Posted on 07/26/2004 1:31:06 PM PDT by Mr.Atos
Edited on 07/26/2004 3:23:15 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Interesting! Churches cannot represent an political ideology, but Unions can.
Atos
I've often thought it was time to dump the tax-exempt status for churches. It seems to make them so vunerable to crap like this, and muzzled churches are the LAST thing we need just now.
I suspect they will not be monitoring any leftist churches.
Some people need to get a life and quit letting themselves be used by others.
July 26, 2004
Jeremy Reynalds
P O Box 27693
Alb., NM 87125-7693
Tel: (505) 400-7145
www.joyjunction.org
Volunteers "Monitoring" Church Services: Ashcroft asked to Investigate
Washington, DC - The head of the Christian Seniors Association (CSA) has asked U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to investigate reported harassment of churches in Kansas and Missouri.
CSA Executive Director James Lafferty said "The Mainstream Coalition" has more than 100 volunteer members who are "monitoring" sermons at targeted churches.
Lafferty, who said he initially learned about the situation through an Associated Press article, has delivered letters to U.S. Attorney General Ashcroft and to the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division asking that federal agents be dispatched to Kansas and Missouri to observe the coalition's activities against churches there.
"Churches in those states are being strong-armed and pushed around because of their beliefs," said Lafferty in a press release. "We want those religious citizens to get the protection they are promised in the Constitution. It is time somebody pushed back at the liberal bullies. This is harassment, pure and simple. Churches in Kansas and Missouri which oppose homosexual marriage go to the top of the coalition's target list for some ‘monitoring.'"
In a recent interview Lafferty said, "We are hoping that (the Justice Department) will take a look at what it going on in Kansas and Missouri and take whatever steps are necessary to protect the religious liberties of people in this state. (This activity) sounds sort of Nazi ish. It is very unAmerican and particularly from people who claim to be defenders of liberty and choice. They are really trying to intimidate religious people."
Lafferty charged the Mainstream Coalition with having a "very definite political leaning. They point with pride to their board being active in ACLU and left of center groups. They are very liberal and anti religious and come at it from a very definite point of view, and we believe they are not the sort of objective good government people they pretend they are."
However, the executive director of the Mainstream Coalition had a different perspective. Caroline McKnight said she saw developing in her community something of great concern to her. "An escalation on the part of the religious community to get into (politics) in a way they never had before."
So in an apparent attempt to make sure churches tow the legal political line, the Mainstream Coalition obtained addresses for every church in the community – about 400. According to McKnight the group had done this before but on a smaller scale.
McKnight said in a letter to churches the group wrote, "We are well aware we are coming into difficult (political) times and we encourage your participation in the democratic process. Have candidate forums and do voter registration drives. However, other things may be more questionable and we urge caution. Because we have become concerned over this we will be randomly sending our members to worship in your church."
According to McKnight the Coalition asked for volunteers willing to worship in a church other than their own. This was with the idea of reporting back to the Coalition about any activities they felt were crossing the lines–such as actual endorsement of candidates – an activity prohibited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
"It was a happy kind of thing on our part," McKnight said. "We have not found anything that was remotely objectionable because we educated the people on what to look for. A clergy person can say almost anything except vote for or vote against (a particular candidate). A lot of people are unaware about how broad the parameters are for clergy. A candidate can (even) appear as long as the other one is given the opportunity."
McKnight said the potentially negative fallout of what her group did occurred to her but only "in some degree."
First Family Church of Overland Park Kansas City Pastor Dr. Jerry Johnston was not at all happy about the monitoring activities of the Mainstream Coalition. He said McKnight's apparent lack of concern about the ramifications of her group's activities was very revealing.
Jerry Johnston
"It shows you how out of step and out of touch the Coalition is," Johnston said, "with issues that mean a great deal to people of faith and the majority of Americans. When you start redefining marriage ... you're out of touch."
Johnston said that McKnight's passion over this issue is fueled at least in part by a fear that the influence of the Mainstream Coalition is fading. "The growing churches in Johnson County are evangelical and Bible believing," Johnson said. "Everyone associated with the Mainstream Coalition is on the left side of the political spectrum. There is nothing mainstream about the Mainstream Coalition. They need to be censored. (This activity) was so Orwellian and Nazi esque."
McKnight's zeal also springs from a concern," Johnston said, "about the 40 TV stations we're on and our 3,000 members and our reputation in the community. They were concerned about the effect."
He added, "What (McKnight) did was further energize us to do a thorough job. (We have seen) how ridiculous her rhetoric is."
