I Didn't Know This

Filed under "I didn't know this." Apparently, last year, the IRS reinterpreted the decades-old tax code that prohibits churches from direct political engagement. Can you imagine? In response to a lawsuit from a Christian media group and a couple of churches, the IRS has challenged the provision under the Johnson Amendment, arguing that it infringed upon the First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Now ... churches are legally free to "speak their minds" on political matters inside their doors, so to speak. I mean, a pastor can tell his congregation from the pulpit, "You should vote for this candidate" freely. What churches can't do is make a public campaign of it. They can't spend money on it, form a political group under the church's auspices, start an advertising campaign ... that sort of thing. This is a major event, freeing pastors to follow God's leading in their preaching.

Having said that ... I'm not sure how much of that I think is relevant. Yes, when a government entity enforces sin on a society or a church, it can and should be addressed. Endorsing a political candidate? That seems less ... biblical than political. I think Christians are already more immersed in politics than Scripture and this might aggravate that condition. On the other hand, the government has had its hand on the church's mouth over this, holding the purse strings as it were ... very much like blackmail. In fact, I wrote about it here.It's interesting, though, because the ruling came and went so quietly. You see, because it was judicial and not legislative, it flew under the radar for the most part ... as if they didn't want us to know about it. No ... that can't be.