Posted on 11/07/2005 7:16:15 AM PST by ZGuy
One of the state's largest and most liberal churches could lose its tax-exempt status because of an anti-war sermon that a former rector delivered two days before the 2004 presidential election, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
In his sermon, the Rev. George F. Regas did not urge parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church to support either George Bush or his opponent, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. But he was sharply critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts.
The IRS in a June 9 letter warned the church that its tax-exempt status was in jeopardy because the federal tax code prohibits such organizations from intervening in political campaigns and elections. The church's current rector, J. Edwin Bacon, told his congregation about the problem on Sunday.
"It's important for everyone to understand that the IRS concerns are not supported by the facts," he told the congregation.
An IRS spokesman did not immediately return a telephone message left at the agency's Washington, D.C. office Monday morning.
The IRS has revoked a church's charitable designation at least once. A church in Binghamton, N.Y., lost its status after running advertisements against Bill Clinton's candidacy shortly before the 1992 presidential election.
Some All Saints members and officials said they feared the politically active, 3,500-member church was being singled out. Churches across California on Sunday took stands on both sides of Proposition 73, which would bar abortions for minors unless parents are notified.
"The question is, is it politically motivated?" said Joe Mirando, an engineer from Burbank. "That's the underlying feeling of everyone here."
Marcus Owens, the church's tax attorney and a former head of the IRS tax-exempt section, said he doubt's that's the case.
"I think it is more a case of senior management at IRS not paying attention to what the rules are," he said.
Owens wrote in an October letter to the IRS that "it seems ludicrous to suggest that a pastor cannot preach about the value of promoting peace simply because the nation happens to be at war during an election season."
He said the IRS recently offered to drop the proceedings if the church admitted wrongdoing. The church declined the offer, he said.
At least do this through a more expressly political organization.
No, the question is, was the sermon politically motivated?
I have divested my giving from the Episcopal Church.
Democrat 'Baptist' churches seem to get a perpetual pass on conduct far more blatant. Issue advocacy has traditionally been safe.
Although different than the church in 2004 who campaigned against Clinton and lost thier status, this church is campaigning against the war. I am a strong supporter of this war and NOT any fan of Clinton or the left, but I do think that if this article 'has all the facts' then the IRS is in error.
The pulpit should not be infringed on for matters of faith or morals, and abortion, war, marriage, sex, etc are definitely in that category.
I guess it gets down to exactly what the reverend or pastor actually said though.
If your church has stopped doing what's right, maybe it's time for you to see if you can find one that hasn't.
Well, as much as I support the war in Iraq, and the WOT in general, not to mention Bush's tax cuts, I'd say this is close to being persecution by the IRS.
It all hinges on whether the rector mentioned either Bush or Kerry by name. If not, then this is persecution, because even 501(c) churches are allowed to speak out against social issues from the pulpit. They're just not allowed to endorse (or oppose) a specific candidate for office.
It's quite possible the rector could simply have railed against the Iraq war as a latest example of how ALL wars are bad, and also said that tax cuts, at this time in our economy aren't good for our nation in his opinion. If that's all he said, then the IRS is out of bounds.
You know why episcopalians can't play chess?
Ditto that. While, politically, I might dance with glee over this ox getting Algored, I nonetheless cringe that a single sermon is considered sufficient to yank 401 c (3) credentials. I would think that a blatant pattern, including such things as fundraising, guest political speakers, etc., would have to be alleged and proven. Good grief -- preachers have to preach their conscience; and once in a while, that has to spill over into political observations. Even though I disagree with this particular liberal.
They can't play chess b/c it's hard for them to tell a bishop from a queen?
Do you know what you get when you cross an Episcopalian with a Jehovah's Witness? (no offense, please, anyone -- just a joke)
ping!
We have a winner!!!!
"Wake up, America. We need to be rid of the tyranny of government control of religion stemming from LBJ's abysmal IRS code."
Damn right! We have let the IRS outlaw the First Amendment.
And just cause it's happening to preachers that we hate, doesn't make it right.
Remember, another Reno justice department is just another election away.
This is unconscionable. The IRS can go to hell. Personally I'd like to hear that sermon from a few of America's pulpits.
Ok, I give....why?
Someone who knocks on people's doors for no reason at all.
There have been big FR threads, many times, on church speech and taxation. Search them up for all the viewpoints.
Churches that chose the 501/Caesar path must now obey the speech limitations they (ignorantly) bought into. Churches that understood their basic constitutional protection and ignored 501/Caesar are free to speak, as they always were, without penalty.
The MSM makes big noise about conservative churches talking politics, but the real political screech occurs in the liberal churches. And the gay-ordaining ECUSA is definitely one of the latter.
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