IRS, churches, and political activity

**Eugene V. Debs** · September 29th, 2008, 11:49 AM

Hey, came across this IRS report and figured it might be of interest to people here. Yeah, I'm still kinda on hiatus...trying to avoid the whole election-time insanity and I'm wicked busy lately anyhow...so unfortunately this is gonna have to be a "drive-by" post.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/2006...rt_5-30-07.pdf

What's interesting here is that the IRS found violations of the prohibition on electoral activity by 42 churches during the 2004 election season, and yet did not attempt to revoke the tax-exempt status of any of them. Only 27 non-church tax-exempt organizations were found to be non-compliant, however status was revoked for 5, and 2 more had revocation attempts made at them.

So basically churches get held to a lower standard than secular tax-exempt organizations. Presumably the IRS is afraid they'll be accused of violating free speech or religious freedom if they actually enforce the law on churches, instead of wagging their finger and saying "tsk, tsk, don't do that again please". Even the mighty IRS is afraid of the preachers cynically crying "persecution" and making themselves and their parishoners into modern-day martyrs being thrown before the lions.

Well, that's crap my brothers (paraphrasing Cyrus from "The Warriors"). I pay taxes and businesses pay taxes-- from General Electric to the little corner store I buy my smokes at, so why should some church be excused from paying taxes when they can't even bother to abide by the rules for being tax-exempt? Especially in the era of televangelism and megachurches, where many pastors now are millionaires. They shouldn't expect special treatment on taxes and if they do get special treatment, they should be required to play by the rules like everyone else.

**PeteG** · October 1st, 2008, 01:02 AM

Originally Posted by Eugene V. Debs

Hey, came across this IRS report and figured it might be of interest to people here. Yeah, I'm still kinda on hiatus...trying to avoid the whole election-time insanity and I'm wicked busy lately anyhow...so unfortunately this is gonna have to be a "drive-by" post.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/2006...rt_5-30-07.pdf

What's interesting here is that the IRS found violations of the prohibition on electoral activity by 42 churches during the 2004 election season, and yet did not attempt to revoke the tax-exempt status of any of them. Only 27 non-church tax-exempt organizations were found to be non-compliant, however status was revoked for 5, and 2 more had revocation attempts made at them.

So basically churches get held to a lower standard than secular tax-exempt organizations. Presumably the IRS is afraid they'll be accused of violating free speech or religious freedom if they actually enforce the law on churches, instead of wagging their finger and saying "tsk, tsk, don't do that again please". Even the mighty IRS is afraid of the preachers cynically crying "persecution" and making themselves and their parishoners into modern-day martyrs being thrown before the lions.

Well, that's crap my brothers (paraphrasing Cyrus from "The Warriors"). I pay taxes and businesses pay taxes-- from General Electric to the little corner store I buy my smokes at, so why should some church be excused from paying taxes when they can't even bother to abide by the rules for being tax-exempt? Especially in the era of televangelism and megachurches, where many pastors now are millionaires. They shouldn't expect special treatment on taxes and if they do get special treatment, they should be required to play by the rules like everyone else.

Man ... you do like to pay with fire, don't you?