"Politics Prompt Church Tax Questions"

[GreenPartyVoter]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The
Internal Revenue Service should reconsider the tax-exempt status of a Baptist church where nine members say they were expelled in a political dispute with their pastor, an advocacy group said Monday.
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The Rev. Barry Lynn, director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, sent a letter to the IRS in response to reports that the Rev. Chan Chandler led an effort to expel members of East Waynesville Baptist Church in western North Carolina because they did not support
President Bush.

"The IRS cannot afford to ignore such blatant disregard for our nation's tax laws, as it sends a signal to others religious leaders that they too can engage in partisan politicking from the pulpit without fear of sanction," Lynn wrote.

Lynn's group released the letter one day before a planned church meeting between Chandler and the members who say they were kicked out.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050510/ap_on_re_us/church_politics;_ylt=AhkQVv6ZjQ.5Iek4OBO67S1h24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5YTdnaTJnBHNlYwNsbjcwMw--