Should ANY entity, organization, group...whatever... be tax exempt? If yes, what is the qualifier?

[davsand]

39. How about inviting them to speak in church?

Cynical me, I've seen any number of times when politicians go "visit" churches while campaigning. I've seen ministers allow candidates to speak from the pulpit. Is that a form of endorsement? Is it ok for the minister to say, "This is candidate Jones. He's a good man who I like and agree with a great deal."

I'm not being argumentative, but what if candidate Jones is a pig who is running a campaign based on uber-conservative hate and lies? What if candidate Jones is running a campaign based on issues we progressives are passionate about and agree with? Do any of us have the right to say who can or can't speak in any given church? How about neighborhood groups? The churches argue they should have the right to free speech, but what about the people who disagree with those views being put forth? I don't personally want to provide a pulpit for the stupid racist bullshit some people espouse, but I'm also pretty sure that there are some folks that think my progressive values are less than desirable as well. WHO gets to decide that?

My own personal feeling is that the churches should never have been exempted from taxation. Seems to me that ANY exemption from taxation is a form of governmental endorsement of one view or another, and that flies in the face of the ideal that there is no religion that is "chosen" or more favored by this country.

Peace.


Laura