# Pastors Will Challenge IRS Rules Prohibiting Political Endorsement

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastors-will-challenge-irs-rules-prohibiting-political-endorsement/635603>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 23, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastors-will-challenge-irs-rules-prohibiting-political-endorsement/635603 "2012-09-23T17:04:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 10

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**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastors-will-challenge-irs-rules-prohibiting-political-endorsement/635603/181 "2012-10-27T16:12:28Z")

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Union dues are tax deductible and used for political purposes.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastors-will-challenge-irs-rules-prohibiting-political-endorsement/635603/182 "2012-10-27T16:19:33Z")

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The portion used for lobbying and political activities (if any) is not deductible.

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**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastors-will-challenge-irs-rules-prohibiting-political-endorsement/635603/183 "2012-10-27T16:26:35Z")

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Then the rule for churches can be similar. That would make more sense than revoking their entire tax exempt status.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastors-will-challenge-irs-rules-prohibiting-political-endorsement/635603/184 "2012-10-27T16:43:25Z")

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The rule _is_ similar. The portion of dues unions spend on political advocacy _among their own membership_ is taxable.

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastors-will-challenge-irs-rules-prohibiting-political-endorsement/635603/185 "2012-10-27T16:53:13Z")

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> [@adaher](#):
>
> The law was never even debated, he attached it to an unrelated bill. It has zero legitimacy.

Was it voted on? Did the President sign it?

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**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastors-will-challenge-irs-rules-prohibiting-political-endorsement/635603/186 "2012-10-27T17:55:34Z")

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> [@Nazarene](#):
>
> It doesn’t. The Hebrew word _qadash_ means sacrifice. That is the standard Hebrew word used throughout the Old Testament for animal sacrifice. There is no semantic weasel available to you here, believe me.

Just to clarify this point, the root kaf-dalet-shin (K-D-SH) means “holy”, “consecrated”, “sanctified”, “separate”, “set apart”; it’s used for things that are both sacred and specifically set apart for that reason. Kadosh, kiddush, kodesh, etc, all come from that root.

I think you might be thinking of korban?

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