anti-war sermon brings irs warning

[niyad]

(and yet the pro-war, pro-bush right-wing fundamentalist xians like dobson and haggard and their ilk can preach from the pulpit about who to vote for, can weigh in on supreme court nominees, etc., etc, ad nauseum, ad infinitem, without word one from the irs. interesting.)


Antiwar Sermon Brings IRS Warning
All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena risks losing its tax-exempt status because of a former rector's remarks in 2004.
by Patricia Ward Biederman and Jason Felch

The Internal Revenue Service has warned one of Southern California's largest and most liberal churches that it is at risk of losing its tax-exempt status because of an antiwar sermon two days before the 2004 presidential election.


ACTIVISM: Rector J. Edwin Bacon encourages congregants at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena to sign petitions and vote. Bacon says the church is careful never to endorse candidates.
(Richard Hartog / LAT)

Rector J. Edwin Bacon of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena told many congregants during morning services Sunday that a guest sermon by the church's former rector, the Rev. George F. Regas, on Oct. 31, 2004, had prompted a letter from the IRS.

In his sermon, Regas, who from the pulpit opposed both the Vietnam War and 1991's Gulf War, imagined Jesus participating in a political debate with then-candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry. Regas said that "good people of profound faith" could vote for either man, and did not tell parishioners whom to support.

But he criticized the war in Iraq, saying that Jesus would have told Bush, "Mr. President, your doctrine of preemptive war is a failed doctrine. Forcibly changing the regime of an enemy that posed no imminent threat has led to disaster."

On June 9, the church received a letter from the IRS stating that "a reasonable belief exists that you may not be tax-exempt as a church … " The federal tax code prohibits tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from intervening in political campaigns and elections.

. . . . . . .

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1107-02.htm

[Sequoia]

1. Amazing how the fundie churches who support Bush, war, and

torture seem to just roll on and on, and are never targeted.

[phantom power]

7. And they DO actively support GOP candidates.

[mestup]

2. Did someone have to make a complaint?

Can't imagine there are IRS agents cruising churches on Sunday mornings.

[niyad]

3. we complain regularly and vociferously about dobson and haggard and all

the other fundie, reichwing wackos here, but nothing ever gets done.

[Maraya1969]

10. That's good to hear because I've complained also. It gets nowhere

thought. One woman I spoke to sounds very very interested. But nothing happened.

Is it ok for a church to pay for an anti-abortion bill-board. There is one up by me and it has the church's phone number on it.

[niyad]

14. have you called and complained to the church? they need to be told in NO

uncertain terms that what they are doing is offensive--and that they are being reported to have their tax-exempt status revoked. won't happen, but it could tie up their lines all day.

[Mr_Spock]

4. These folks are going to start a civil war.

What the fuck do they think they're doing by only targeting people they disagree with politically? This is a clear abuse of power. Either target ALL churches that preach politics, or none. This is complete BS and is begging for retaliation...

[BOSSHOG]

5. I THINK THIS IS OUTSTANDING NEWS

Let them pursue it with vigor. Let the IRS open up a far reaching investigation into Churchs "intervening in political campaigns and elections" with an eye on revoking their tax exempt status'. I would suspect this is not good news for the reptilian right who toil against our constitutional liberties in a tax exempt status.

[niyad]

6. unfortunately, they only seem to be targeting progressive churches.

[BOSSHOG]

8. But let them set the precedent relative to

the 2004 election. I believe this is another dumbass move by people involved in bush's government. I hope they go after that liberal church with all guns firing. That's exactly what the radical christian clerics who can only make a living by bastardizing the bible in a tax exempt status don't want to happen.

[zbdent]

9. In an unrelated note,

Jesus has just been cast into an unnamed prison in the Middle East for preaching Peace . . .

[Maraya1969]

11. Ain't that the truth.

[bunkerbuster1]

12. The irony never fails to astound me

how those who bray the loudest about being "persecuted Christians" in America are precisely the sort of individuals who'd be the likeliest to execute Christ if He were again to grace us with His presence.

[zbdent]

13. Mel Gibson literally drove a nail into Jesus's hand

well, on screen, that is. Great special effects . . .