Johnson Amendment - Rocky Mountain Voice

From pulpits to school boards and special districts: A call for Christians to step up

24Sep

By Guest CommentaryNo Comments

Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, National, Top Stories

From pulpits to school boards and special districts: A call for Christians to step up

By Chuck O’Reilly | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Every decision about schools, taxes and local government touches the lives of families in the pews each week. When Christians disengage from civic life, we leave those decisions to others—and the results are visible in our classrooms, neighborhoods and property tax bills. I’m writing to encourage Christians that their values matter at the ballot box. When it comes time to vote, Christian values are needed at the polling place. Pastors and priests should urge their congregations to step forward as candidates in local elections, and groups like the Non Partisan Elections Committee stand ready to support those efforts. For years, charity in America was mainly carried out by churches. Help was given on a one-on-one basis, with...

Colorado Springs leaders weigh in as pastors’ political speech could expand

11Aug

By External OutletNo Comments

The Gazette, Approved, Local

Colorado Springs leaders weigh in as pastors’ political speech could expand

By Debbie Kelley | The Gazette A recent proposed settlement in a federal court case out of Texas that would change how churches intersect with politics has become what supporters call restoring free speech rights and opponents call breaching the separation of church and state. If the filing by the Internal Revenue Service stands in a 2024 lawsuit that several religious groups brought against the IRS, churches and other houses of worship would be allowed to endorse political candidates from the pulpit during religious services without danger of losing their tax-exempt status. Reactions from pastors and politicians are mixed. The Rev. Steve Holt, founder and senior pastor of The Road Church, a large nondenominational congregation in Colorado Springs, supports the idea and said he...

Pastor Bob: “Shhhhh Pastor–you can’t say that!”

11Jul

By Guest CommentaryNo Comments

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, National, Top Stories

Pastor Bob: “Shhhhh Pastor–you can’t say that!”

By Rev. Robert Babcox | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice “Shhhhh, Pastor, you can’t say that!” That’s what they want us to believe. That if we dare speak the truth about what’s going on in our country, we’re risking our church’s tax status. But here’s the thing—truth doesn’t come with a mute button. Let me explain where this all started: The Johnson Amendment—for what good it has done, or should I say what good it has prevented. The Johnson Amendment is a provision in the U.S. tax code, in place since 1954, that prohibits all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates. These organizations range from charitable foundations to universities and churches. It’s named for then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas, who introduced it in a prelim...

Victory for the pulpit: Religious leaders no longer face tax threats for political speech

10Jul

By External OutletNo Comments

I Stand for Freedom, Approved, National

Victory for the pulpit: Religious leaders no longer face tax threats for political speech

By Noah Stanton | I Stand For Freedom Every Sunday, millions of Americans go to church hoping to learn how to live better lives. For years, pastors have had to watch their words carefully. Say something about who to vote for, and the government might show up and take away the church’s special tax status. It’s like having a referee who can throw you out of the game for saying certain words. This hidden muzzle on church leaders has been around since 1954. Americans can speak freely almost everywhere else. But in church, the IRS could punish certain kinds of talk. Many religious people wondered: How can we have true religious freedom if our pastors can’t speak freely about today’s big issues? That question now has an answer. The Internal Revenue Service told a federal court on Monday...

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Tag: Johnson Amendment

From pulpits to school boards and special districts: A call for Christians to step up

Pastor Bob: “Shhhhh Pastor–you can’t say that!”

Victory for the pulpit: Religious leaders no longer face tax threats for political speech

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