LAT: Conservatives Also Irked by IRS Probe of Churches

[DeepModem Mom]

Conservatives Also Irked by IRS Probe of Churches
The agency's warning to All Saints is part of a wider look into political activity by nonprofits.
By Jason Felch and Patricia Ward Biederman, Times Staff Writers


The IRS threat to revoke the tax-exempt status of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena because of an antiwar sermon there during the 2004 presidential election is part of a larger, controversial federal investigation of political activity at churches and nonprofit groups.

Over the last year, the Internal Revenue Service has looked at more than 100 tax-exempt organizations across the country for allegations of promoting — either explicitly or implicitly — candidates on both ends of the political spectrum, according to the IRS. None have lost their nonprofit status, though investigations continue into about 60 of those.

The IRS denies any political motivation behind the initiative it started last year. The Treasury Department's inspector general found in February that there was some mismanagement of the investigations but no indication of them being used as a political cudgel to silence critics of the Bush administration.

However, the IRS action has triggered an unusual coalition of critics who say they are concerned about the effect on freedom of speech and religion.

When Ted Haggard, head of the 30-million-member National Assn. of Evangelicals, heard about the All Saints case Monday, he told his staff to contact the National Council of Churches, a more liberal group....Haggard said he wants to work with the council of churches "in doing whatever it takes to get the IRS to stop" such actions....


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-irs8nov08,0,2552376.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[havocmom]

1. Some of those Evangelicals handed out 'Voter Guides' before elections

back in 92 and 94. Doubt the practice stopped then. They prolly have their knickers in a twist that they may be next on the investigation list.

[cantstandbush]

26. they know they are much more political than "liberal" churches.

Falwell and Robertson have violated this law for decades.

[greekspeak]

2. Simple solution...preach don't politicize.

If you politicize in church, you should expect pay taxes like any private politicizing organization would. If you want to speak out against THE war, which any respectable church would, speak out against WAR.

[rateyes]

3. Bingo...

simple. Don't endorse candidates...Speak to ethics of war or anything else...just don't bring politics into the discussion. Simple.

[BlueEyedSon]

4. DO IT! Revoke all tax exempt status from churches already!!!

[snippy]

28. I agree. It is a mistake to give the government the power and authority

to determine what is or is not a valid church or religion. A government does not need that power. And power corrupts, as Bush and the GOP have proven repeatedly.

[goforit]

5. AWE!!!!.....Those poor scumbags will be exposed!!!

Organized religion sucks!!!

[realFedUp]

6. "The best known target of the IRS initiative is the NAACP."

and "The Rev. William Turner, senior pastor at
New Revelations Missionary Baptist Church in Pasadena
said he has never been questioned by the IRS about
political activity at the church, despite his reputation
as a supporter of President Bush."

(and they get faith-based funds)

[MissMillie]

7. Antiwar Sermon Brings IRS Warning

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-allsaints7nov07,0,6769876.story?coll=la-home-headlines
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.

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.



****************************************************************

How many right-leaning sermons come from church pulpits... where is the IRS when these Baptist ministers tell people to remember abortion and homosexuality when they cast their votes?

[bluedawg12]

8. Politics from the RW pulpit- the IRS needs to go after them. n/t

[goforit]

9. Nazi Bushites on the march!!!!!

[Toucano]

10. Jesus Christ!

What total BS!

Tens of fucking thousands of churches handed out pro-Bush propoganda on the Sunday before the election. "Voter Guides" they called them.

So the IRS ignores all of these clear violations and goes after a church for actually preaching it's creed?

Nice. Tell me again why USers aren't rioting in the streets?

[tmiley]

11. What comes around goes around, I guess

I must fault the democrats on this one, as I recall that, back in the '90s, several right wing churches faced the same type of stern warnings when they preached against liberalism, homosexuality, etc.

We gave Bill Clinton the green light to misuse the police power of government against right wingers, but then forgot that we, by default, also gave his successors the same power.

The IRS should never tell churches, conservative or liberal, what they can and can't say.

[Democat]

16. The Democrat party is to blame - we liberals!

:)

[kestrel91316]

19. No such thing as the "Democrat" Party, except in the

deluded minds of Freepers.

The proper name is the "Democratic" Party.

Betcha you already knew that, right?

[Democat]

20. Read the post I replied to

:)

[kestrel91316]

22. oops, lol

[kestrel91316]

18. And WHICH churches unjustly lost their tax-exempt status under Clinton?

Name(s) and location(s), please??

In what way did the RW suffer and go into decline under Clinton??

I'm waiting..........
Still waiting..............

That's what I thought. Welcome to DU. Enjoy your stay.

[kysrsoze]

21. Welcome to DU tmiley - not really. I've seen enough pro-Bush propaganda

Sorry, but your anti-Clinton crap doesn't work any better than the anti-Clinton crap spewed by literally hundreds of other "new users." You're not going to convince anyone to come over to the dark side and support your efforts to merge religion with government.

[tmiley]

23. Your response was mildly amusing

Simply because I criticize a democrat policy does not make me a republican.

Read what I said again. I simply pointed out that democrats gave the power to Clinton and all who follow him. It was an observation that political power can be dangerous.

As for merging religion and government, since I am agnostic, I would find it rather difficult to merge my (lack of) faith with government.

[kysrsoze]

24. Hmmm...mistake? I thought using of your first 10 posts to criticize a

so-called "democrat" policy was an indication that you might be a right-winger trolling on these boards.

Tell you what, if you answer Kestrel's question with verifiable facts, I'll take back everything I said and publicly apologize. Otherwise, I'll feel free to continue calling your post bullshit. I do think it's kind of strange that being an agnostic, you believe churches should be allowed to say whatever they want. I fully believe a church has a right to call out an unjust war. But when it comes to handing out voter guides supporting particular candidates and publicly threatening to ex-communicate politicians and church members who are pro-choice, they need their tax-exempt status revoked.

Still, it's not your opinion that bugged me - it was your assertion that no one here has heard and verified.

Again:

"Name(s) and location(s), please??

In what way did the RW suffer and go into decline under Clinton??

I'm waiting..........
Still waiting.............."

[snippy]

27. Like Bush himself, you and all other Bush followers have no honor or

integrity. This is proven beyond dispute by your disregard of the posting rules of this forum. Why can't you and others of your ilk be honest about anything?

[snippy]

25. Except for each statement you made, you are right. n/t

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Article on DU home page

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1906247

213 responses at this count.

[MissMillie]

14. Sorry... I looked for a thread on this

but didn't see it. I suppose I should have done a search.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. No problem. Similar things have happened to me in the past.

[Jed Dilligan]

13. Good start

Let's start yanking the tax-exempt status of ALL churches while we're at it, except those that are legitimately nonprofit (meaning they give away more than half their net worth yearly!)

[jseankil]

15. Yet CBN (Pat Robertson) is tax except???

Who in the IRS selects to go after who? This sounds very politically motivated.