Maybe Bishop Amos and the others of the “concerned clergy” might ponder this reality:
Post-SCOTUS Gay Marriage: Religious institution tax exemptions at risk
Definitely in progressive crosshairs, as the government warned during oral argument.
By Kemberlee Kaye writing at Legal Insurrection. Excerpts:
“…back in April, when the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case, Solicitor General Donald Verrilli revealed that the implications of the court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges extend far beyond the narrow issue of marriage licenses.
“In a brief back and forth about IRS regulations, Justice Samuel Alito asked Solicitor General Verrilli whether religious institutions — including schools — that maintain the traditional definition of marriage would lose their tax-exempt status should the court strike down state laws defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
“The solicitor general responded: “It’s certainly going to be an issue. I don’t deny that. I don’t deny that, Justice Alito. It is, it is going to be an issue.”
Wonder if those “concerned clergy” considered the fact they are already on the verge of losing the churches’ and schools’ tax exemption for potentially offending the left over the church’s position on gay marriage?
Now, with this blatant demonstration of partisan political activism, even conservative Catholics may wonder if tax exempt status for the church any longer makes sense.
I recall not so long ago, my pastor of a local Catholic church refused to talk about “Fortnight for Freedom” from the pulpit, and prohibited distribution on parish property of non-partisan voter information about candidates’ support or opposition to abortion. The “reason” (more accurately, “lame excuse”) he gave for his aggressive efforts to enforce the prohibition was out of concern that the church’s tax exempt status might be jeopardized because of such “political activity”.
His concern, however, did not extend to fears about welcoming Catholic nuns into parish facilities to conduct “informational ” meetings about the vast benefits of Obamacare, using Democratic party and Obama campaign literature to spice up the “facts” of their presentation.
Perhaps Catholic Church hierarchy and much of the clergy mistakenly believe that by actively supporting the administration’s progressive causes, the Church will somehow be protected and they know that historically they’ve had nothing to fear from the traditional faithful or conservative Catholic politicians.
Maybe Bishop Amos and his colleagues of the cloth should reflect on the quality of protection the left and President Obama actually offer. US bishops were enthusiastic in support of Obamacare. And they have reached out to aid the Obama administration to alleviate the bad effects of its ill-begotten illegal immigration “policies”. Neither has proven to insulate the church, however, from the administration’s demands regarding abortion coverage, or to insure religious freedom.
And, when the LGBTI movement comes for their tax exempt status, they will fare no better.
DLH
Remember the Pope’s admonition to Catholics to not “obsess” over issues like abortion and gay marriage, and his “humble” nod to the church’s position on gay marriage, “who am I to judge”. Among some of the faithful there is a growing expectation that in order to further Francis’s agenda by uniting with the likes of Obama and the UN, the Church will “fold like a cheap cassock” on such issues in order to retain its tax exempt status and further the cause of wealth redistribution, global governance, and the destruction of capitalist economies.