Who are we mere plebian taxpayers to disagree with the mighty Exempt Organizations Director of the Internal Revenue Service that Republicans are the political party of God’s Holy Word, the Bible?
Christians Engaged is a Texas nonprofit group that “exists to educate and empower Christians to pray for our nation and elected officials, vote, and be civically engaged,” and which applied for tax exempt status with the IRS in 2019. The group “provides nonpartisan religious and civic education focusing on encouraging and educating Christians to be civically engaged as a part of their religious practice,” according to its lawyers at First Liberty Institute.
On 18 May 2021, Christians Engaged received a letter from Stephen A. Martin of the IRS in which he wrote that the group engages in “prohibited political campaign intervention” because “Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the Republican Party and candidates” which, in the view of the IRS, “disqualifies” Christians Engaged from exemption under IRC Section 501(c)(3).
Yes, that is actually the position taken by the Internal Revenue Service official. Using the Bible, the Word of God, as a guidepost for civic decision making is partisanship on behalf of the private interests of the Republican Party.
How does one ever present a moral, ethical, or other position in a manner that is “neutral” in relation to political partisanship?
“You also educate believers on national issues that are central to their belief in the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. You educate Christians in areas where they can be instrumental as in areas of the sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, biblical justice, law vs. lawlessness, freedom of speech, religious liberty, government and business ethics, human trafficking, fiscal responsibility in government budgeting, defense, and borders and immigration, U.S. and Israel relations,” Martin’s letter read.
Another part of his letter summing up what the IRS understands the group to be about reads: “You educate individuals on how to choose between imperfect candidates as well as instruct individuals that parties matter. They should look at the party they represent and the core beliefs and values of that party. They should look at what the candidate says about the issues and see if their beliefs align with the Bible. Individuals should know the Bible, vote the Bible and vote on values.”
It is quite clear that the IRS and its official, Stephen A. Martin, understand that Christians Engaged seek to educate and inform the public through the lens of the Christian Bible which of course is protected political speech as well as protected religious conviction and activity. So, where does the problem come about according to the IRS’s great arbiter of what is allowed and not allowed with tax exemption?
“You [Christians Engaged] are not as described in IRC Section 501(c)(3) because you are not operated exclusively for religious and educational purposes. … You instruct individuals on issues that are prominent in political campaigns and instruct them in what the Bible says about the issue and how they should vote.” And here comes the linchpin of the IRS rejection of tax exempt status for Christians Engaged: “These issues generally distinguish candidates and are associated with political party platforms.”
“While you [Christians Engaged] educate voters on what the Bible says about issues, your educational activities are not neutral,” the denial letter asserts.
It does not seem debatable that the IRS, in this case, has chosen to link the GOP to Christian Biblical teaching which is, in and of itself, an even greater issue of concern. What’s next?
Given that political party platforms and candidates, of all parties, inherently speak to social, moral, and economic topics which are also covered in the teachings of most all religions of the world, are all religious organizations serving the “private interests” of a specific political party when they urge civic action based on their beliefs?
Better yet ask: How does one ever present a moral, ethical, or other position in a manner that is “neutral” in relation to political partisanship? Are we to all be under the regulation of the state and federal election commissions when we express our views as religious in nature?
Surely if tax exempt status is prohibited because political viewpoints are informed by religious doctrine then religious persons of civic action must be regulated as are campaigns, candidates, and political parties as they are serving private political interests too.
Clearly when reading the IRS letter, the argument made is that “Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the Republican Party and candidates” and thus anyone taking civic action or providing civic education from a Biblical point of view is to be disallowed from conveniences, such as tax exempt status, which are handed out regularly to those who do similar from a Leftist and secular point of view.
It is debatable that Biblical values are synonymous with all Republican candidates or millions of Republicans. It does not seem debatable that the IRS, in this case, has chosen to link the GOP to Christian Biblical teaching which is, in and of itself, an even greater issue of concern. What’s next? An IRS declaration that Democrats, many of whom think people choose their biological sex, are the party of science? Probably.
