have warned that if same-sex marriage became legal, the left would then pursue revoking the tax exempt status for religious institutions, particularly Christian churches, around the country.


Just days after the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that gay marriage is a constitutional right, progressive activists like Mark Oppenheimer of the New York Times are calling for tax exempt statutes to be stripped.

Actually, this may be a blessing in disguise. Tax exempt status is a Sword of Damocles hanging over every organization that has it. Don't pander to the Feds dictates? You lose your tax exempt status. The Government uses it to keep Churches and other non-profits in line.

Without a tax exempt status to protect, church will (or should) have more freedom to follow their teachings the way they believe they should i.e. prohibit homosexual marriage, etc.

Quote from: Darth Fife on June 29, 2015, 09:28:49 AM
Actually, this may be a blessing in disguise. Tax exempt status is a Sword of Damocles hanging over every organization that has it. Don't pander to the Feds dictates? You lose your tax exempt status. The Government uses it to keep Churches and other non-profits in line.

Without a tax exempt status to protect, church will (or should) have more freedom to follow their teachings the way they believe they should i.e. prohibit homosexual marriage, etc.

You can contract with anyone.  Christians don't need to have their marriages sanctioned or licensed by the government.  They used to be an arrangement between families and consenting adults.  I hope the churches come together and revise how their marriages are done.  The left has screwed the pooch on this one.  Get rid of the tax exemption, and get rid of the government cut outs, including the IRS exemptions.

Quote from: keyboarder on June 29, 2015, 07:50:41 AM
Everybody and his brother has weighed in on OUR flag situation and none of it is making any sense to me.  One black SC historian and professor claimed that bringing down the flag would be a first step in easing the racial barriers in this state.  My question is , what barriers?  Another question, is the unity I and millions of others saw amongst the people of Charleston after the massacre what this professor sees as racial problems? 

All these folks weighing in on OUR SC flag situation are just pot stirrers.  There hasn't been a problem until all the race baiting started.  These same folks wanted another Ferguson and just can't keep their damned mouths shut.  In other words, if there isn't a problem they'll make one.  I think it is just like the professor said, it will be a first step in getting things the way some think they should be.  Then we can all just gear up for whatever they want next.

"OUR" flag? Odd, I am in no way willing to go out in die in order to keep a people in chains - which is what that flag represents in the first place. Nor am I in favor of white supremacy or racial segregation - which is what it has come to mean recently. And before you go into the usual neo Confederate spiel about the bravery of your fore fathers - remember - we don't keep swastikas around to celebrate the bravery of the Wehrmacht, nor the hammer and sickle to celebrate the bravery of the Communists. There is not a conservative alive, whose jaws don't get locked every time they see some foolish college kid, running around in a Che T-shirt. We are now in the process of witnessing a willful minority try to force their will on the rest of us; why exactly should we honor one that tried to do so in the past.

What goes next?

People still won't get along.

Quote from: darroll on June 29, 2015, 11:13:15 AM
What goes next?

People still won't get along.

Who knows, but the situation will not be helped by tricking conservatives into supporting divisive symbols simply because Libtards are against it. In South Carolina the Governor, both Senators and the Legislature said : "Okay flag, goodbye". So why are conservatives making themselves look like reactionaries, supporting the old DEMOCRATIC symbol. By doing so they switch places and let the Dims off the hook! The Republican Party was formed to defeat everything that symbol stood for, and 150 years ago made them take it down, now we've taken on the role of defenders, buying into the "Lost Cause" mythology of traitorous racists!

Churches have been carrying inner cities and poor communities on their backs since the early days of the Country. 

The left has to ask itself if it wants churches to cease or severely curtail charity-outreach programs.  -Especially when it comes to black and Hispanic churches.

Quote from: kit saginaw on June 29, 2015, 02:51:13 PM
Churches have been carrying inner cities and poor communities on their backs since the early days of the Country. 

The left has to ask itself if it wants churches to cease or severely curtail charity-outreach programs.  -Especially when it comes to black and Hispanic churches.

