Fla. Church Alters "No Homo Mayor" Sign

[Mari333]

Apparently fearing the loss of its tax-exempt status for mixing antigay evangelism and politics, the Dove World Outreach Center, a conservative Christian church in Gainesville, Fla., has altered a sign posted last month that read “No Homo Mayor.”

The church, which also espouses on its website that “Haiti must repent,” “Obama is president because he is black,” and denounces “a gay lesbian’s election as mayor of Houston” (Annise Parker), changed the sign to read “No homo.” Dove World is headed by senior pastor Dr. Terry Jones (pictured).

The previous iteration of the sign was a reference to the mayoral candidacy of Craig Lowe, a Gainesville city commissioner who is gay. Lowe’s opponent in the race has condemned the church’s sign, saying a candidate’s sexuality should not be an issue in the election, The Gainesville Sun reports.













http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/04/06/Gainesville_Church_Alters_No_Homo_Mayor_Sign/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AdvocatecomDailyNews+%28Advocate.com+Daily+News%29

[Justitia]

1. This Houstonian, who proudly voted for Mayor Parker, tells them to go fuck themselves.

They don't get a vote on Houston's mayor. Best of luck to candidate Lowe.

[Scurrilous]

2. More from the G'ville Sun:

D.C. group calls for investigation of Dove World center (March 29, 2010)

<snip>

"A Washington D.C.-based group that advocates for the separation of church and state has lodged a complaint against a Gainesville church that has taken a seemingly blatant political stand against a mayoral candidate.

In a letter sent Friday, the head of Americans United for Separation of Church and State asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate Dove World Outreach Center, a Christian church on Northwest 37th Street that got national attention last year for displaying signs and T-shirts that said "Islam is of the Devil."

Last week, the church posted a hand-drawn sign declaring, "No homo Mayor," a reference to mayoral candidate and City Commissioner Craig Lowe, who is gay.

In his letter to the IRS, the executive director of Americans United, the Rev. Barry Lynn, wrote that Dove World violated tax law by getting involved in politics.

"(Dove World senior pastor Terry Jones said) he believes the church is acting within its constitutional rights," Lynn wrote. "But in fact, tax exemption is extended on a number of conditions, one of which bars intervention in partisan politics. Houses of worship may not endorse or oppose candidates."

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100329/COLUMNISTS/3291002


County investigating Dove World's tax-exempt status (March 25, 2010)

<snip>

"While an inflammatory sign about a mayoral candidate's sexuality posted at a Gainesville church last week could jeopardize the church's federal tax-exempt status, a more immediate hurdle for church leaders will come today as county officials visit to investigate whether its for-profit business voids its exemption from state and local taxes.

The leaders of Dove World Outreach Center also own TS and Company- a for-profit, limited-liability corporation that sells furniture through eBay - and both the church and the company operate at a 20-acre site on Northwest 37th Street, according to Alachua County and state records.

Dove World's land and two buildings are valued at $1,651,200 but aren't taxed because churches are exempt under state law.

But this afternoon, the Alachua County Property Appraiser's Office plans to meet with church leaders to discuss the arrangement with its for-profit business."

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100325/ARTICLES/3251059


Dove World's latest stance might risk tax status (March 19, 2010)

<snip>

"The Gainesville church that attracted national attention last year when it posted signs condemning Islam is back with another message -- one that could affect its tax-exempt status because the church now is wading into politics.

On Friday, Dove World Outreach Center on Northwest 37th Street posted a sign denouncing a Gainesville mayoral candidate, which may violate the church's protected status under the Internal Revenue Code.

Under Section 501(c)(3), exempt organizations -- including churches, schools and charities -- can't "participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office."

Mike Dobzinski, the Florida spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service, said without seeing the sign, he couldn't say how it might affect the church's status.

"I couldn't say officially whether that is or isn't political activity," Dobzinski said.

According to the tax code, any violation of the prohibition against political campaigning may result in the "denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise tax."

Last year, a sign posted at the church read, "ISLAM IS OF THE DEVIL."

On Friday, a sign at the church read, "No homo Mayor." One of the two remaining candidates in the Gainesville mayoral runoff, City Commissioner Craig Lowe, is gay.

"We don't feel as though the city should be represented by a homosexual," Terry Jones, senior pastor at Dove World Outreach Center, said Friday."

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100319/ARTICLES/100319349


Protesters converge on Dove Center (January 11, 2010)

<snip>

"About 40 people stood outside the Dove World Outreach Center on a freezing Sunday, protesting the Gainesville church that has criticized Islam and, protesters said, insulted the gay community.

The protest is one of several that have been held at the church since it first began posting controversial messages last year on its property off of Northwest 37th Street and staged an anti-Islamic march to mark 9/11. Last year, school children who are church members wore shirts to school with the words "Islam is of the Devil." Their families have since become part of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which is suing the Alachua County School District for violating students' rights by not allowing them to wear the shirts.

Some of the protest's participants said church members during a gay pride event in Gainesville last year told participants they were going to burn in hell. A sign posted near the road running by the church bears the same message.

"We decided that it was time to do something and show them that there were voices in the community that were not going to take their uncivil actions, with going around with their hate," said Donna Tara Lee with Stand-Up Florida, an organization that works to achieve equal benefits and protections for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. Also involved in the protest was the Queer Activist Coalition, the local branch of the International Socialist Organization, and Amnesty International, Lee said.

University of Florida student Erin Cass, with the coalition, said, "Our message today is about tolerance and teaching tolerance and that we can all live together."

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20100111/ARTICLES/1111007

[roguevalley]

4. you know this man has ick in his closet.

[DaveinJapan]

5. Happens every time, they're such cowards.

If they truly believed in their "moral message" so much, why is it they always back down straight away when their coffers are threatened?

One would think paying some taxes would be a small price to pay in order to continue their "important" work, no?

Cowards.

[foundingmother]

3. Turning the other cheek?

Is that what they think they're doing?