Can a church pastor tell it's congregation who to vote for?

Question

Pastor Bill DeConna of Victory churh Gainesville Florida is a Rebulican and is always pushing views on the congregation. I left the church.

Answer 1

The pastor can tell the congregation who to vote for but the congregation do not have to follow the recommendation.

The members of the congregation can tell the pastor who to vote for and the pastor also does not have to follow that recommendation.

Answer 2

not all but MOST folks in church KNOW how to vote. Too bad the libs and dems dont know or care much about what this country was founded on and try to twist and turn things to fit their idiotic way of thinking.. EXAMPLES you say?? see what the BaRack supporters are posting on here..

Answer 3

Under the concept of free speech, he can "suggest" all he wants to - and accept the folks that are going to leave his congregation. Likewise, nobody has to follow the directives, either! (personal opinion - at least he's not telling you to vote for a fascist?)

Answer 4

If he is very political in the pulpit the church could lose it's tax free status.

Answer 5

MANY churches or pastors will publicly endorse a certain platform or candidate, on what is thought to be religious basis towards a given issue.

I certainly think that if you find that to be offensive, you can leave that church.  Supporting a platform is one thing.. telling you to vote for a person is another.  

Answer 6

Legally I suppose he can guide people on the church's or 'God's" point of view on the issues. I'm not sure if he can tell you flat out who to vote for, I think churches are supposed to stay out of state business or they get in some type of tax trouble.

That being said, people should think for themselves on who to vote for even if they believe in a higher power. God is so cryptic his opinion on the issues is as subjective as anyones.

The reason I left my church was because they were passing out voting "guides" and it made me uncomfortable. I'm happily deist now.

Answer 7

They can. but to do so would put their non profit status in jeopardy.

  That can be revoked by the IRS if the church or pastor  gets too involved with any specific candidate.

  A very powerful state politician  attends my church. If you start asking the politician about state government, or ask for his help as a legislator,  his response would be " stop by my office." The pastor  reminds people  when  an election is coming up, and suggests  they   become familiar with the candidates and their  positions and vote accordingly.

This is how they avoid  any  possibility  of campaigning on church property, or endorsing any specific candidate.

Answer 8

Did he specifically say to vote republican? Or did he say to vote anti abortion, anti g*y marriage, and whatever else the church you didn't believe in at the time?

Being you used his name and the name of the church, YA may well likely remove this question, so you may want to change the question if you can.

Answer 9

He can but he is risking the tax deductible status of his church.

Answer 10

A church pastor can ask his members for money or god will kill him.

Hey it happened...

Oral Roberts did it and received 8 million dollars

Answer 11

why not.

Answer 12

my pastor does it all the time... he tries to get us all to vote republican. we had a picnic two weeks ago and i showed up in my obama tee shirt. the looks on their faces, lol.