10-17-2014, 04:12 AM
Virge Wrote:Bowyn you are completely wrong and wasted a bunch of words.
Most of the time when I start a thread on something I fact check myself to be sure I'm right it. This time I didn't need to because I've been reading up on tax exempt status for churches and knew about it going back all the way to Bill Clinton's white House taking down some churches for exactly what the churches in Houston have done.
All you had to do was google "church loses tax exempt status" to find a few pages of info about all the times governments have pressed charges against churches for using the pulpit as a political instrument. It IS NOT a violation of the 1st amendment. but they lie and say it is --- the same way they lie about so many other things.
So you are saying that the government is flawless and actually keeps to the law of the land?
They are using the tax exemption (which itself is not constitutional BTW) to influence what is said on the pulpit. This is in contrast to the first Amendment.
Which is one reason why many want to end tax exemption, it is being used as a tool to influence religion, to force religion to adhere to the Governments Doctrine.
Preach what we want and we will let you slide on paying taxes, refuse to preach the Doctrine of the Federal Government and we will punish you by charging taxes.
Tax Exemption is being abused by both the government and churches.
This is prohibiting the free operation of the church to preach what they want. It may not be congress directly making a law to stop churches from saying certain things, but it does infringe on the spirit of the First Amendment which was to keep government from deciding what is and is not said in churches.
Tax Exemption status for churches was a 'social contract' that was supposed to give Churches a break so they could funnel that money into social services for the community. It was never meant to be used as a tool to direct the sermons of the pulpits.
And clearly Huston knows they did wrong: http://personalliberty.com/update-housto...-backlash/
"According to KHOU-TV, Houston mayor Annise Parker issued a statement Wednesday describing the wording of the subpoenas as “overly broad,†but said that social conservatives had intentionally misinterpreted their intent."
(My emphasis) So they already knew this hound wasn't going to hunt.
And for the record, I have been at this game a bit longer than you... While you were in diapers I was arguing the merits of Tax Exemption status, gays and the problems they poise for 'traditional' church doctrine and other such things.
I know both sides of the argument well - too well. I also know the theological implications as well as the more secular impact of what preaching from the pulpit does and does not do and the affect it has on polls and votes.
What you fail to understand is your generation has decided to be godless heathens and not go to church :tongue: - the average age of church goers is now 45 years of age. Church has lost its popularity with youth.
The pulpit may still have its say on the majority of the population that still votes (old people) it has no power over the coming generation of old people who will hold the real power. Because you sinners are flat refusing to listen to the pulpit. :tongue:
20 years from now, when your generation gets all scared of mortality and star seeking the comforts of theology to help you sleep at ease, you will be going to a church which has a rather different opinion on the matter of gays, gay marriage, and lots of other social issues.
Not because government forced the issue, but because your generation is hella tolerant compared to my generation, which was more tolerant than the generation before it.