1. Why are religious leaders such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson allowed to make political suggestions to their congregations and allowed to keep their TAX EXEMPT status?
2. Are they in the pocket of the President or is their no longer a separation of church and state in this country, or both?
2006-09-27 13:14:13 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Politics
This is the exact reason for the rise of the religious right in the 80's. Image that, it is not about morals, but about money.
2006-09-27 13:20:17 · answer #1 · answered by beren 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Separation of church and state use to have a very clear line. The line has now become so blurred it might as well not be there.
Just check the actions of the Catholic Church,of Jerry Falwelland Pat Robertson or for that matter any religious leader. The I.R.S control the tax exempt status and the president controls the I.R.S.......Also the two stated leaders are quite close to the White House.
2006-09-27 13:25:59 · answer #2 · answered by firewomen 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The constitution protects their right to free speech. As long as they account for the funds properly, their church can maintain its tax exempt status. If you're wondering about these churches losing their tax exempt status, consider the Church of Scientology, which actually isn't a church in the conventional sense but they're tax exempt. It's a crazy system. And yes, the evangelical right played into the Republican scare program. Sometimes we do all of the wrong things for all of the right reasons.
2006-09-27 13:26:30 · answer #3 · answered by Thomas C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great question! They are thieves and they are part of the problem. I can't believe anyone one consider either on of these despicable creatures as being a religious person, then again look who the President is? This problem scares me a lot more then the terrorists. The USA is being sabotaged from within and these prophets of doom and gloom are heroes to the people who couldn't see the light if they walked into the sun.
2006-09-27 13:30:44 · answer #4 · answered by Thomas S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In truth I haven't a clue. But I assure you 1 reason is because I'm not the head of the IRS.
As for item number 2 I thought it was the other way around.
2006-09-27 13:21:08 · answer #5 · answered by madjer21755 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they would only have their organisational tax exempt status. surely not their own personal income. however I suppose they use tax exempt status on the proviso that they are a "charitable organisation". when did they last (or ever) do any charitable deed.
of course they are in the pocket of the republicans
2006-09-27 13:26:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
seperation of church and state is being taken compleately out of context, its not even writen into the constitution. and the founding fathers were all religious men, george washington stated that christian values would lead the country influencing laws against stealing, killing, and immorality. seperation of church and state does not mean seperation from church, it means the US will not force its people into any faith. Religious leaders are tax exempt because church property is not taxable under law.
2006-09-27 13:20:03 · answer #7 · answered by ben s 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They are not religous, they are scam artist. Pat Robertson made a killing through his ministry, he owns many companies and supported dictators in africa.
Farwell is another fraud, when he was going broke, the moonies bailed him out.
2006-09-30 07:33:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they are in league with the Devil. Or haven't you heard about Bush having all the qualities of Lucifer?
He condones torture, wire-tapping, spying on Americans, and he loves to watch little foreign children being blown limb from limb by cluster bombs.
He condoned his twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara's using fake I.D. to get into Texas pick-up bars so they could drink alcohol illegally and get drunk and go home with other drunkards and play tiddley winks. (or was it tiddley winks they played)
2006-09-27 13:21:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No church should have tax exempt status. I think that is ridiculous. they make tons of money every week. Its crazy.
2006-09-27 13:16:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