IRS official: Republicans are political party of the Bible
Who are we mere plebian taxpayers to disagree with the mighty Exempt Organizations Director of the Internal Revenue Service that Republicans are the political party of God’s Holy Word, the Bible?
Christians Engaged is a Texas nonprofit group that “exists to educate and empower Christians to pray for our nation and elected officials, vote, and be civically engaged,” and which applied for tax exempt status with the IRS in 2019. The group “provides nonpartisan religious and civic education focusing on encouraging and educating Christians to be civically engaged as a part of their religious practice,” according to its lawyers at First Liberty Institute.
On 18 May 2021, Christians Engaged received a letter from Stephen A. Martin of the IRS in which he wrote that the group engages in “prohibited political campaign intervention” because “Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the Republican Party and candidates” which, in the view of the IRS, “disqualifies” Christians Engaged from exemption under IRC Section 501(c)(3).
Yes, that is actually the position taken by the Internal Revenue Service official. Using the Bible, the Word of God, as a guidepost for civic decision making is partisanship on behalf of the private interests of the Republican Party.
How does one ever present a moral, ethical, or other position in a manner that is “neutral” in relation to political partisanship?
“You also educate believers on national issues that are central to their belief in the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. You educate Christians in areas where they can be instrumental as in areas of the sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, biblical justice, law vs. lawlessness, freedom of speech, religious liberty, government and business ethics, human trafficking, fiscal responsibility in government budgeting, defense, and borders and immigration, U.S. and Israel relations,” Martin’s letter read.
Another part of his letter summing up what the IRS understands the group to be about reads: “You educate individuals on how to choose between imperfect candidates as well as instruct individuals that parties matter. They should look at the party they represent and the core beliefs and values of that party. They should look at what the candidate says about the issues and see if their beliefs align with the Bible. Individuals should know the Bible, vote the Bible and vote on values.”
It is quite clear that the IRS and its official, Stephen A. Martin, understand that Christians Engaged seek to educate and inform the public through the lens of the Christian Bible which of course is protected political speech as well as protected religious conviction and activity. So, where does the problem come about according to the IRS’s great arbiter of what is allowed and not allowed with tax exemption?
“You [Christians Engaged] are not as described in IRC Section 501(c)(3) because you are not operated exclusively for religious and educational purposes. … You instruct individuals on issues that are prominent in political campaigns and instruct them in what the Bible says about the issue and how they should vote.” And here comes the linchpin of the IRS rejection of tax exempt status for Christians Engaged: “These issues generally distinguish candidates and are associated with political party platforms.”
“While you [Christians Engaged] educate voters on what the Bible says about issues, your educational activities are not neutral,” the denial letter asserts.
It does not seem debatable that the IRS, in this case, has chosen to link the GOP to Christian Biblical teaching which is, in and of itself, an even greater issue of concern. What’s next?
Given that political party platforms and candidates, of all parties, inherently speak to social, moral, and economic topics which are also covered in the teachings of most all religions of the world, are all religious organizations serving the “private interests” of a specific political party when they urge civic action based on their beliefs?
Better yet ask: How does one ever present a moral, ethical, or other position in a manner that is “neutral” in relation to political partisanship? Are we to all be under the regulation of the state and federal election commissions when we express our views as religious in nature?
Surely if tax exempt status is prohibited because political viewpoints are informed by religious doctrine then religious persons of civic action must be regulated as are campaigns, candidates, and political parties as they are serving private political interests too.
Clearly when reading the IRS letter, the argument made is that “Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the Republican Party and candidates” and thus anyone taking civic action or providing civic education from a Biblical point of view is to be disallowed from conveniences, such as tax exempt status, which are handed out regularly to those who do similar from a Leftist and secular point of view.
It is debatable that Biblical values are synonymous with all Republican candidates or millions of Republicans. It does not seem debatable that the IRS, in this case, has chosen to link the GOP to Christian Biblical teaching which is, in and of itself, an even greater issue of concern. What’s next? An IRS declaration that Democrats, many of whom think people choose their biological sex, are the party of science? Probably.
Update: IRS Grants Tax-Exempt Status to Christian Civics Group, Reversing Course