Complaint filed with IRS after Tampa televangelist compares Romney to Satan

Sun-Sentinal ^ | 6/1/07 | Alan Cooperman

[kiriath_jearim]

Florida evangelist Bill Keller says he was making a spiritual -- not political -- statement when he warned the 2.4 million subscribers to his Internet prayer ministry that ``if you vote for Mitt Romney, you are voting for Satan!''

But the Washington-based advocacy group Americans United for Separation of Church and State says the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) should revoke the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status of Bill Keller Ministries, nonetheless.

[muawiyah]

Big Three ~ Satan, AntiChrist, The Beast ~ Romney can't be all three! Rudy probably thinks one of his ex-wives was one, but who can possibly know.

Closest anyone can tell, Fur Shur, is the Hildabeast definitely has one of those spots tied down for eternity.

[colorcountry]

I guess this guy is in trouble then.

Listen to his latest “3-Minute Warning” response to Hugh Hewitt’s and Michael Medved’s latest defense of Mitt Romney for President here. http://apologeticsonline.net/Body.htm

[EternalVigilance]

Oh, come on!

Romney isn't satan!

He just works for him...

In any case, this preacher can say anything he likes.

[EternalVigilance]

According to the left, it is a “violation of the separation of church and state” if a preacher says the wrong political thing, but it is not a violation for the government to censor the preacher.

I noticed that Mitt reiterated his belief in the "separation of church and state" in the last debate.

[WashingtonSource]

Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Another Commie front. This is headed by the extreme leftist, the “Rev’d” Barry W. Lynn.

[mtnjimmi]

shouldn't it be

Hitlery/Satan 08!

Hitlery aka Hillary Clinton

[gcruse]

``if you vote for Mitt Romney, you are voting for Satan!’’

That’s not a political statement? Bwahahahahhhh!

[gcruse]

“Another Left-wing Socialist group “

I am for church-state separation and the First Amendment. I am neither left-wing nor a socialist.

[EternalVigilance]

I doubt you’ll find any supporters of a state-established religion here.

But, that is not what “the separation of church and state” means in the modern context.

It means that God, and anyone who serves Him, must be driven from the public square, and that any mention of His Name or His precepts must be mercilessly squelched.

Which, of course, is the opposite of what was intended by the First Amendment. Right?

[prefersthetruth]

You do not seem to get it. They contacted the IRS because you can not use your church to pass on political information and still not have to pay property taxes. You can say anything you want at your church or on your site. You just can not do it and get the same rights as those who only preach religion. NO first amendment rights stopped here. You just have to put your money where your mouth is.

[prefersthetruth]

True. I believe that a preacher can have any political view he or she wants. They just can’t use their pulpit to reinforce their views if they want to continue not paying taxes. If they were allowed to do that, every left wing group would form their own “church” to aviod taxes. They would pray for more taxes, bigger government, and socialism. I’m sure Hillery would be founder and head.

[EndWelfareToday]

Question: Is Americans United for Separation of Church and State a taxpaying organization?

Americans United is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and donations beyond the $18.00 value of a subscription to Church & State magazine and/or the $16.00 value of an optional premium book are deductible to the full extent of the law.
SOURCE - bottom of page

Emphasis mine. -- Don't you just love hypocrites?

[EternalVigilance]

You signed up today to share this “wisdom” with us?

[gcruse]

And why is it necessary to enshrine god like a trophy in the public square? Isn’t there an admonition about preaching out of doors? Using the taxes of nonbelievers to further the majority religion sounds almost Islamic.

[EndWelfareToday]

Using the taxes of nonbelievers to further the majority religion sounds almost Islamic.

Your taxes are being used to further my religion? How so?

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Emphasis mine. -- Don't you just love hypocrites?

My point exactly. If you are going to mention church with state or visa versa, then they should be taxed to the hilt!...or shut up.

[gcruse]

Ah, that should be praying out of doors, not preaching.

Anyway, those who would permeate the government with their religious symbolism are indeed using taxpayer money to further their cause. Those ten commandment monuments don’t create themselves.

[EndWelfareToday]

You just can not do it and get the same rights as those who only preach religion.

??? Where the hell did you come up with this crap? I want to know where in the Constitution it says that I must give up one right in order to exorcise another. Can you provide your sources please?

[EternalVigilance]

And why is it necessary to enshrine god like a trophy in the public square?

The acknowledgment of the Creator, and reliance upon His providence, is the very basis of this republic. Feel free to click on my homepage, where you'll find that demonstrated by the preambles to the constitutions of all 50 states, and by the Declaration of Independence.

Isn’t there an admonition about preaching out of doors?

Uhmmm... no idea what you're talking about. Christians are admonished to let their light shine before men, and not to hide it under a bushel.

Using the taxes of nonbelievers to further the majority religion sounds almost Islamic.

That's crazy. Your taxes aren't paying for anybody's church. To claim this is so, because someone has "tax-exempt" status, is a very statist notion.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

One more point, it isn't that the Americans United for Separation of Church and State objected to what was said by Bill Keller, it’s that they are upset that their true leader, Satan, was mentioned.