by William Thornton » Tue Nov 04, 2014 6:46 am
I agree that pastors and churches should not endorse candidates because I think that to be a poor use of the pulpit and a waste of the moral expression of the church; however, such is left to the church rather than coerced by the state. Pastors and churches have a virtually absolute constitutional right to engage in political speech. The state has a right to grant or deny tax exemptions to contributions to churches on that basis, so long as they do not choose winners and losers in the exemptions.
All those incredibly brave, IRS defying, candidate endorsing pastors (sarcasm alert) are doing is jeopardizing future tax status of contributing members. They face no other consequence that those related to that.
What makes the Houson matter odious is that it is an expression of the oppressive, inexhaustible power of gummit heaped on a class of citizens and institutions in order to intimidate, silence, and harass. We should all fear, and object to, that.
My stray thoughts on SBC stuff may be found at my blog,