City of Houston demands pastors turn over sermons

Yet if someone said the same thing about the Point Foundation, NOW, NAACP, Planned Parenthood, PETA, Social Democrat Party or Gay & Lesbian Leadership Foundation you would either argue otherwise, or go absent from the discussion.

Just churches... because you don't like them.

 

it is refreshing to see a leftist realize the poor treatment being aimed at Christians which is spearheaded by your very own fellow leftists and those choosing the homosexual lifestyle. Perhaps there is hope.

You were of course talking about the double standards where Christians are trampled over, weren't you?

- - - Updated - - -

Democrats were against Rev MLK and civil rights so at least they are consistent with the bigotry and trampling the Bill of Rights

 

Are they asking all masque to turn over theirs?

 

Madi Gras partiers?

 

Sorry mosque. Lol

 

Agreed. If the Mayor is going to target religious institution, she should be going after the Jews and Muslims too.

 

I am answering the post made which makes reference to the law. Worked in the tax/accounting field for 20+ years so I know.

 

So, a petition to put the bathroom bill on the ballot was quashed by the City so the petitioners sued. In response to the lawsuit the City subpoenaed church pastors who were not plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Someone tell me how a fishing expedition by the City out of the blue is legal or makes any sense?

 

it isn't. However, like the cop said, since obie doesn't follow the Constitution, why should they....same line of reasoning applies to the smallest democratic tight-assed tyrant-eese

 

I am not wrong you are wrong and massively so.

This is not about their tax status in any way. Government has no authority or right of any ind to interfere with what people discuss or say or even to moniter or question it. Tax exemption is irrelevant to this despite your ame attempt to deflect.

 

Houston appears to have backed off.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news...-in-trans/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS

I think amongst the hysteria here folks seem to be missing the blatant fact that under our current laws, churches can not lobby specific positions on bills and candidates. i understand that the fable that the lesbian mayor is out to get Christians sells well, especially in places like Texas, but the same rules apply to folks of all political ilks and religions. Christians do not appear to be special in the eyes of the law.

 

It's not a criminal act, according to the tax exempt status clause, they can lose their tax exempt status over it, but other than that it isn't criminal. Nobody is going to go to jail over it. In fact since the 1954 addition to the tax code, only one church has lost it's tax exempt letter. They reapplied and got their status back after a failed attempt at removing it permanently. They also were not required to pay taxes on any donations made during the time period they did not have 'official' tax exempt status. This entire issue is a complete non issue.

It says they can't endorse a candidate but they can have a candidate they endorse over to speak to the congregation. They can also have a Q/A session, on the property in the church to discuss political issues and the candidates platform as long as the candidate doesn't ask the congregation for their support, even though they are doing so just by their presence.

Churches may host voter registration drives, and/or be a host site for balloting Churches may also distribute objective voter guides that address the candidates’ views on a broad range of issues.

As an individual, pastors can preach on biblical, moral and social issues such as homosexuality and abortion. Pastors can urge the congregation to become involved in the political process, urge them to register and vote. Pastors can acknowledge visiting candidates. Pastors can personally endorse or oppose political candidates, personally work for political candidates, and personally contribute to them. Also, a pastor’s name may appear in a published ad or letter signifying the pastor’s endorsement of the candidate, and the pastor’s title and affiliation with the church can also be listed with the notation, “Title and affiliation for identification purposes.”

So let us review basically they "are" endorsing candidates, can be involved in the election process and can express, maintain, and endorse political views within the political process, even though the requirement to obtain and maintain tax exempt status says they can't. What a typical, psycho babble, loophole filled contradiction to the interpretation of the rules in place. IOW if they want you they can have you but if they see nothing wrong with it there is nothing wrong with it.

They might as well just chuck the entire tax exempt baloney and admit that churches are tax exempt period. But then again what would the two party scam to divide people and have to pretend their fake outrage about?

http://www.thewordout.net/pages/page.asp?page_id=52073

 

Yes, and this case seems to be about an anti discrimination law in Houston, and whether or not these men and women of the Christian god advocated specific positions regarding that law.

 

This mayor is a hardcore gay activist and she thought she could use her power to attack religion that does not accept her sexuality.



I wish her the best in her marriage. I do not support her abusing the office to attack those that oppose her lifestyle.

 

Agreed. People should be allowed to live as they wish, but there is a line where their desires conflict with the rights of others. Mayor Parker not only crossed that line but ran over it swinging an ax.

 

I personally think this will increase voter turnout for GOP candidates.

The more liberals attack freedoms, the more people will stand up to oppose them.

I honestly think a whole lot of Democrats at all levels will be seeking new jobs in January.

 

This was in response to a petition they had nothing to do with. They weren't lobbying any positions on bills and candidates.

 

............had to run to the porcelain ......................there was not need for that

 

Using government to intimidate the public to silence opposition is a blatant abuse.

 

No? Your post appears to be incorrect. They appear to be accused of lobbying against an ordinance.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/14/houston-subpoenas-pastors-sermons-fight-over-bathr/

- - - Updated - - -

No? Your post appears to be incorrect. They appear to be accused of lobbying against an ordinance.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/14/houston-subpoenas-pastors-sermons-fight-over-bathr/

 

I think the Mayor's position was that these pastors used their pulpit to support the petition. That's a technical violation of their tax exempt status. If the Mayor had a problem with it, she should have dropped a dime to the IRS, not seek to investigate it herself by abusing her authority as Mayor.

By taking this action, Mayor Parker may have screwed up her chances to accomplish the same goal legally.

http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-...-Requirements-Section-501(c)(3)-Organizations

 

R

Yeah, you POOR effing Christians! Such victims in our society!

- - - Updated - - -

Were the mosques campaigning and having petitions signed in house?

 

if you have a problem with churches getting involved in politics you best shut down every black church in this country from Lois Farrakhan to Rev. White hell they use church busses from black churches to take people to go vote in my town

but it is only wrong for white Christian churches to be involved in politics correct

 

do time in the Roman Legion circa 50-100 AD?
Oh the poor homosexuals are suffering so much...like I care....

 

I don't think that conclusion is correct.

Using church buses to take people to vote does not advocate a certain position on a certain candidate or bill. Race has nothing to do with it. Christianity has nothing to do with it. You can not use a church to advocate yes or no positions on bills or candidates. This is clearly 1st amendment stuff.