And the Lord sayeth, vote for Walter Jones, and send money to...

For the fourth year in a row, Representative Walter Jones (R-NC), has introduced his a bill that would blur the line that separates church from state. His latest offering would allow churches to endorse or oppose candidates or campaigns from the pulpit and encourage donations from the congregation as long as no chuch money goes to the candidate's campaign or advertising thereof.

OMB sums up the issues:

Current law protects the integrity of charitable nonprofits by preventing individuals from using tax-deductible contributions to avoid tax and legal restrictions that apply to political donations. It also prevents individuals from using charitable nonprofit organizations, which are, by definition, organized for public purposes, to advance their personal partisan political views. Supporters of the bill claim religious leaders are afraid to speak out on public issues. However, all 501(C)(3)s, including religious organizations, are allowed to engage in advocacy activities such as lobbying, public education campaigns, comment on public policy, and litigation.

This regulation exists to protect the integrity of the election process. The 501(C)(3)s receive a tax-exemption because their work is educational, religious or charitable. It is an acknowledgment that the organization performs an activity that relieves some burden that would otherwise fall to federal, state, or local government. Taxpayers should not be required to fund the political activities of tax-exempt organizations.

Additionally, tax-exemption is afforded to churches as a safeguard to preserve separation of church and state by preventing governments from using taxation to favor one religion over another. Allowing churches to advocate for one political party or another would blur the line between the separation of church and state. The money in the collection plate should not pay for bumper stickers or attack ads on behalf of a politician or political party.

What makes this even more difficult to accept is President Bush's faith based initative plan. Would organizations that endorsed non GOP candidates faith the wrath that is lack of federal funding?

It's a bad idea all around.