McKnight defended her actions saying, " Rev. Johnston is an uncommon man of God ... Whatever we did was not a huge deal in conjunction to what Johnston did."
McKnight explained what she felt Johnston had done. It would have been one thing, she said, to have one, two, ten or even 20 clergy who wanted to influence politics – but to have so many all led by one person was something quite different. That person, she said, was Johnson.
McKnight explained that when the Kansas legislature defeated a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, Johnston began distributing a voters guide containing background information on incumbent state legislators from the area.
According to McKnight state legislators did not see the need for such an amendment. She said, "Same sex marriage is not allowed in the state so why do we need an amendment?"
Johnston said, "Everybody knows that is false (and) all it takes is one judge to strike that down (and allow same sex marriage). They hide behind that party line excuse and it doesn't stand up. Ultimately we need a federal marriage amendment."
Johnston's guide makes it clear that his church is not endorsing candidates – rather just providing information about their voting record on issues of importance to conservatives and evangelical believers – something permissible under the IRS guidelines for churches.
However, that notwithstanding, Johnson raised the ire of the radical civil libertarian group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (AU). Quoting from the Kansas City Star, AU commented (www.ffc.org/PressPage/Articles/TheWallofSeperation06-30-04.htm) about Johnson's voters guide, "The Rev. Jerry Johnston of Oakland Park, Kan., recently organized a group of local clergy to argue that churches must get more involved in politics. Upset about the Kansas legislature's defeat of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, Johnston began distributing a pamphlet containing background information on incumbent state legislators from the area. If (legislators) had supported the amendment against gay marriage, the word YES appeared by their picture. If they voted against it, the word NO appeared."
McKnight said that Johnston's current version of the voters guide has been modified and she is appreciative, but "the original version was questionable."
However, Johnson said nothing about the document is different. "It has been amended in that it now includes the Missouri representatives but no verbiage has been doctored or sanitized. And after the defeat of the federal marriage amendment we added the voting record of the U.S. Senate on (that issue)."
Additional information is available about The Mainstream Coalition at www.mainstreamcoalition.com and Johnston's First Family Church at www.ffc.org
I'm not even sure the law says churches aren't allowed to discuss anything political. This needs to be challenged though. Let them cry to the IRS. What's the worse that can happen? The IRS sides with them? God will provide. I believe this needs to be taken to their "churches" too. Somehow I really don't think they want to open this can.
Notice how the "Mainstream" organization is not equally worried about liberal "churches." They are just trying to intimidate people. Hopefully they will hear the truth and the truth will set them free.
With the tax code so screwed up that's probably not a good idea. Many churches would fold if their tax-exempt status was eliminated.
Democrats back church IRS probe (separation of church and state')
Churches learn IRS do's, don'ts (The Truth Liberals Want Concealed)
I really like Jerry Johnston.
Nuff said.
Man did you nail that one. These people are nothing but water carriers for the leftist cause. The only reason this is an issue is because it's an intense election year. Non-profit/non-partisan my ass. Teresa or somebody from the DNC is probably paying them under the table.
What's the Unitarian Universalists?
Will they take on black congregations that have Democrat candidates (not always black) speak from the podium on Sunday before the election?
Will they take on Radio Pacifica, NPR, and other "non-partisan" 501c3?
Lying antiConservative/antiChristian hypocrites.
I don't care for politics from the pulpit but I have received hate mail on FR from libs who thought it was a "dirty trick" to send an IRS auditor on leftist 501c3 that violate their tax status. When they feel angry about this issue on whole (like I do) rather than just on partisan/religious sides, I will give a care.
This 'chills' and subdues the ability to discuss the subject of values openly. Churches are focal points for community action of all sorts. It is another strategy for attacking an active body with moral conviction. The Left is willing to destroy those parts of society with which they do not agree. Note, they have no conflict with Unions espousing and supporting political messages and candidates. They may be working within the law, but what they are doing is so very wrong and should show EVERYONE what a Liberal America would look like... just like a Soviet Union.
Unless you are a minority church that supports the leftie democratic agenga that is.
Our congregations are self-governing. Authority and responsibility are vested in the membership of the congregation. Each Unitarian Universalist congregation is involved in many kinds of programs. Worship is held regularly, the insights of the past and the present are shared with those who will create the future, service to the community is undertaken, and friendships are made. A visitor to a UU congregation will very likely find events and activities such as church school, day-care centers, lectures and forums, support groups, poetry festivals, family events, adult education classes and study groups.
(Excerpts from "We Are Unitarian Universalists", pamphlet #3047)
Better do away with tax free charities altogether then. Look at how many of them are polticial activist groups in disguise.
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