Posted on 10/07/2004 10:30:50 AM PDT by rapture-me
WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- The head of a national Christian ministry group has sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service asking whether it is legal for churches to pray for the reelection of President George W. Bush during its services.
The Christian Defense Coalition, led by its director Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, asked the Virginia Beach-based American Center For Law And Justice to draft a letter to the IRS asking whether their upcoming two-week prayer tour across cities in the key battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio would be in violation of their 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.
The letter states that Mahoney wants to "offer prayer during the evening services in the churches he visits that God grants President Bush four more years as President and that Senator Kerry does not become President."
Mahoney believes it is vitally important that Christians support the Republican president because he has been a champion for their causes over the past four years.
"As Christians, we are praying that God grant President Bush four more years because of his support for the sanctity of human life, his strong commitment to the protection of traditional marriage and his stance on religious freedom and liberty in the public square," Mahoney noted.
Contending that Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry does not offer support for these issues important to Christians, Mahoney says he believes "the public policies of the President are more in line with historic Christianity than those of Senator Kerry."
Regarding the decision by the IRS, Mahoney said he is cautiously optimistic about what they will decide.
"It is our hope that the IRS will not crush religious freedom by attempting to censor and control how churches feel compelled to pray," Mahoney concluded.
Copyright © 2004 Talon News -- All rights reserved.
Please Mr Guvmemt guys, can we please please practice our religion.
I think it's a bad idea to ask for permission.
Is it okay for me to pray for the Dodger to win the World Series?
No they can't pray. It an obvioius violation of the first amendment, you know the one the says 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...'
I would hope so.
Therefore, Hillary's IRS will audit ANYONE praying or thinking about voting for President Bush.
On the other hand, Hillary's IRS has given the GREEN LIGHT to
SOROS, and anyone using any nonprofit entity for any DNC activity.
Democrats are also allowed to shoot into any Republican building
and to continue stealing any public or archival document, etc.
LOL, the guy has it right. The left can through wild bashes at inner city black churches in favor of leftista, but you ask yourself if this guy is going to get a thumbs up or down from the IRS, and I'll bet you can't be certain what the response will be.
They are asking permission because one of the radical groups for separation of church and state and making an issue about it.
"No, only Democrats are allowed to flout the law." - IRS
BUMP
How they gonna know whether you're praying or not?
MY God has no hotline to the IRS.
But democrats like Gore and the Clintons could actively campaign inside of churches and there wasn't a peep out of the IRS.
Time honored military tradition: "It's better to ask forgiveness than permission"
"You cannot serve God and Mammon."
--Jesus Christ
Well we know the law was wriiten by a bunch of attorneys so there must be a loophole. I think if you don't mention the President by name, you might get away with it (as far as tax exempt status being revoked)
Is THIS what the USA has come to? A Church asking the IRS if its ok to pray for George Bush? GOD HELP THIS COUNTRY!
Until the "church" gets rid of their 501(c)3 status, they will always have to worry about such things....
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