Church Endorsements of Political Candidates

RustyFairmount · #1 Apr 29, 2008, 03:45 PM

A lot has been in the news regarding Barack Obama and his (former) preacher, Jerimiah Wright. So I watched some of the videos on You Tube and was amazed at what I saw.

Pastor Wright was endorsing a Obama from the pulpit, which is illegal if the church claims to be tax-exempt under 501 C 3.

What's up with that? Why are black churches treated different from white conservative churches, which are routinely investigated by the IRS for such violations.

RickJ · Apr 30, 2008, 03:14 AM

I don't see that "black churches" are treated different.

Wright is one example mentioned. I have not seen him endorsing Obama...

There are tricky ways around the rules of endorsement. Can you quote what Wright said that you viewed as endorsing Obama?

NeedKarma · Apr 30, 2008, 03:34 AM

Same thing is going on with McCain and Hagee:
Catholics United Asks John McCain to Distance Himself from Anti-Catholic Bigotry | Catholics United

Quote:

On Wednesday, Senator John McCain was “honored” to receive the endorsement of the Evangelical pastor John Hagee. Pastor Hagee is well known for his anti-Catholic rhetoric such as past suggestions that the Catholic Church gave Adolf Hitler inspiration and support for the Holocaust.

RickJ · Apr 30, 2008, 03:43 AM

I think "from the pulpit" is key in the prohibition of endorsing candidates.

NeedKarma · Apr 30, 2008, 03:51 AM

We'll wait to see if Rusty provides us with his source I guess.

speechlesstx · Apr 30, 2008, 06:36 AM

Quote:

”There is a man here who can take this country in a new direction. “But he’s a Black man.”

“There is a man here who is empowered by hope to usher in an era of change in a country that is in desperate need of a change. “But he ain’t Black enough.’

“There is a man here who can get Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and persons of no faith to sit down at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood and talk about our common humanity and our common future.

“But I ain’t gonna vote for him ’cause I don’t want to waste my vote.’

“But Hillary is married to Bill, and Bill has been good to us.’

“No, he ain’t. Bill did us just like he did Monica Lewinsky. He was riding dirty.”

That was one indirect endorsement of Obama. Here's another:

Quote:

“Barack knows what it means living in a country and a culture that is controlled by rich white people. Hillary would never know that.

“Hillary ain’t never been called a nigger. Hillary has never had a people defined as a non-person.”

Wright did not come right out and directly endorse Obama or tell the congregation who to vote for from the pulpit, so technically he can get away with it. And as far as I know, NK, neither did Hagee do so for McCain.

tomder55 · Apr 30, 2008, 06:41 AM

The Pew Forum has published an updated rules regarding politics and the pulpit.

Pew Forum: Politics and the Pulpit 2008

Specifically Rev Wright's Jan. 13 sermon gave a semi-official endorsement of Obama . That is the one everyone remembers for his comments about Bill Clinton "riding dirty" in the White House.

Rev Wright's particular brand of black liberation theology with it's mixing of politics into it's creed becomes one of those gray areas that make it difficult for the IRS to go after him. The IRS has written many letters in the past warning churches about politicing from the pulpit but has only revoked the tax exempt status of any church twice since the rules went into effect in 1954 .

DaBaAd · Apr 30, 2008, 06:46 AM

Whether it is "white" churces or "black" churces there is a dangerous mix of church and state going on.

Read more:

Mixing Church and State can Damage Both

NeedKarma · Apr 30, 2008, 06:53 AM

I agree, religion should stay out of politics and vice-versa.



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