The IRS issued a big change in their enforcement of the law. They now say that churches can now endorse Republicans … errrrr “candidates” … from the pulpit.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops immediately issued a straight forward statement saying, essentially, “Not us. We won’t do that.”
In an overturn of 60 years of law, the IRS has ruled that clergy can — with no fear of losing their tax-free legal status — stand up in church and tell their faithful followers that if they don’t vote for the candidate or political party that the clergy is backing, they will burn in hell for eternity.
That isn’t exactly how the IRS worded it, but I’m pretty sure that’s how it’s going to play out in real life. I’m not happy about this, but I’m also realist enough to know that this has been the way things are for a long time anyway.
Churches around where I live hold full-on political rallies for right wing candidates every single election. Then, they continue their political preaching and teaching pretty much full-time between elections. Clergy just love to tell their trusting flocks that Democrats are demon possessed, and Republicans — Trump, in particular — are God’s anointed.
There is no level of moral degeneracy that a Republican can stoop to that Republican whore preachers will not equate that Republican with Christ the Lord. They want the Ten Commandments on plaques in government offices and schools, but they toss those Commandments right out the window when a Republican politician breaks them. As for the Gospels, they are openly preaching that the things Jesus taught are liberal, “woke” and evil.
I believe that these clergymen are the ones who are demon possessed; them and their corrupt political masters with them.
So … my first reaction to the IRS’ change in position was that they’ve been allowing clergy to engage in absolutely vicious political campaigning for right wing candidates for years now. My second reaction is that the IRS is just like the Nazi 6 on the Supreme Court. The Nazi 6 appears to believe that the Constitution was written on an Etch-a-Sketch and they can re-write it however Trump wants. Now, the IRS is into the “laws-are-just-suggestions-for-us to-change-as-we-want” game, as well.
Trump would never have been elected if America’s churches hadn’t campaigned for him. “Christian” religious leaders lied for Trump, slandered for Trump, denied the Gospels for Trump, dismissed the Ten Commandments for Trump and put Jesus Christ out of their churches for Trump.
The reaction of America’s Catholic bishops to the IRS ruling took me by surprise. After all, a number of bishops and priests have been just as much Trump’s whores as any evangelical preacher. They’ve been just as crude, just as dishonest, just as anti Christ. Meanwhile, the other bishops just went la-la-la like a bunch of Little League preschoolers in the outfield.
So I was kinda surprised when, instead of jumping on the political band wagon, the USCCB basically said “Thanks, but no thanks” to the IRS. They issued a response that, for the Catholic Church, came at blinding speed, announcing that the Catholic Church is not going to endorse candidates. I don’t want to go all crazy here, but it sounded almost like the USCCB is refusing to become a puppet for politicians.
I hope and pray that is true. Because churches that are controlled by the ambitions of powerful people wanting to get and keep power are never, not ever, churches that are controlled by the Holy Spirit.
From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
In response to the recent interpretation of the Johnson Amendment publicized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offered a statement from its spokesperson, Chieko Noguchi, executive director of public affairs. The Johnson Amendment defines guidelines for the tax-exempt status of a church or other nonprofit regarding political activities and endorsing or opposing candidates for public office.
“The IRS was addressing a specific case, and it doesn’t change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate. The Church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good. The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.”
Note: Emphasis is mine.
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