Posted on 05/28/2004 7:40:00 AM PDT by B Knotts
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- A watchdog group asked the IRS on Thursday to revoke the tax-exempt status of the Roman Catholic diocese in Colorado Springs over the bishop's threat to withhold communion from those who disagree with the church.
Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, said the church should lose its tax-exempt status because it used church resources for political purposes.
Bishop Michael Sheridan wrote in a Catholic newspaper this month that Catholics should not receive communion if they vote for politicians who disagree with the church by backing abortion rights and other topics.
"I believe that Bishop Sheridan, by issuing this document in a church publication in his official capacity as head of a religious organization, may have violated federal tax law and jeopardized the tax-exempt status of the Diocese of Colorado Springs," Lynn said in a letter to the IRS.
Sheridan went farther than other conservative bishops who have said Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, such as Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, should not receive communion.
A receptionist at diocese headquarters said spokeswoman Becca Grove was not available for comment.
IRS spokesman Don Roberts said the agency cannot comment on specific cases.
FYI PING...Barry Lynn threatening the Catholic Church.
This guy will not relent until every church is under the thumb of the Federal government.
If he is for the seperation of church and state, why does he use his title as Reverand.
That's funny. The Government ponders if it should tax good theology.
That works both ways ...
The church will not relent until all individuals are under the thumb of the Pope.
"Watchdog group asks IRS to investigate Catholic diocese in Colorado"
Notice how the AP characterizes anti-Christian groups as 'watchdogs', when they could as easily be called anti-Christian extremists, secular radicals, etc. It's all part of how the press manipulates the news, which is sometimes subtle, sometimes overt, to generate the 'correct' emotional response to the story. Watchdog has a positive connotation, while right-wing, radical, extremist is bad. They never report just the facts when spin can be used to promote the liberal agenda.
"The Government ponders if it should tax good theology."
"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -Justice John Marshal
I find it interesting that you single out the Pope in this. The Catholic Church isn't the only church in the U.S. you know...
Hey, if a Catholic-in-name-only politician does not want to have to follow the Catholic doctrine that someone must not be in a state of mortal sin (for some reason, the Catholic Church believes killing unborn children is a mortal sin) when receiving Communion as a Catholic, they are perfectly free to leave the Catholic Church and even free to become a Catholic-bashing bigot just like you.
Having the Government step in to force the Catholic Church to give Communion to individuals in a state of mortal sin is equivalent to having the Government step in to force the Baptists to ordain atheists as Baptist ministers.
The "very reverend" Barry Lynn (IMO) will definitely bypass purgatory and begin crisping.
What a bunch of horse manure. First of all, the Bishops statement is being skewed. He said the people in the pews should refrain from communion-which is quite a bit different that witholding communion. I also think this is basic Catholic teaching. As for the political thing, I can think of a church a block away from me who has engaged openly in politics. Took my kids to an egg hunt there and was first subjected to some lefty woman running for city council, who was introduced by the pastor.
imo it's really a stretch to go after the Springs diocese (the bishop was only pointing out Church teaching) when many Protestant churches openly engage in politics by inviting candidates to speak at their services. Sheesh.
Ya but the CHURCH is an easy target.
Can you imagine if they succeeded in revoking tax-exempt status for the church? I hope they are bluffing, but they are playing with fire, IMO. Backlash could be huge.
However, it's quite unlikely the IRS is going to try to pull the tax-exempt status here. That's a can of worms they don't want to open in an election year.
Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church
Is he that effeminate guy who claims to be a protestant minister at times?
I'd love to see the IRS try it. The backalsh would be deafening.
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