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Churches across the state of Maine will pass the collection plate at Sunday services on Father’s Day to raise funds for the lead group opposing the state’s November ballot initiative that seeks to legalize same-sex marriage.
Between 150 and 200 churches are expected to raise money for the Protect Marriage Maine political action committee, said Carroll Conley Jr., executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine evangelical organization and a member of the PAC.
It’s unusual, but not unheard of, for churches to take up collections for political causes. Maine’s Catholic diocese says it raised about $80,000 with a designated collection in 2009 in its effort to overturn Maine’s same-sex marriage law, which was passed by the Legislature that year and later rejected by voters, reported the Associated Press.
The Catholic Church isn’t actively campaigning this time, instead focusing on teaching parishioners about the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.
Maine’s legislature passed a marriage equality law in 2009 to give same-sex couples the right to marry, but in a state-wide ballot referendum that echoed California’s Proposition 8, nearly 53 percent of Maine citizens voted against same-sex marriage, reversing the legislative decision before the law took effect.
Marriage equality advocates have since gathered the required number of verified signatures to put the issue back on the November 2012 ballot — if approved by voters, Maine could become the first state to approve same-sex marriage through a popular vote.
In fact, recent polling suggests that Maine voters are likely to reverse their 2009 decision and legalize same-sex marriage when the issue is once again considered at the ballot box later this year.
According to Public Policy Polling (PPP) in March, 54 percent of voters responded that same-sex marriage should be legal, while only 41 percent think it should be illegal.
In April, the Maine People’s Resource Center released the results of another public opinion poll of likely Maine 2012 voters, which showed support for marriage equality had increased to 58 percent, with opposition about 40 percent.
Conley said that Father’s Day, June 17, seemed an appropriate time to kick off this year’s fundraising campaign against the marriage equality measure because of the day’s focus on family.
Additional collection-plate offerings at churches are expected in the months ahead.
Earlier this week, the Maine Education Association voted to endorse the referendum on the November ballot that would allow same-sex couples in Maine to marry.
Filed under: Maine
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Smashing! No really, it’s Smashing time for those plates. How greedy are they? Wanting money. -_-
surprised?
it doesn’t matter what they do cuz we wont give up
Well if they do. Then the Churches in Maine can start passing the collection plate around to start paying their fair share of income, state, and property tax then.
i am very optomistic that it will pass referendum in Maine and in MD marking the first to states that the people vote to allow marriage equality. Keep up the fight LGBT people. We WILL prevail!
Finally, educated people who aren’t closed minded to the lifestyle we’re all fighting for equal rites to.
Doesn’t this violate their 501.3 c status. As a non profit they cannot participate in political agendas.
(hope that came out right lol)
Seriously?????
How about to fund an act of kindness?
Hmmm, maybe it’s time to pass the tax plate to those churches for interfering in politics.
It’ll be like stripper-tipping. People will scramble to break $20 bills so they can use $1.
“Father… can you break this FIVE?”
My god ain’t broke
and to think of how much of that money could have gone to helping with housing and feeding children in the area or toward helping people that do have a home to make needed repairs and what not ..i’m so glad that people will open their wallets/purses to stop us from having equality because it’s “wrong” but they won’t even do what theor own religions says what’s “right”
Hey yea! Lets throw all the hate we possibly can at love! Thats the christian thing to do for sure!
When will ‘tax exempt’ no longer be afforded to hate groups!!
If they are taking up collections to get politicians to pass laws then they are a political lobby not a religious organization. use their own bible to prove it to them. “Ye shall know them by the fruit they bear.” tax them and be done with it.
So, they’re going to use a time of being spiritual to change gears and become political….nice.
They can take up money. But we are still here. At least they don’t burn us at the stake. :P on them
Ok, how about we start taxing the churches then???
How many is the issue and how much collected is the second question. That they have to use churches to fund political issues is a bad sign for them. They do not have general public support on this issue.
if the bible is the word of god then it would be logical that god chose the person to write the bible the most well known bible is the king james bible, king james was gay.. so what the fuck? almost 20 and i still just don’t understand society
churches are all about. Money or they would new holding it out side look at all the rich churches blah I talk to God myself don’t need someone talking to me about God. I know him. Keep out of my private life
the pathetic scramble to win ensues… pretty sad when you have to ask for money in a collection plate.
Sounds a bit like collecting for the vote which is something that organizations do that are also taxed. Hm….
wow and people wonder why i dont like church. i cant believe people…
Tax the living shit out of those demon assholes from hell
When churches want to get into politics, that dissolves the line of separation between church and state….Ken is bang on, tax the fuckers!
It’s alright for these fuckers to discriminate openly against gays but say one word about their imaginary friend and they fly off the handle at you. Tax their asses!
marrige is betwean to pepol how loves ecothear. and i beleave if it was put to a vote marriage equlity will win!
should be a automatic end to tax exempt status, a secular government will fail, laws should be of logic. keep religion out of politics/government
better things you could do with your money
These churches need to start paying their fair share of taxes since they want to play the politics game
Idiots
I agree with others that once you cross that line the state can tax you!
Isn’t it against IRS policies for a religious institution to act in a particular political view?
Proud to go to a Unitarian Universalist Church….we pass the plate around to help the mentally ill, the financially destitute, and the Cancer ridden. Time for those churches to get taxed.
when Churches cross the line into politics they should start paying TAXES
Isn’t this a violation of the tax code?!
Time to request the IRS revoke their tax exempt status so the “collection” plate becomes taxable income to the churches and the “donations” are no longer deductible by the donor’s on their tax returns.
As many have said, their tax exemption is so they remain out of politics, so they should start paying their taxes just like the corporations they are.
ANY reason to make a buck, huh?
How about collecting for the children that have been molested by clergy and injured for life…….
You would think they would pass the collection plate around to do what they’re supposed to do. Follow the way of Jesus Christ. In other words…feed the poor and what not, not waste money on politics. Disgusting.
If they r so political than why do they still benefit from tax exemption?
IDIOTS
I agree with Jake Hamrick. These churches need to loose tax exemption status immediately – and be ordered to pay back taxes retroactive to the date of founding.
Why is it that the IRS keeps allowing churches to collect money free of tax and be active in politics on both a state and federal level?
They should lose tax free status, in my opinion
If they a were true followers they would use that money to help the poor & the sick. They are miserable creatures!
Or maybe raise money to help fight hunger in their local community? :/ this is not what a church is supposed to be out….
Raise money to pay for bigotry and denying cival rights, that EXACTLY what Jesud would do.
time to tax the churches every church that gives money to this should have half of their assets taken by the irs
TAX THEM NOW
Great example of tolerance…one reason of many I left the Church
if this is the case then they need to pay taxes a church is not alowed to be politically active and hold tax exemp statis this is a federal law
“…fight equality”. What a shameful thing.
If they could just do the same for real problems such as hunger,illiteracy and helping those who lack health care.
This is definetly mixing Politics with Religion, and a violation of the Constitution. I’d say they’ve crossed a line and now should be considered a taxable institution!
Well, it’s a darned good thing they can’t do anything political or they could perhaps hold back progress in some key ways.
Ugh sickening…loosing battle for them!!
When churches act as political special interest groups, their tax-exempt status should be revoked.
horible
Don’t give the church $
interesting how its money that is needed to “fight” marriage equality. So are people still foolish enough to believe that the politicians in this country are anything more than well educated whores?
Umm, that would mean the ‘church’ is participating in politics and clearly a violation of the separation of church and state.
These church’s MUST lose their tax exempt status. NOW