Government uses tax code to silence churches

The First Amendment says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Since 1954 the IRS has dangled a carrot on a stick in front of the noses of nonprofit organizations, especially the church. The carrot? The nonprofit tax-exempt status. The catch? The tax-exempt organization cannot endorse or speak against any candidate running for public office. The result? The loss of the tax-exempt status. The guise? Separation of church and state. The problem? It’s trampling on the First Amendment.

Those who support this governmental oppression under the ruse of separation of church and state hold a flawed and one-sided view. They focus only on attempting to keep the church out of the state but do not return the favor of keeping the state out of the church. For the government to restrict what is said from a church pulpit by threatening to revoke tax-exempt status from a nonprofit organization is a blatant abridgement of freedom of speech. Tax exempt status should be available for any group that meets the qualifications of a nonprofit organization, not only for those who stay out of politics. This tax code does not merely keep the church out of the government; it allows the government access into the church’s pulpit, thereby negating the entire concept of separation of church and state.

On the other hand, Jesus said, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” when questioned about paying taxes. If this oppression continues, the church should willingly give up its tax-exempt status in order to gain the freedom to stand for what it knows to be right, to speak out on current issues facing our nation and to actively endorse the man or woman who most closely reflects the values and standards of Jesus. The church has allowed itself to be bribed by the promise of saving a few dollars. Render unto Caesar and be free.

Joseph D. Snodgrass

Waynesboro