IRS: Churches can't pray for Bush victory

Wrld Net Daily ^ | 10-28-04 | Ron Strom

[hope]

This is a WorldNetDaily printer-friendly version of the article which follows.
To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41145

Thursday, October 28, 2004

---

---

TESTING THE FAITH
IRS: Churches can't pray for Bush victory
Ruling says tax-exempt groups prohibited from asking God to intervene

---

Posted: October 28, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Ron Strom

---

© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

In a letter of clarification requested by a traveling minister, the Internal Revenue Service has declared people gathered in tax-exempt churches can't pray for President Bush to win the election on Tuesday.

The ruling comes in response to a request by the Christian Defense Coalition, which is in the midst of a 15-day prayer tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania. The Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, director of the organization, had planned to lead in prayer for a Bush victory during evening services in each town. Though he had hoped to hold the services in churches, Mahoney says he has used American Legion halls, hotels and other venues pending a clarification from the IRS.

The American Center for Law and Justice wrote the letter to the IRS on behalf of the Mahoney's group, explaining that the pastor planned 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."

"This is rank censorship," Mahoney told WND. "If churches felt compelled to pray for Senator Kerry, they should be able to do that, too.

"Now we have the IRS not only limiting what can said behind a pulpit in terms of electioneering, but churches aren't even allowed to pray the dictates of their consciences."

Mahoney said he would consider legal action against the IRS, saying churches that had considered hosting the tour were unable to do so. He also said he considers his First Amendment rights to have been violated.

Reaction to the IRS ruling, Mahoney predicts, will include "massive anger" in the Christian community.

"Our organization, along with the American Center for Law and Justice, is going to make this a major issue," he said.

Mahoney considers the ruling a "much greater leap into censorship" than the prohibition on endorsing candidates from church pulpits.

"You hear people talk about the separation of church and state," he said. "This is a massive violation of the separation of church and state from the standpoint of the government intruding on the private dictates of churches."

Under IRS regulations, churches that are tax-exempt organizations cannot openly advocate for candidates for office and can only use a small percentage of their budgets on political activity.

As WorldNetDaily reported, an concerted effort is under way to get the IRS to crack down on churches that might push certain candidates or parties. In July, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, headed by Barry Lynn, filed a complaint with the IRS against Ronnie Floyd, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Springdale, Ark., accusing him of preaching a sermon promoting President Bush's re-election July 4.

Related stories:

Political snitches monitor sermons

Democrats back church IRS probe

---

If you'd like to sound off on this issue, please take part in the WorldNetDaily poll.

---

Ron Strom is a news editor for WorldNetDaily.com.

[.45MAN]

This needs to be sent to everyone................

[PjhCPA]

Hey IRS: Bring it on! To me, this is a morally legitimate reason to revolt.

[Moby Grape]

But, black churches can tell their folks not only to pray but VOTE for Kerry....

[Skooz]

Reason number 536,897,003,878 that the IRS should be eliminated.

[UsnDadof8]

Unbelievable. ALL churches should renounce their 501 status. Ceasar has not the right to affect our prayers !!

[pollywog]

Gee, what do we do with all those black churches that invited Kerry to speak from the pulpit? Is the IRS going to pull their tax exempt status too? I think we have a BIG problem with equal protection going on here.

I am beginning to lose faith in our laws of the land!! equal rights? Bah humbug!!!! Kerry, Clinton, Jesse Jackson can promote the Demo ticket OPENLY in the black churches, and Conservative Christians can't pray for the election????? We are looking at the beginning of a civil war here in our own land.

[pollywog]

Yo! IRS! Do NOT mess with my Father! You won't like the end result....

Right on Brad's Gramma!!! Your post made my day!! Our God REIGNS and with power!!!!!!I have read the back of the "BOOK" and WE WIN!!!!! Praise GOD!!!

[technochick99]

why its congregation would need a tax deduction for giving to the Lord...is beyond me.

I was unaware that anyone could get a tax deduction for church donations. I think there's a confusion between an organization being tax exempt and contributions to it being deductible. They are not one and the same.

