Church must appear before IRS (for anti-war sermon)

[tuvor]

PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- The rector of an Episcopal church in Pasadena, Calif., says he has received a summons to appear before an IRS officer.

All Saints Church came under scrutiny because of an anti-war sermon preached in 2004 by a former rector who had come back as a guest.

In a press release, the church said the IRS has asked for detailed information on how guest preachers are selected and what guidelines are given to them, the Pasadena Star reported.

"We were quite surprised to receive this latest notice from the IRS after nearly a year without any communication from them," Bacon said. "Despite the drain on our finances and the time we will spend defending this attack on the freedoms of religion and speech, All Saints Church will continue without interruption or fear what has distinguished its mission for 125 years."

http://kevxml2a.infospace.com/_1_2VLVTN204K31DTB__info.avant/kevxml?kcfg=upi-article&sin=2006091701120303584&otmpl=apnws/story.htm&passdate=09%2F17%2F2006+%26nbsp%3B+01%3A12%3A03+EST&qcat=news&top=1§ion=

[BrightBlueDot]

1. This is such bullshit!

I grew up in the Bible belt, and we had "Vote for (Republican) Candidate X or else you are IN SIN!!!" sermons EVERY election year. Now an anti-war sermon in a church about Jesus, who said BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, is a problem?? :grr:

[tuvor]

4. Welcome to DU, BrightBlueDot!

:hi:

[BrightBlueDot]

5. Thank you!

:hi:

[kestrel91316]

19. Supporting peace is a crime, didn't you know?

[BrightBlueDot]

21. Right.

Peace is Terra!

Sometimes I think about what my country has become, and I just want to :argh:

[Phredicles]

2. I'm still waiting to hear how many conservative churches are being

investigated by the IRS for their actions leading up to the '04 election.

I can't shake the suspicion that the number isn't very high, though. :grr:

[kestrel91316]

20. I think we all know it's ZERO.

[Frosty1]

22. Like this one?

http://open-letter-for-pastor-hagee.org/

THE SITUATION

"Pastor Hagee is taking too much money from the donors of his ministries for personal gain. The average compensation for a Christian media minister is under $150K per year. According to the latest GuideStar.org tax return (2003 return, filed on 11/15/04), Pastor Hagee was paid $371,000 as Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio Texas (pg. 19), and $949,000 as President of Global Evangelism Television (G.E.T.) (pg. 4). This is over $1 million from donors who intended the money to go into building God's kingdom. Please note that Pastor Hagee specifies that he works, on average, 16 hrs per week at G.E.T., which works out to over $1,000 per hour. IRS regulations state that nonprofits must not be operating for the purpose of personal gain; nonprofits are supposed to be working for the public good, and are a "public trust."

In addition, the Board of Directors for G.E.T. is family controlled (3 of 4 members are family members: Pastor Hagee, his wife, and son). ECFA standards (http://ecfa.org), for example, require a minimum of five members, three of which must be independent (not family). Pastor Hagee is not a member of ECFA, or any other financial accountability group. ECFA was simply formed because of the money scandals by religious operations; being a member of ECFA is a way to demonstrate good Christian stewardship. Many of ECFA's standards may be too low, but at least it is a start!

Many have tried to bring this problem to Pastor Hagee's attention; his response is to ignore it. History has proven that most Christians either don't care or won't do anything. Are you that kind of Christian? If not, please help by signing this petition!

Are you curious what the other major media ministers make? It is public information (unless they are organized as a "church," such as Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, etc.). Click here to download an Excel Spreadsheet with all the info (includes names such as TBN, CBN, Focus on the Family, EWTN, etc.)."

[spanone]

3. Welcome to the Gulag of Murika.

[Retired AF Dem]

6. If you don't want to pay the taxes

best follow the rules. Nothing new.

To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.


http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=96099,00.html

[tuvor]

9. How does an anti-war sermon break the rules you posted?

[ClintonTyree]

12. So, by that reasoning.........

every fundamentalist church in the country should have their doors chained by now. Right? ;)

[Retired AF Dem]

14. Who said anything about chaining doors?

churches job is to save souls, want to get into politics than pay taxes.

[tuvor]

18. Again, you posted some rules. How were they broken by this church?

[ClintonTyree]

26. That's the first thing the IRS does when closing a business.....

for tax evasion. They chain the doors shut. It appears as if this "church" is doing exactly that: evading taxes. Hence the "chaining the doors" statement. Believe me, I know how the IRS works.

[flyarm]

15. SO WHERE DOES PAT ROBERTSON AND JERRY FALWELL FALL INTO

THIS PART OF THAT TAX EXEMPTION??

In addition, it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

or how about Ralph Reed?? and his involvement with Abramoff in lobbying our congress to change laws to suit himself monetarily, and with power..over our congress and this presidency??..


