IRS targeting Liberal church WTF?

[johnaries]

I just heard about this from Bill Press on C-Span this morning. I did a DU search but didn't find anything except this brief reference to the interview:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=5448636#5448820

A Google search gave lots of sources, including this CNN article:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/07/antiwar.sermon.ap/
~snip~
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The Internal Revenue Service has warned a prominent liberal church it could lose its tax-exempt status because of an anti-war sermon a guest preacher gave on the eve of the 2004 presidential election, church officials say.

The Rev. George F. Regas did not urge parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena to support either President Bush or John Kerry, but he was critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts.

The IRS warned the church in June that its tax-exempt status was in jeopardy because such organizations are prohibited from intervening in political campaigns and elections. ~end snip~

WTF? After Falwell, Robertson, and others openly telling "Christians" to vote for Bush and that church in NC kicking out it's Dem members, they're going after a church for a sermon that criticized Bush but still told the members to vote their choice?

This administration will do ANYTHING!
:grr:

[Neocondriac]

1. C'mon.....

You have heard of "Feith Based Initatives" haven't you ?

[mrcheerful]

2. Because the fundies support Bush and

this church talked against Bush, and how does Bush get even with those that disagree with he's the second coming? You got it, attack them with government agencies and use tax dollars to giterdone.

[madrchsod]

3. they nailed a fundy church a few years ago

the fundy church was found in violation of the law..

[JDPriestly]

4. "They" are trying to force a moderately liberal church to make

arguments and establish legal precedent to maintain their tax exempt status so that "they" (the right-wing) can then use those precedents and arguments against liberals who protest the campaign activities of right-wing extremist churches.

The question will be where do you draw the line in terms of political activism when it comes to the IRS tax exemption for religious organizations? Can a church take a stance on a moral issue like abortion or war but not endorse a candidate?

Good question. I think that All Saints has drawn the line very well. Churches should not endorse candidates or parties, but they should take stands on moral issues. The criticism of Kerry by leaders of the Catholic church -- even the statement that people should not vote for him because of his stance on abortion -- was out of place for an exempt institution as would be an endorsement of Kerry or an admonition not to vote for Bush. Members of churches, of course, can say what they want, but ministers should not speak for or against a candidate in he pulpit and churches should not organize for or support candidates or parties. That's my opinion.

[johnaries]

5. Bill Press is back on CSPAN,

he did an excellent job on a lot of issues! Watch it!

[wryter2000]

6. I think the church was on shaky grounds

If I heard right, the sermon took the form of a debate about the war between Kerry and Bush. It sounds as if it was an endorsement of Kerry, even if it wasn't meant that way. I think a warning is in order. You can talk about the war, but you can't make support one candidate over another.

I don't have a problem with this providing, 1) it's a warning only and 2) the warnings are applied equally across the political spectrum.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State www.au.org routinely sends out warnings to fundie churches that support candidates. Usually, they're successful in getting the churches to stop.

[mrcheerful]

7. HUH? Pat Robertson and Jerry falwal

were way farther out of line by telling people who to vote for as well as most Baptist churchs all over america. Remember? A vote for Kerry was a vote against god? How soon people forget once its off the 6 o'clock news.

[MountainLaurel]

8. Remember last year's NAACP witchhunt?

It's only just begun.