Churches and Taxes

Religion and politics don't mix. Any Church that meddles in politics should be taxed. For example, the paster who asked McCain and Obama religious
questions should have his congregation pay income taxes because he clearly violated the separation of church and state. Our constitution states there shall be no religious test to hold public office. Obama and McCain should not have lowered themselves to his grilling.

Originally posted by 667joe
Religion and politics don't mix. Any Church that meddles in politics should be taxed. For example, the paster who asked McCain and Obama religious
questions should have his congregation pay income taxes because he clearly violated the separation of church and state. Our constitution states there shall be no religious test to hold public office. Obama and McCain should not have lowered themselves to his grilling.

I agree they make for a bad mix and leave things open to misshandeling all to easily. There should be a clear seperation. Of cause that is imposiable for Islam becasue it is the same thng for them, law and religious restrictions/examples.

Our leader has said himself to be Chrsitian and yet he changed the law to allow Islamic verations of money handeling. THere just shouldn't be religion really, we should all be free to beleive what we liek and live in a counrty that is govened with simple common sense, but that isn't likely.

Originally posted by 667joe
Religion and politics don't mix. Any Church that meddles in politics should be taxed. For example, the paster who asked McCain and Obama religious
questions should have his congregation pay income taxes because he clearly violated the separation of church and state. Our constitution states there shall be no religious test to hold public office. Obama and McCain should not have lowered themselves to his grilling.

How do you see that church violating separation of church and state?

Originally posted by kirksey957
How do you see that church violating separation of church and state?

Pastor Warren was holding both candidates to a religious test. Neither would be electable unless Christianity was the professed religion.They both should have told pastor Warren to take a hike.

Originally posted by 667joe
Pastor Warren was holding both candidates to a religious test. Neither would be electable unless Christianity was the professed religion.They both should have told pastor Warren to take a hike.

As I recall there was a question about their "faith." In a perfect world a Muslim or a Buddhist could be elected. Even an atheist. There was a time when a Catholic could not be elected and now we are even seeing that a black may be elected. Both unimaginable a few years ago.

Originally posted by 667joe
Religion and politics don't mix. Any Church that meddles in politics should be taxed. For example, the paster who asked McCain and Obama religious
questions should have his congregation pay income taxes because he clearly violated the separation of church and state. Our constitution states there shall be no religious test to hold public office. Obama and McCain should not have lowered themselves to his grilling.

It would have only been a violation of church and state had pastor Warren chosen a favorite candidate and began raising support for him. You might say that pastor Hagee, for example, has crossed this line with his support for McCain or pastor Wright has crossed this line for his support of Obama, however, pastor Warren crossed no such line to my knowledge.

Originally posted by whodey
It would have only been a violation of church and state had pastor Warren chosen a favorite candidate and began raising support for him. You might say that pastor Hagee, for example, has crossed this line with his support for McCain or pastor Wright has crossed this line for his support of Obama, however, pastor Warren crossed no such line to my knowledge.

They should all be taxed if they meddle in politics.

Originally posted by 667joe
Religion and politics don't mix. Any Church that meddles in politics should be taxed. For example, the paster who asked McCain and Obama religious
questions should have his congregation pay income taxes because he clearly violated the separation of church and state. Our constitution states there shall be no religious test to hold public office. Obama and McCain should not have lowered themselves to his grilling.

Do you think religious pastors should be allowed to vote? Or is that also an outrage to the separation of church and state?

I guess my mind must be going in my advancing age. Where is there a separation between church and state in the U S Constitution?

I don't think the moderator has the power to determine which candidate gets elected. He just facilitated a forum for the voters to listen to what the candidates thought about some issues. It sounds like you want a separation between church and press if you ask me.

Originally posted by 667joe
They should all be taxed if they meddle in politics.

I'm not quite following you. Are you suggesting say that if John Hagge's church "crosses the line" in this matter, we should also tax Jewish synogogues?

Originally posted by 667joe
Religion and politics don't mix. Any Church that meddles in politics should be taxed. For example, the paster who asked McCain and Obama religious
questions should have his congregation pay income taxes because he clearly violated the separation of church and state. Our constitution states there shall be no religious test to hold public office. Obama and McCain should not have lowered themselves to his grilling.

Your last sentence is the most pertinent. You could argue that Obama and McCain should have declined to participate, but the fact remains that they were not forced to do so. They could have declined and still been eligible to run for office. Thus, the constitution was not violated.

Edit: IIRC, the churches are only required to pay taxes if they actually endorse a particular candidate. Just asking them questions doesn't cross that line.

Originally posted by 667joe
[. For example, the paster who asked McCain and Obama religious
questions should have his congregation pay income taxes

is it the case, in usa that if you go to church you are exempt from tax?

Originally posted by Conrau K
Do you think religious pastors should be allowed to vote? Or is that also an outrage to the separation of church and state?

Of course pastors can vote, they must keep their political views out of church business, and they should not say that their religious perspective favors one candidate or disfavors another. Once they cross that line, they have violated the separation of church and state, and their church should be taxed.

Originally posted by stoker
is it the case, in usa that if you go to church you are exempt from tax?

No, but churches are exempt from taxation.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Your last sentence is the most pertinent. You could argue that Obama and McCain should have declined to participate, but the fact remains that they were not forced to do so. They could have declined and still been eligible to run for office. Thus, the constitution was not violated.

Edit: IIRC, the churches are only required to pay taxes if they actually endorse a particular candidate. Just asking them questions doesn't cross that line.

No, the law was not violated, only the spirit of the law.