The IRS says it's now okay to endorse political candidates from the pulpit. Is this a good idea?

I'm Scott out with Bill Whittle and Stephen Green. This episode of Right Angle is brought to you by the members at Bill Whittle.com.

Gentlemen, for years, in fact, since 1954, there was something known as the Johnson Amendment for those people in the know that basically

said, and I'll see if I can quote it here, it was introduced by then Senate Majority Leader Lyndon

Johnson, later President Lyndon Johnson. It defines a tax-exempt church or other nonprofit as one

which, quote, does not participate in or intervene in, including publishing

or distributing of statements any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any

candidate for public office. And for years, this has been handled or has been known as something

you just didn't do in church, you don't endorse political candidates,

and you try to avoid those kinds of actions,

those political actions,

because it could jeopardize your tax-exempt status.

Now, I have heard innumerable sermons

where people attempted to dance around this,

and usually they do it awkwardly and poorly. But ultimately,

over time, it's not really been enforced. And now the IRS, in response to a suit from the

National Association of Religious Broadcasters and I think a couple of churches in Texas

have basically made this announcement that the Johnson Amendment does not affect what they use this analogy.

They say it doesn't affect Steve Green what the church talks about as a family.

So if the preacher gets up and endorses a political candidate,

well, that's just between the preacher and the congregation, even though they're streaming it

live around the world. But that's different than saying the church takes up an offering

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