10 Jul 2025 3 min read writing

Divine Interventionism

Alex:
Wait. Wait. Back up. You're telling me churches can now just... endorse political candidates from the pulpit?

Chet:
Yep. IRS just carved out a special exception. Says it’s like a “family discussion.”

Dana:
Ah yes, the old sacred American tradition of family political discussions: famously non-divisive and entirely free of outside influence.

Alex:
But that’s the Johnson Amendment! It’s been law for decades! Nonprofits can’t campaign!

Chet:
Still technically true—for everyone except houses of worship. The IRS agreed in a court filing that religious endorsements to congregants aren’t “campaigning.” It's just a little... pulpit talk.

Dana:
Basically: If a pastor says "God wants you to vote for X" during a sermon, it’s not politicking—it’s just “pastoral care.” Blessed be the loophole.

Alex:
But why now?

Chet:
Two Texas churches sued. Wanted all nonprofits to be allowed to endorse. IRS said: nah, but we’ll give you a special pass just for religious ones.

Dana:
So now religious orgs get the tax-exempt status and the ability to function as campaign arms. No taxes, no restrictions, all the influence.

Alex:
This is a nightmare. Political money’s already everywhere, and now you can run dark money through a megachurch and write it off on your taxes?

Chet:
Correct. You, too, can now tithe directly to democracy’s unraveling.

Dana:
And since the IRS doesn’t actually enforce the Johnson Amendment anyway, this mostly just codifies what’s already been happening. It’s a quiet green light for full-blown pulpit campaigning. Now its official.

Alex:
What happens when they start livestreaming endorsements?

Chet:
Good question. That’s what nonprofit law experts are worried about. Where’s the line between “congregational communication” and “mass broadcast influence”? Spoiler: the IRS didn’t draw one.

Dana:
And what even counts as a house of worship these days? Can I register my basement podcast as prophecy and get a tax break for endorsing Sherrod Brown?

Chet:
If you can get a couple of followers and a communion wine budget, you might be in business. I wonder what the Satanists will do with this?

Alex:
This isn’t about religion. It’s wwjd campaign finance deregulation in a red hat.

Dana:
Right. And once one party sees an advantage, the pressure on the other to compete through the same channels goes up. Soon everyone’s courting mega-pastors like they’re Super PACs in ultimate robes.

Chet:
The National Council of Nonprofits called it out directly—said this could turn charities into tax shelters for political money.

Alex:
So we’re just... handing out tax exemptions to political speech, as long as it’s got a cross on it?

Chet:
Democracy's on fire. Next stop: burning witches.

Alex:
Cool cool cool.
I’m gonna go scream into a recycling bin.

The IRS has formally stated that churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates to their congregations without violating the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 rule that bars tax-exempt nonprofits from engaging in political campaigning. This came as part of a legal settlement with two Texas churches and a Christian broadcasters’ group that had sued for broader exemptions.

Instead of allowing all nonprofits to endorse candidates, the IRS created a narrower exemption specifically for religious institutions. It now considers such endorsements, when shared within regular religious services or communications, to be akin to private "family discussions" rather than political activity.

Nonprofit law experts say this decision could increase political activity in churches and lead to new legal gray areas, especially around online communication. Critics argue it opens the door for political operatives to exploit religious nonprofits for tax-deductible campaign support, potentially undermining the integrity of campaign finance laws.

This is the first time the IRS has officially declared that pulpit endorsements are legal, a shift from its longstanding hands-off approach.

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