[Aquamarine]

First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[The Mayor]

This week marks the fifth anniversary of one of the worst weeks in
> the history of Fort Worth, Texas. What happened that week was a
> demonstration of evil and good, of a mad killer at work and a kind
> community in mourning. The week also revealed something about the man who now sits in the White House.
>
> On September 15, 1999, a deranged man in a black trench coat entered a church in Ft. Worth, Texas, armed with bullets and a pipe bomb. He approached a group of worshippers in the foyer awaiting choir practice. He asked about a prayer meeting, and then began shooting. He headed to the sanctuary, which he sprayed with gunfire as he shouted obscenities. Seven were dead and many more injured. A teenage boy stopped the slaughter when he yelled out defiantly, "You can kill me, but you can't kill my faith!" Upon hearing those words, the assassin found a pew, sat down, and shot himself.
>
> The first person murdered that day was Sydney Browning, a seminary graduate and local educator who was selected Teacher of the Year at her high school two years in a row. She was hit in the head and chest at point-blank range and died instantly. Her father, Don, has
obviously never forgotten that day, nor the compassion from the
community he saw in the days that followed. "I never saw anything
grip the city like that," he says today.
>
> The morning after the massacre an impromptu prayer session was held at the pastor's house. The church was now a crime scene, filled with police, coroners, chalked lines, bullet-ridden oak walls, and
blood-soaked carpets. A surprise attendee at that prayer session was
Texas Governor George W. Bush, who made the 186-mile trip from
Austin. He arrived unannounced and left almost as quietly. A church of God had been converted into a Texas killing field, and the governor came to offer his personal prayers.
>
> So overwhelming was the outpouring of grief that the shocked
community was forced to hold the memorial service at the football
stadium at Texas Christian University. Sydney Browning's father was
asked to speak at the service. When he arrived backstage before the
event, he unexpectedly encountered the Texas governor. The two men shook hands. "Are you coming into this a believer?" Bush asked.
Browning nodded. "God bless you," said Bush. "I'm praying for you."
The service organizers then asked their unanticipated guest if he
would like to sit at the platform with the other VIPs. The governor
replied, "No, this isn't about me," and sat in the stands among the
thousands.
>
Browning spoke last. The choir director had long ago connected with
his little girl through music, and he thought it fitting to finish
his remarks by extemporaneously singing the first song his daughter had sung in public. "This little light of mine, I'm gonna' let it shine,"
he began, asking the audience to join him. Browning paused to note
that the last verse of the song reads: "Let it shine 'til Jesus
comes." He told the crowd that his daughter no longer needs to sing
that last line, but the rest of them do. The tribute closed with
that.

> When the service ended, the governor approached Browning once more. "That was great," said Bush, clasping Browning's hand. "I couldn't have done it."
>
> George W. Bush then exited as he came: low-key, with no cameras. He had said nothing profound or poetic. One can understand why his
appearance went unreported. His response was memorable only for its
lack of showiness. In both visits after the shooting, Bush avoided
the press, told no one he was coming, stayed, prayed, paid his respects, talked briefly to the families, and then silently drove away.
>
> My home sits 1,300 miles from Ft. Worth. I learned of this story
while researching George W. Bush's faith. Someone recommended I look into this terrible incident. That someone suggested I telephone his
friend, Don Browning. One day in April 2004 I did just that, and
spent an hour on the telephone with Mr. Browning, who recounted to me (a stranger) the awful details of the Texas church shooting that took
the life of his beloved daughter, Sydney. I'm sure my call ruined his
day. Still, through that tragedy, Don Browning saw a side of the current president that the rest of us have not, and felt that side needed to be told.

[Salvation]

**Gee, what do we do with all those black churches that invited Kerry to speak from the pulpit?**

They should be the FIRST to lose their tax-exempt status.

Oh -- I remember -- this will only apply too churches that support Republicans. </sarcasm

[The Mayor]

We do, and nobody is going to change that!

[pointsal]

...

..Another reason for a national sales tax.....dump the IRS!

[hope]

Thank you, dear Freeper person!

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

AMEN!

Churches have got to quit bowing down at the idol of tax exemption -- it's a tool to muzzle truth!

[dansangel]

Thank you for that reminder (((((Aqua))))))

[BriarBey]

Nothing new....been saying for years when churches get their tax exempt status, the whore has sold herself to the beast. End of story and foretold.

[dansangel]

(((((Rus)))))) - I am consumed with both grief and pride by that story. Grief for Mr. Browning in his terrible loss and pride in our President for his selfless acts of faith and compassion.

[Inyo-Mono]

Yes. I recall Gore giving rousing speeches in a wavering, preacher-like cadence in black churchs in 2000.

[justshe]

Like they could STOP what people pray for? I don't think so.