Catholic church endorses McCain; Why are churches still tax exempt?
I’ve written several times on my strong belief that no religious institution should be tax exempt (although not so much recently), but in light of this story regarding the Catholic churches decision to endorse John McCain over Barack Obama, I want to ask again: WHY THE HELL ARE CHURCHES STILL TAX EXEMPT??
In Scranton, Pa., every Catholic attending Mass this weekend will hear a special homily about the election next month: Bishop Joseph Martino has ordered every priest in the diocese to read a letter warning that voting for a supporter of abortion rights amounts to endorsing “homicide.”
“Being ‘right’ on taxes, education, health care, immigration and the economy fails to make up for the error of disregarding the value of a human life,” the bishop wrote. “It is a tragic irony that ‘pro-choice’ candidates have come to support homicide — the gravest injustice a society can tolerate — in the name of ‘social justice.’ ”
Once again, the reason churches are still tax exempt would be because……?????????
10 Comments »
John Frum Says :
October 9, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I wrote a piece recently on this very subject. I think organized religion needs to pay their fair share, just like everyone else. Why do the Catholics and others charlatans like Pat Robertson feel like they should be tax exempt? I’d love it if all American citizens were tax exempt, but then where would the money for roads, schools, and aircraft carriers come from?
Anonymous Is A Woman Says :
October 9, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Actually, that diocese is skirting dangerously close. Technically, they can’t endorse a candidate by name. A few independent Protestant churches have done that and run afoul of IRS. But they can make pronouncements on policy, especially as it relates to their moral and religious beliefs, as long as they don’t mention a specific party or candidate.
But this is so explicit - it’s basically ordering the congregation as to who to vote for. At an Episcopal church (which I think was in California) a priest gave an anti-war homily before the 2004 election and IRS investigated their tax exemption, claiming that was too partisan political speech. I can’t imagine that something this blatant wouldn’t meet the same standard. I think, though, that somebody would have lodge the complaint with IRS for them to investigate.
But this definitely crosses the line. On the other hand, most Catholics, except for those already politically conservative, ignore their bishops when it comes to abortion, birtth control, and gay rights. The majority of Catholics openly support birth control and even female priests and pretty much don’t pay attention to their bishops’ political views.
Bush won their vote mostly because he played on their fears of terrorism not because of wedge issues. They were not the values voters.
Terry Carter Says :
October 9, 2008 at 9:09 pm
How would one go about filing a complaint with the IRS? Given what happened to the Protestant church in California I think it’s only fair that the Catholic Church also be investigated, especially given that this is occurred on a much larger scale as it was done across the country in Catholic churches this past weekend.
Stephanie Says :
October 10, 2008 at 3:45 am
File a complaint with Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Visit their website at to report a violation:
http://www.au.org/site/PageServer
Terry Carter Says :
October 10, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Done. Thanks Stephanie!
robert Says :
October 22, 2008 at 12:01 am
Amen, brother. This is rediculous. This shouldnt be an issue. If not for their endorcing of canidates for the fact they have acted as a pediphila ring. That they are harboring Bernard Law (a man that shuffled pediphiles from church to church for decades) in the vatican. That Ratzinger their leader, advocated keeping things quiet until the statue of limitations ran out on these cases. I mean they shouldnt just loose their tax exeption status. Ratzinger should have arrested when he stepped foot in the USA.
Anonymous Says :
October 22, 2008 at 11:02 pm
CATHOLICS ARE THE BEST
Ralph Says :
October 26, 2008 at 10:08 am
I have been a faithful catholic until now. Having the church endorse a canidate does harm to our community. Now everyone isseperated politically within the church. For those who lead us in our faith, or pretend to lead, they are using the church for their political ideals. When they gave notice that the church endorces McCain, I have been sending the amount that I give in church to Obama-Biden; as they are anti-war - a position that the church should take.
Jean Says :
October 30, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I am ashamed that so many Catholics would even think to vote for a man or woman that would have voted four times for no protection of infants born of botched abortions. Obama is the most liberal on abortion. He is for the Freedom of Choice Act which takes ALL restrictions of abortion away. Partial birth (being partially and born and then sucking out the infants brain), and also now with no restrictions up until the 9th month of pregnancy. This is infantacide. There will be no parental notification, and our taxes will be used for this slaughter of humanity.
When we look at a person to lead our country, we first look at the character of the person. If you with a good conscious could vote for a person knowing that when he gets into office has an agenda to Planned Parenthood to pass such a law, then let it be on your conscious. If the Catholic Church should not even have to endorse anyone, it should be a no-brainer and you are not a real Catholic anyway. To a real Christian, life is a precious gift of God and not to be butchered up and thrown into the trash.
Kyle Fox Says :
November 9, 2008 at 11:27 am
Jean,
If the catholic church gave a damn about human life, they wouldn’t be responsible for the mass murder of millions. I may be catholic, but I do know the history of the church, and I don’t believe in it’s structure at all. They did not support McCain because of his stance on abortion. If they took into children into account, instead of unborn babies, they would have supported Obama, end of story.
-Kyle
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