Churches need to no longer be exempt from taxes.
Christian evangelicalism is synonymous with the conservative Republican Party. And the conservative Republican party works hard to oppress everyone that they hate- which is everyone who isn't them. One of the ways they do this is by enacting Christian nationalism type laws, such as forced birth and purity culture in school dress codes.
We cannot have freedom of religion if we don't have freedom from religion. And when Christian nationalism laws are enacted, you are not free from that religion. The Christian evangelical church is enmeshed with American politics. If a religion is going to force everybody- even people who don't believe in that religion- to follow their religious rules, then you no longer have separation of church and state.
Evangelicals missed the memo in the very bible they claim to read stating that Jesus came to break people free from the bondage of religion during that time period. He was vocally against religious laws and against forcing people to comply with a religion. Christian nationalism is not biblical.
On top of all that, churches, specifically evangelical churches, have become political powerhouses not just preaching politics from the pulpit, but many going so far as to recommend the Republican candidate to their congregation.
These people live in an alternate and different reality than we do. They think they can violate Federal law without consequences. Because so far, they've been allowed to continue mixing with politics.
The Johnson Amendment of 1954 specifically prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from participating in or intervening on behalf of any sort of political candidate or any person who is in politics. Churches who do this are violating federal law. So, churches who do this especially need to be taxed.
If we don't have separation of church and state, then those churches need to pay taxes, just like everybody else. And the few churches who use their tax-exempt status to help others, they can write those off in their taxes, just like everyone else. And even when they pass these horrible laws that oppress marginalized people, just to remember, we are the majority, not them.
But it doesn't do any good to be the majority if we don't use our voices to be louder than they are. Every time you get the opportunity, go vote, vote blue. We must vote the hate out of our politics.
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