Beto O’Rourke says churches should lose tax-exempt status for opposing same-sex marriage
Former Texas representative and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke said Thursday that churches, charities and other religious institutions that oppose same-sex marriage should lose their tax exempt status.
And if he becomes president, this is a policy that he will seek to quickly enforce by executive action, according to the LGBTQ plan on his website.
“Despite the progress we’ve made, members of the LGBTQ+ community are denied lives free of fear or discrimination. President Trump’s administration has made it their mission to roll back protections for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender Americans, defying their constitutional guarantee of Equal Protection. Beto will take immediate executive action to end the assault on LGBTQ+ rights and enact policies that conform to our laws and values,” his plan says....
While there are often comments to and about the incorrigible Mr. Lincoln, it seems that the most frequently appearing remark following one of his posts is “Removed by Moderator Alpha.” Just can’t learn to behave, can you Jimmy boy?
The government has every interest in preserving churches (that actually preach the Gospel) because by doing so, the number of social ills...out-of-wedlock pregnancies, abortions, murders, drunkenness, etc, etc...would reduce the burden on overtaxed government resources. Therefore, taxing Gospel-teaching and preaching churches reduces the amount of impact they can induce. Or so humanist only based arguments could go.
Jim, you have or at least propose ridiculous ideas. If Dr. MacArthur is your hero, you're idolizing a man who isn't God. Did you know Dr. MacArthur doesn't believe in mental illness? He led a family we know to mistreat their son with schizophrenia.
Removing Christ from politics is to cease to be salt and light. Jesus reigns, and He reigns over every aspect of this world. Even your Democrats are sustained, with incredible grace, though the word of His power.
And of course churches should still stay out of politics with or without tax exemptions.
But, QC, the Johnson amendment did give churches a good reason to stay out of politics as a church oh, and if you read it, it serves that purpose. LBJ certainly had his failing, the Vietnam war was a good example. but like the present President --whom he shares some characteristics--Johnson did some good things as well.
"...it is true that John doesn’t involve himself in politics, at least compared to some contemporary evangelicals. He’s committed to two things in his ministry: the church’s mandate from Christ (Matt. 28:18-20) and his God-given priority as a pastor/teacher (Eph. 4:11-16). Since God left the church on earth to make disciples (not Democrats or Republicans), John believes the best way a pastor can spend his time, energy, and influence is by preaching God’s Word. The proclamation of the gospel unleashes the power of God to produce the miracle of regeneration."
https://tinyurl.com/z4n8fno (Why does John [MacArthur]avoid political issues and politics?)
Yes, LBJ's tax amendment certainly didn't go far enough! Oh, and the all these conservative Presidents we're for removing all tax exemption from churches. So, I agree with these conservative presidents. 👍❗
ProCon.org wrote: During the 19th Century, opposition to churches retaining property tax exemptions was expressed by at least three US presidents: James Madison, James Garfield, and Ulysses S. Grant. President Grant submitted a 900-foot long petition containing 35,000 signatures to Congress in 1875, demanding “that churches and other ecclesiastical property shall be no longer exempt from taxation.” Grant told Congress that “in 1850, the church properties in the U.S. which paid no taxes, municipal or state, amounted to about $83 million. In 1860, the amount had doubled; in 1875, it is about $1 billion. By 1900, without check, it is safe to say this property will reach a sum exceeding $3 billion….so vast a sum, receiving all the protection and benefits of government without bearing its portion of the burdens and expenses of the same, will not be looked upon acquiescently by those who have to pay the taxes."
This whole concept of for Whom Would Jesus Vote is a spurious rabbit trail. Jesus doesn't vote, He sets and tears down rulers. He is the King. All others are merely reagents.
Democrats, like LBJ, have been after churches for a long time, trying to shut them up to prevent pastors for calling out evil and evil doers in the public square. LBJ is the author of much evil in today's world as well as much misapplication of American power. He brought us the war on poverty which cast millions into government enslavement to government handouts, the Vietnam disaster by preventing us actually winning the war at the cost of many thousands of lives, and set us on our course to fiscal shipwreck as a nation.
