Influencing Public Opinion

It's... complicated.

Charities are not supposed to be political entities. But they're made up of individuals who do have freedom of speech.

Sermons cross into political opinion territory all the time.

But do you want to be the mayoral or gubernatorial administration that an individual can't speak, or a religious institution can't practice? It would be a PR nightmare, so government tries not to get involved.

PS Churches openly tell people how to vote all the time and they get away with it. This is why.