Are Churches Becoming Super PACs?
Now tax-exempt churches can campaign from the pulpit while the rest of us still follow the rules.
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Billionaires can now funnel donations through churches, receive a tax deduction, and bankroll political candidates with zero accountability. See how below.
For nearly 70 years, the Johnson Amendment served as a quiet but critical safeguard against churches turning into partisan political machines. It prohibited 501(c)(3) nonprofits, including churches, from explicitly endorsing or opposing political candidates. In return, they kept their tax-exempt status. But that boundary is now effectively gone.
In a shocking court filing, the IRS has all but admitted it will no longer enforce the Johnson Amendment for churches. This means pastors can now tell their congregations who to vote for (during sermons, in church bulletins, and even across their media channels) without fear of losing their tax-free status. And it’s not just theoretical. Conservative churches have been doing this for years while daring the IRS to act. The IRS never did.
Now, they don’t even have to pretend.
A Rule Never Meant to Be Followed
The Johnson Amendment was introduced in 1954 by then-Senator Lyndon B. Johnson to keep tax-exempt organizations from becoming political campaign arms. For secular nonprofits, the rule has always been clear: endorse a candidate, and you risk your tax exemption.
Churches, however, have operated with a different set of rules. They are automatically granted tax-exempt status. They don’t even have to file annual financial disclosures like other nonprofits. And when they’ve broken the law by endorsing political candidates, they’ve been met with nothing but silence from the IRS.
Hundreds of churches have flaunted their violations, mailing sermon videos to the IRS as part of coordinated events like “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.” Not once has the IRS revoked a church’s tax exemption in response. The last notable enforcement was in 1992. That’s it.
A Legal Loophole by Design
This latest court filing makes the situation official: the IRS now interprets religious political endorsements as protected religious expression, not a violation of campaign law. According to the filing, when a pastor endorses a candidate during a service, it’s no different from a “family discussion.”
Imagine Planned Parenthood doing the same. Imagine a secular charity emailing donors and telling them to vote for a specific candidate. They would be in violation of the law. But now, conservative churches are being told they’re free to do just that.
This isn’t about religious freedom. It’s about political power.
The Church–State Merger Is Almost Complete
With this move, churches (especially the growing number of far-right evangelical churches) can now function as unofficial campaign offices. They’ll continue to receive tax-deductible donations while endorsing candidates from the pulpit. They’ll rally congregations to vote a certain way, all while enjoying the protection and privilege of nonprofit status.
In effect, they’ve become Super PACs with a cross on top.
But it’s worse than that. Secular nonprofits—those who advocate for reproductive rights, climate policy, or LGBTQ+ equality—are still held to the original rules. They’re barred from political endorsements. This isn’t just hypocrisy. It’s preferential treatment that violates the very spirit of the Constitution.
Why This Matters Now
This isn’t just some obscure policy shift. It’s a fundamental change to the democratic process. Billionaires can now funnel donations through churches, receive a tax deduction, and bankroll political candidates with zero accountability.
It also paves the way for Christian nationalism to expand unchecked. The lines between church and state, already blurred, are vanishing altogether. Pastors will now be seen not as spiritual leaders but as political influencers and their churches as campaign machines.
We are witnessing the slow death of church-state separation, not by repeal, but by erosion. Bit by bit. Case by case. Until there is no meaningful line left to cross.
Where This Is Headed
If this decision stands, it sets a chilling precedent. Religious institutions, already shielded from financial transparency, will become hubs of partisan activity. Meanwhile, secular organizations will continue to play by a different set of rules.
This is what happens when political leaders weaponize religion. Not to preserve faith, but to consolidate power.
And the price? A democracy increasingly dictated by pulpits, not by the people.
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