Be "RaptureReady" if you like, Jim, that basically means that you helped create the disaster then want the Lord to lift you out of it. How about getting a broom and dustpan and helping clean up this mess? Oh, but that might involve you in politics...
Well, I don’t think that churches should get tax exempt status for any reason. I don’t think the below have changed and there are restrictions for the church:
In 1954, Congress approved an amendment by Sen. Lyndon Johnson to prohibit 501(c)(3) organizations, which includes charities and churches, from engaging in any political campaign activity. To the extent Congress has revisited the ban over the years, it has in fact strengthened the ban. The most recent change came in 1987 when Congress amended the language to clarify that the prohibition also applies to statements opposing candidates.
Currently, the law prohibits political campaign activity by charities and churches by defining a 501(c)(3) organization as one "which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office."
So Jim if the Republican Party is “the lesser of two evils,” why do you continue to urge people to vote for the greater of two evils? Unless, of course, you just love evil. And no doubt you do.
Well, Jim—while I agree with your post, I would further suggest that He wouldn’t be a member of about 99.999999999% of Churches in the world either, and sad to say, none of the ones He would likely consider are in the US to begin with.
Rapture Ready wrote: Jesus would never be invited to be keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention, that’s for sure!
Jesus Would Not Be a Republican
We can say with equal certainty that Jesus would not be a card-carrying member of the Republican Party. The Grand Old Party may share many values that can be traced back to the Bible, but it is still the GOP, not the GOD party. Because the party is run by corrupt man, a perfect and Holy God would never lend His credibility to that or any other earthly organization.
The Republican Party has been branded by the Democrats to be the “party of greed.” This label is not stamped without a degree of legitimacy. Man is a greedy being in his fallen state. Politicians within both major parties use the love of money to step on the backs of those they are supposed to serve. There are few innocent of power-grabbing for riches within the American political process.
When it gets down to the bare facts, the only advantage the Republican Party offers is that it is the lesser of two evils....[not anymore it isn't ❗👎] ....
excerpt from, "Would Jesus Vote Republican?"
It's a pretty good opinion piece but it must have been written before 2016
Robert ORourke is rich because his wife’s family is, but nevertheless, all he’s doing is setting the 1st and 2nd amendment folks on fire. He federal steal back scheme on guns and taxing churches is typical of a vapid suitless pot head who can’t do anything right about anything. He reminds of a yootful Al Gore- “ If we kill enough babies in the womb, we’ll take their dna strands and make a rope where Christopher Reeves can get out of his chair and walk again. Umm, his break was so severe, he was on a ventilator. He didn’t have the capacity to cough or clear his throat. He died of pneumonia. He’s a modern day scam artist, and he’s got a following of dunderheads who have been driving in the backseat of their mom’s Tahoe since they were in diapers. And they got out of mom’s car and got in the socialist train. The fear of risk is based on the pessimism and inadequate education of millions of Americans. The millions of millennials have been groomed for communism by people paid by taxpayers. Who was dumber?
Satan's personal representative in human government the Democrat party should lose all access to community life because of their evil and wicked foundations.
Abortion the murder of the unborn and support for the abomination which defiles the very land we live in, - Lev 18:25/26. Illustrates the kind of evil heart and nature they have. No decent person with principles would vote for the Democrat.
The Democrat attack upon moral standards and their promotion of sodomite perversion shows that they are unfit for government and indeed life in society. But this combined with their support for the murder of the unborn child identifies them as potentially criminally insane.
Why would anybody vote for that - Except of course the politically correct Liberalist ethical anarchists who are obviously the tares amongst the wheat referred to in Scripture as "planted" By Satan himself.
But this is a fallen world and we are placed here to prove that we are sheep even amongst wolves.
Oh, there are better reasons for churches to lose their tax exempt status. Unitarians who support queer marriages should lose theirs for meddling in politics.
Come to think about it, some other churches should lose their tax exempt status for meddling in politics.
https://tinyurl.com/y576t94t (Should Christians try to force the kingdom on others?)
COMMENTS | 
So, I agree with these conservative presidents. 
👍❗
