Memphis Blues: Church’s Intervention In Politics Should Spark IRS Action

[cleanhippie]

The city of Memphis, Tenn., is in the middle of a municipal election, and a large Baptist church has decided to let everyone know who the true “pro-family” candidates are. Isn’t that special?

Actually, it’s illegal.

The leadership of Bellevue Baptist in Cordova. Tenn., may think they’re being clever. The church doesn’t come right out and post its favored candidates on its website. Instead, the church links to another website that lists three candidates deemed worthy of support.

If the church thinks this one-step-removed partisan political stunt is going to save them, they’re wrong. They are still in violation of the law.

Church officials are angry because a political action committee run by the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) hopes to replace some anti-gay council members with candidates who are friendlier to the cause of gay rights. This is not surprising. It’s what PACs do.

Another PAC could come along and promote the anti-gay slate – but a church cannot. Nevertheless, that’s just what Bellevue Baptist is doing.

http://blog.au.org/2011/09/23/memphis-blues-church%E2%80%99s-intervention-in-politics-should-spark-irs-action/?utm_source=au-homepage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Recently-on-homepage

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And here we go again, and again, and again....

[rrneck]

1. One of these is Bellevue Baptist;

The truckers used to call it fort God.

[Rob H.]

5. It's the one on the upper right

with all the parking lots. I live less than a couple of miles away from them.

[rrneck]

6. Yep

My mom lives in a gated community owned by them. I just love the three giant Pentacostal crosses out front.

But all four - Hundred Oaks Mall, Titans Stadium, and Patrick Henry college - are all places of worship.

[rug]

2. This should be cracked down on hard.

[NMMNG]

3. Some things never change

:banghead:

[indepat]

4. Were Bellevue Baptist to lose its IRS tax exempt status for overt partisan political

activities: sweet, Jesus, how sweet the thought of a church having a price to pay for the privilege of spreading either RW partisan political gospel or LW partisan political gospel. :patriot:

[edhopper]

7. Nothing will be done

The Obama DOJ nor the IRS would not touch this with a ten foot pole. We are long passed when there is actually accountability for illegal acts. Especially by powerful organizations. It's only weak liberal groups like Acorn that get hit.

[cleanhippie]

8. Kick