Conservative group to spy on liberal churches hoping to sic the IRS on 'em

[Shallah Kali]

Group to watch liberal churches
Coalition created by famed atheist's son forms group to monitor liberal churches for tax violations
http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2004/082004/08162004/1462370

Quote
The Big Brother Church Watch, a group sponsored by the Religious Freedom Action Coalition, is sending volunteers throughout Virginia to sit in church pews and take notes.

If there is any indication of an endorsement of, or objection to, a specific political candidate, the group has said it will report that church to the Internal Revenue Service, which could revoke their tax-exempt status.

The group is targeting so-called "liberal churches" such as the Metropolitan Community churches, Unitarian Universalist fellowships and African Methodist Episcopal churches.

(snip)

The group, functioning through its Web site, ratoutachurch.org, was created several weeks ago in response to a IRS complaint filed last month by the Americans United for Separation of Church and State against the Rev. Jerry Falwell, Birchfield said.

[EstimatedProphet]

1. Waddya bet Falwell's behind it?

It would be just like him to try and remove the competition this way.

[noonwitch]

3. He can try all he wants

Liberal churches don't hand out "voter guides". Both sides walk a fine line and they push at the liberal side, their side will get pushed back.

Liberal Churches tend to have visits from Democratic politicians who make speeches from the pulpit, but the church isn't endorsing them.

Conservative Churches pas out vote guides,which explain candidates views on issues they are concerned about like abortion or schoo vouchers.

[NC_Nurse]

2. My,

how "Christian" of them! :eyes:

[tandot]

4. You can bet that liberals do the same with conservative churches

Actually, I live in the Bible belt. If I see or hear any church promoting Bush in any way, I'll report them to the IRS.

And we all know that there will be way more conservative churches to bust than liberal churches... :evilgrin:

[truthspeaker]

8. Yes, in fact we started it. Turnabout is fair play.

As long as churches are tax-exempt and, legally, don't even have to account for how their tax-exempt money is spent (unlike other non-profits), they should be subject to the same restrictions on poltical action as other tax-exempt organizations.

[DUreader]

5. ratoutachurch.org sounds like a nonprofit

folks in VA might want to join up and monitor them , maybe they can be

ratted out to the IRS

[leesa]

6. Maybe some of the Fundie dead heads will wake up if they hear

about real Christianity. Too funny.

[tom_paine]

7. The shamelss fucking HYPOCRISY of it!

Here the Busheviks are going all around the Empire, using Church Mailing Lists without shame nor fear that their Dark Servants of Empire are going to investigate it let alon put it to a stop, but these Xtian Totalitarians now want to monitor liberal churches for violations far less blatant and grotesque (if they are there at all).

Naturally the Dark Servants of Empire, themselves as incestuous intertwined with the Xtian Totalitarians as the Nazis were with the Churches, will give the customray Double-Standard Treatemnt so common in nations like Imperial Amerika, that are not actually free (luckily for us for the moment the dark servants of Holy Empire won't start assualting regular folks until their One-Party Xtian Medeval feudal Orwellian PR State is fully unchecked and unbalanced.

In others words: Bushevik Church State Violations, as uninvestigated as the murder of Civil Rights Workers were by local Xtain Sheriffs in the 50s and 60s.

Liberal violations (minor or fabricated...it makes no diffenece to the Dark Sevants of Bushevik AntiChrist) = Maximum Investiagtion, whether the allegation is true or false.

The Dark Sevants of Xtainity, in keeping withtheir worship of AntiChristian "Values" emulate the Nazis and Communists to a tee.

At least they haven't gotten violent...yet.

[merh]

9. You know, I have read the new testament and for the life of

me, I don't recall Jesus ever asking the disciples to spy on anybody. He was kind of a live and let live kind of guy. If I were to go through all of the gospels I do not think I can find anything that even remotely resembles this behavior. Christ, what do they think they are doing? :shrug:

[passthecorn]

10. Where is the line?

Everyone is offended when "they" use churches for political gain or when "those" kinds of churches get too political. They and those are defined by whoever you thing is wrong.

However, when "we" do it, "we" are being sincere and showing those "others" what "real" religion is.

What is the line, when is it OK, when is it not? I think we could all agree that it shouldn't be OK for us, and illegal for them.

I don't think politicians should speak in churches on either side. However, just because a moral issue becomes a political issue, shouldn't mean that a church and it's leaders shouldn't be able as loudly as they want speak for/against the issue.

Thoughts?

PTC
Pastor of one of the most non-political churches in the STL Metro area

[LeftHander]

11. HOw stupid do they think we are.....?

Let them come in and sit in my church. Listen to our service, drink coffee with us afterward. Talk with us. Tell us that you are trying to hurt us.

We know very well the rules about specifically advocating for a particular candidate.

From the pulpit at the UU church I attend we promote action on the ideas that make the world a better place.

We will atively promote marriage equity as a congregation public statement of conscience.

We have opposed the Iraq war with activities on peace such as attending demonstrations and organizing demonstrations. (Honk for Peace at busy intersections and hosting Peace conferences organized by other groups with our social action committee.

We work with interfaith organizations to feed and house the poor and homeless. If these "christians" want to challenge our motives then come join us and experience what it is like to be among a open, free and compassionate community.

Come on in! UUs will welcome you.

[leftofthedial]

12. it is rank hypocrisy, of course, but

I think all religious institutions should pay taxes anyway.

[sweetheart]

13. They sound like the new communists

You know how the communist party in the USSR of former times had a
"local party man" at every meeting of comrades... and now, the new
american version, "local militia christians". Geesh, all they need
now is an "al sadr" and a church to defend and we can import falluja
to georgia.

Some angry sniper with a gun might take offense to having their
church screwed with by the bushishtas... i guess freedom of religion
is the last bastion, and what have they to do... all the other
amendments are in jepardy... time to target the final aspect of the
first and deny freedom of religion.

[yellowcanine]

14. Religious Spies R US? Just when you thought the fundies could not

sink any lower.....

[Generic Other]

15. A schism?

Imagine that! The freethinkers being targetted by the non-thinkers.