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Post Info TOPIC: Trump eases ban on political activity by churches
Ohfour


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Trump eases ban on political activity by churches
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President Trump signed an executive order Thursday making it easier for churches and other religious groups to engage in politics without endangering their tax-exempt status. 

Trump approved the measure in the Rose Garden at the White House surrounded by clergy and leaders of faith organizations during a National Day of Prayer event.

“Today my administration is leading by example as we take historic steps to protect religious liberty in the United States of America,” the president said. “We will not allow people of faith to be targeted, bullied or silenced anymore.” 

The measure is designed to ease enforcement of a provision in the federal tax code known as the Johnson Amendment that bars religious institutions from endorsing or opposing political candidates and parties. It directs the IRS to “exercise maximum enforcement discretion” of the amendment, according to the White House. 

Additionally, it directs several agencies to consider regulatory relief for those who object to ObamaCare’s preventive service mandate on religious grounds.

 

Trump is fulfilling a promise he made to social conservatives, who strongly backed him during the 2016 campaign. Those groups have long argued that the Johnson Amendment violates their First Amendment rights. 

Scrapping the amendment was a major rallying cry for Trump on the campaign trail and he made it one of his earliest promises once he took office.  

“Under my administration, free  speech does not end at the steps of a cathedral or synagogue or any other house of worship,” Trump said. “We are giving our churches their voices back, we are giving them back in their highest form.”

“I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution,” Trump said at the National Prayer Breakfast in February, less than two weeks after his inauguration. 

Many Republican lawmakers have also called for repeal of the Johnson Amendment, and doing so was part of the 2016 GOP party platform. 

Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) said at House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing Thursday that the Johnson Amendment has had a "chilling effect through fear and intimidation from IRS threats."

Hice has introduced legislation to allow churches and other nonprofits to engage in political activity as long as it's in the normal course of business. He said he appreciates Trump's executive order, but added that "it's time that we rid our nation of this unconstitutional law by way of legislative action." 

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin BradyKevin BradyJobless rate falls to lowest level since 2007Trump eases ban on political activity by churchesGOP flashes stop sign at Trump on gas taxMORE (R-Texas) has expressed his intention to include repeal of the amendment in tax-reform legislation that his committee is preparing.

"I look forward to continuing to work with the Administration to eliminate the damaging effects of the Johnson Amendment," he said in a statement.

But the Democrats as well as some charities and religious groups have been fighting for the Johnson Amendment to be preserved. They argue that churches already can engage in some political activities and that easing the Johnson Amendment would politicize nonprofits and increase the use of “dark money” in politics. 

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) said at the Oversight hearing that Trump's executive order will have "little effect," because the "IRS rarely brings enforcement actions against houses of worship that engage in political activity."

 

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/331902-trump-eases-ban-on-political-activity-by-churches



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lilyofcourse


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This actually worries me.

ANY religion means ALL religions.

That includes the one religion that promotes death.

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Ohfour


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lilyofcourse wrote:

This actually worries me.

ANY religion means ALL religions.

That includes the one religion that promotes death.

They still have a right to back a candidate.   



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Cheerios4606


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privately, but I dont think they are allowed to speak of it publically.

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lilyofcourse


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Ohfour wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:

This actually worries me.

ANY religion means ALL religions.

That includes the one religion that promotes death.

They still have a right to back a candidate.   

 Yeah.

So what kind of candidate are they going to back?

 



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Ohfour


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Cheerios4606 wrote:

privately, but I dont think they are allowed to speak of it publically.

With this bill they can... 



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FNW


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You don't think the religion that promotes and death aren't already supporting candidates? And how many times did we see Dem candidates speak at various churches?

Personally, I would be interested in knowing what candidate and issues my church promoted in order to decide whether to stay with the church. I also want to know what slant/teachings they are instilling into my children through their RE program.

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flan327


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FNW wrote:

You don't think the religion that promotes and death aren't already supporting candidates? And how many times did we see Dem candidates speak at various churches?

Personally, I would be interested in knowing what candidate and issues my church promoted in order to decide whether to stay with the church. I also want to know what slant/teachings they are instilling into my children through their RE program.

 Good point.

flan



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burns07


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there must be free speech everywhere--recently a couple of pastors in the US were prosecuted/charged/whatever for what they preached from their pulpits--believe there was even one here under the lone star--houston, maybe?--the idea that any government body(the irs, the da's office, etc.)has the authority to limit/stifle/regulate/intimidate free speech as expressed in a church is absurd

am not talking about promoting death and mayhem freely but rather viewpoints important to an intelligent discussion on politics/policies(church)/beliefs/etc



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WYSIWYG


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This actually worries me.

ANY religion means ALL religions.

That includes the one religion that promotes death.
- lilyofcourse

_________________________________

It worries me for that reason, but I also wonder: Do the people that support this not realize that breaking down that wall goes both ways once it's down?

If you have a tank full of water, with an impenetrable wall in the middle, if you mix blue ink (representing government) into one side, and red ink (representing religion) into the other, if you remove the barrier, the blue moves into the red section just as easily as the red moves into the blue.

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