Caleb Oquendo from Pexels
The IRS ruled Monday that churches and other tax-exempt nonprofit houses of worship are allowed to endorse political candidates to their congregation.
The decision by the IRS comes as a result of a lawsuit filed by two churches and the National Religious Broadcasters (linked below), changing the tax code and essentially upending the previous Johnson Amendment, according to The Hill.
The ruling is yet another major win for religious freedoms across America, ending yet another limitation placed on churches in engaging in a political system that directly impacts all people of faith.
What Are Churches Allowed To Do?
The IRS stated in the filing that: “Bona fide communications internal to a house of worship, between the house of worship and its congregation, in connection with religious services, do neither of those things, any more than does a family discussion concerning candidates.”
The IRS has rarely enforced any rulings related to endorsing political candidates. At least 18 churches have endorsed various political candidates in recent years and absolutely nothing happened to them, likely because any lawsuit that could be filed in this type of situation would have led to exactly the result we see this week.
Freedom Of Religion & The First Amendment
Any prohibitions to endorsing political candidates would have created “serious tension” with the First Amendment, the IRS added.
“For many houses of worship, the exercise of their religious beliefs includes teaching or instructing their congregations regarding all aspects of life, including guidance concerning the impact of faith on the choices inherent in electoral politics,” the IRS stated.
Read The Full Ruling
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KGM9BASOhZZ-CWNVEGRa3IIZc_cpW0HI/view
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