Antiwar Sermon Brings IRS Warning

[FreedomAngel82]

So when are they going after those churches getting involved in politics as well on the right? Anyone?

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

<# 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, Times Staff Writers

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.

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.">

More at the link...

[NanceGreggs]

1. If the IRS wants to go after churches and religious ...

... organizations that promote politcal agendas, they should forget the small potatoes and go after the BIG ONES!

If this is the criteria the IRS is using, they should go after organizations headed by Falwell, et al, make the suspension of tax-exempt status retroactive, and demand the taxes due and owing. They could single-handedly wipe out the deficit with the unpaid taxes they'd collect from Falwell alone.

[PowerToThePeople]

2. So, IRS goes after Churches preaching peace. but not those..

edited- for dyslexia

preaching RW talking points?

Bushit on that one....

[DearAbby]

3. This is so sad...Pat Robertson of the 700 club can call for the

assassination of leader of another country. Nothing is done about that.

Using the Department of Revenue, IRS as a retaliatory force to silence dissent.

[Erika]

4. Under W, we've become a corporate/theocratic/fascist state

With the radical fundamentalists calling the shots. W's pre-emptive strike policy is opposite from Christ's Golden Rule.

If this church forms a legal fund, I'll definitely contribute to it.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. Yep

Ugh. It's so ridiculous. They should get all those churches. So what about churches that pass out literature about abortion and lies about canidates such as Kerry banning the Bible? Oh brother. There's a Christian church down the road that has on their sign "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God" and once this Baptist church across the street a while back had "God want whats right not left" but that one went away very quickly and than they had something else up.

[DearAbby]

7. May be something to look into

Using the IRS to silence dissent, inhibit free speech is wrong. That is the reason for separation of church and state as well. Possible that the ACLU can get involved with this case?

[tlsmith1963]

6. I Read That Article Today

It's only fair if they go after the right-wingers too, like Pat Robertson. Someone *really* should get the IRS after him. Robertson is so obviously political.

Tammy

[journalist3072]

8. FYI....

I mentioned this in a thread I started earlier this evening:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5293614&mesg_id=5293614

The Rector of the church was on As It Happens on Radio Canada International tonight.