Here in Houston, the Lakewood megachurch is run by unctuous pastor Joel Osteen and his temperamental wife Victoria. Weekly attendance is about 45,000 at multiple services held in the 16, 800 seat auditorium. The annual operating budget is $90 million. The Second Baptist Church of Houston has six different "campuses" with a combined weekly attendance of about 18,000. Its senior pastor, octogenarian egomaniac Ed Young has a weekly TV show called "The Winning Walk," broadcast internationally.
Here is one of the few laws of economics I understand: When the privileged pay no taxes, the rest of us pay more.
I would add, that as 501(c)(3) organizations, churches are precluded from engaging in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. We need either to enforce it or to end the exemption.
It's my understanding that churches are 501(c)(3)'s and as such are treated the same as non-profits by the IRS. As Kevin McNamara pointed out there are regulations prohibiting a 502(c)(3) from engaging in political campaigns. I've led several charitable organizations as well as having been on the board of a church and I can say in my experience, these organizations have been very diligent in this. Those that don't can -- and should -- lose their tax exempt status.
In general it's the bad apple syndrome. Most churches go about their business, doing their best to tend to their members and, in many cases, to those outside their walls. There are some that inappropriately get into politics (see: FBC Dallas, Robert Jefferies, for example). And of course there are the TV evangelists that rake it in big time. (Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, for example). But for the most part, churches don't wander far into politics. In my 67 years of church going I cannot recollect a pastor telling me whom to vote for from the pulpit.
Here in Houston, the Lakewood megachurch is run by unctuous pastor Joel Osteen and his temperamental wife Victoria. Weekly attendance is about 45,000 at multiple services held in the 16, 800 seat auditorium. The annual operating budget is $90 million. The Second Baptist Church of Houston has six different "campuses" with a combined weekly attendance of about 18,000. Its senior pastor, octogenarian egomaniac Ed Young has a weekly TV show called "The Winning Walk," broadcast internationally.
Here is one of the few laws of economics I understand: When the privileged pay no taxes, the rest of us pay more.
I would add, that as 501(c)(3) organizations, churches are precluded from engaging in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. We need either to enforce it or to end the exemption.
My stance is the same. Treat all religious organizations just like other nonprofits.
Hey Ed, thanks so much! I'm putting this in the May Atlanta Freethought Society newsletter!
Sharing to the Gulf Coast Freethinkers.
It's my understanding that churches are 501(c)(3)'s and as such are treated the same as non-profits by the IRS. As Kevin McNamara pointed out there are regulations prohibiting a 502(c)(3) from engaging in political campaigns. I've led several charitable organizations as well as having been on the board of a church and I can say in my experience, these organizations have been very diligent in this. Those that don't can -- and should -- lose their tax exempt status.
In general it's the bad apple syndrome. Most churches go about their business, doing their best to tend to their members and, in many cases, to those outside their walls. There are some that inappropriately get into politics (see: FBC Dallas, Robert Jefferies, for example). And of course there are the TV evangelists that rake it in big time. (Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, for example). But for the most part, churches don't wander far into politics. In my 67 years of church going I cannot recollect a pastor telling me whom to vote for from the pulpit.