Yes!!!  They definitely want churches out of the charitable business.  They want the government to control the poor!

For too many years they believe the church has usurped government authority.  They want the church GONE!

Quote from: Darth Fife on June 29, 2015, 09:28:49 AM
Actually, this may be a blessing in disguise. Tax exempt status is a Sword of Damocles hanging over every organization that has it. Don't pander to the Feds dictates? You lose your tax exempt status. The Government uses it to keep Churches and other non-profits in line.

Without a tax exempt status to protect, church will (or should) have more freedom to follow their teachings the way they believe they should i.e. prohibit homosexual marriage, etc.

Sorry, but NO - actually, HELL NO! The Church has the absolute right to speak on national matters. There is also the RECOGNIZED exclusion from paying TRIBUTE to Caesar. It is a First Amendment matter, though a growing number are losing that understanding, including the new breed of "conservatives" today as they abandon the Church.

Churches that speak out on social issues will not lose their tax exempt status. The threat is there, but it doesn't AND SHOULDN'T happen.

My Church did not tell me.... But same sex marriage is gross.

Quote from: mdgiles on June 29, 2015, 10:09:51 AM
"OUR" flag? Odd, I am in no way willing to go out in die in order to keep a people in chains - which is what that flag represents in the first place. Nor am I in favor of white supremacy or racial segregation - which is what it has come to mean recently. And before you go into the usual neo Confederate spiel about the bravery of your fore fathers - remember - we don't keep swastikas around to celebrate the bravery of the Wehrmacht, nor the hammer and sickle to celebrate the bravery of the Communists. There is not a conservative alive, whose jaws don't get locked every time they see some foolish college kid, running around in a Che T-shirt. We are now in the process of witnessing a willful minority try to force their will on the rest of us; why exactly should we honor one that tried to do so in the past.

My flag is the confederate flag as I am a SC gal and born way after all the upheaval in the north/south.  I don't care what some thought of that flag as I have my own opinion about it and don't care to rewrite history to say anything other than what it was really about during that time.  That flag in no way represents slavery to me. 

It is tragic that the nine AME church members died in such a horrific display of hatred.  The sickness and evil of the shooter goes way deeper than just a flag.  I witnessed the coming together of SC natives, a mixed crowd, in unity of comfort and bereavement for the victims and their families and friends.  I'll go a little further here and offer my suggestion of allowing the citizens to vote their conscience on removal of the flag.  I could support either decision in honor of the victims, could you?  This is such a little problem in light of the overwhelming events that are taking place as I type. 

I say let them try.  In the first place, I have long wondered exactly why anyone, let alone churches, need to pay taxes in order to exercise their first amendment rights. Last I checked there are numerous high court decisions which state unequivocally that government cannot charge people to exercise their rights.

In the second place, assuming that the federal tax code, if challenged, is upheld by SCOTUS, then fine, let the churches pay taxes, which in turn will completely lift any (constitutional or not) limitation on their political activity.  Imagine the PAC that could be run if the Catholics, Lutherans, Mormons, Baptists, and others which have not already caved to secular demands, all got together and cooperated in supporting candidates and legislation which conforms to Christian ideals.

Should churches lose their tax exempt status by refusing to marry gay couples?  I've got a simple solution for my pastor if he cares to keep his status.  Since the whole deal is about the possibility of discrimination in refusing to marry gays, my suggestion for him is to immediately stop performing marriages of any couples.  Send them on down to the nearest government selected justice of the peace and they can get married.  When this is done the pastor will have to remain adamant in his decision to just do what his primary job is to do and that is to preach the word of God.  I'd be happy with that one and the pastor can keep his status as long as he sticks to his decision as a whole. 

The communist tools have been duped into believing promises made to them by the communists. The communists hate the churches. The communists covet the influence of the churches. That's why they push the agenda of immorality through the media and through our institutions, such as the schools and the arts and culture.
On the surface, it would appear they are winning the battles.