ACTUALLY calling for the murder of an duly elected democratically elected foreign president..should really fall into terrorism...so where do these mother fuckers fall into that??

where is the IRS checking into Reed , Falwell, and Robertson?? or how about Scientology ..or the mormons that tell their people vote rethug...


WHATEVER YOU DO FOLKS..DO NOT STAND UP AGAINST THE murderous POLICIES OF THE B* JUNTA..OR YOU WILL FEEL THE WRATH OF B*HES POLICE STATE...

fly

[Freedom_from_Chains]

17. Well those are activities for Republican policies and

as everyone knows Republicans are on the right side of God so the rules don't apply to them. Just those evil minion of Satan Democrats.

:sarcasm:
(for the sarcasm impaired)

[bluestateguy]

7. Did the church tell people to vote for Kerry, or vote against Bush?

Anti-war sermons are just as permissible as long rants against gay marriage in a church. Calls to action on behalf of a candidate or a party cross the line. Even if the church did this, I would only support investigating them if this policy was applied consistently across the political spectrum.

[MannyGoldstein]

8. How Odd...

Here in Boston, the Catholic church has been urging Catholic policians and lawyers to work against candidates who are pro choice and so forth. I'm so surprised that the IRS isn't going after the Catholic church...

[kaygore]

10. When are they going after all the RW churches?????

[rocktivity]

11. As long as he specifically did not endorse a party or candidate

what's the beef?

:headbang:
rocknation

[flyarm]

16. the beef is ..no one dare go preaching against the * cabal of

murderers!!

remember we are the new reich ...the * cabal will not tolerate anyone educating people about their police state..

heil...

fly:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[gully]

13. What about "prowar" sermons? Do those churches have to appear?

Unfingbelievable.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

23. This is a BIG story, I hope it gets recommended!!

Democrats should be all over this!!

Democrats HAVE to get the word out to every member of a religious organization that our Republican government punishes religious organizations that dare to preach against Bush's agenda.


Maybe those DUers who attend religious functions could place a sign on their car as it's parked near your house of worship that reads. ....Republicans want to tax (churches/temples or____) that dare to preach against the Republican agenda. ...I'm sure someone could think of a better sign. :)

[Frosty1]

24. Pastor Strangelove

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=11541

Pastor Strangelove

"Hagee, who serves as head pastor of the 18,000-member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, hosts his own television program that is seen twice a day on TBN. He argues that the United States must join Israel in a pre-emptive military strike against Iran to fulfill God’s plan for both Israel and the West. Shortly after the release of his book last January, he launched Christians United for Israel (CUFI), a lobbying organization intended, he says, to be a Christian version of the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee. With CUFI, which Hagee has said will cause a “political earthquake,” the televangelist aims to put the political organizing muscle of the conservative evangelical movement behind his grand plan for a biblically prophesied end-time confrontation with Iran, which will lead to the Rapture, Tribulation, and Second Coming of Christ.

While Washington insiders wonder and worry whether President Bush really is bent on a military strike against Iran, Hagee already has spent months mobilizing the shock troops in support of another war. As diplomats, experts, and pundits debate how many years Iran will need to develop a viable nuclear weapon, Hagee says the mullahs already possess the means to destroy Israel and America. And although Bush insists that diplomatic options are still on the table, Hagee has dismissed pussyfooting diplomacy and primed his followers for a conflagration.

Indeed, Hagee wields “a very large microphone"

[Lydia Leftcoast]

32. Hi, Avabea, and welcome to DU!

Check out the Minnesota forum, if you haven't already.

And who can forget the way Republican candidates regularly speak at the suburban fundamentalist churches in the Twin Cities area?

[LongwoodGeek]

25. What I want to know is, where can I go

to report a church to the IRS for infractions of this nature? I've got at least one in mind that the pastor had his members sign letters/forms that were sent to the government (in each individual's name of course) to protest voting on a pro-marriage amendment in VA and in the U.S. and to sway certain voting members in the government who hadn't decided yet how to vote.

I think that violates this rules personally and this isn't the only time they've done a sermon or "suggestion" like this.

Thanks for any info!

[newyawker99]

27. Hi LongwoodGeek!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[satya]

31. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

You can report it to Americans United for Separation of Church and State ( www.au.org ).

If you send it to [e-mail] they will investigate and make a complaint if necessary.

[LongwoodGeek]

37. That is wonderful! I have one that

is local to me here in VA that has a sign posted right in front that says "Vote Yes to Marriage" and I believe that would count towards violating the law no?

I live near Lynchburg, VA so I have Falwell as my neighbor since Liberty U. is literally 20 minutes away from me. It is quite unfair that he and Robertson and all of the other pseudo-Christian assholes aren't prosecuted under this. I do not consider them to be actual Christians as I am an actual Christian and they do NOT represent the true Christian ideal as Christ set down (and with all of the debate over the Bible its hard to determine exactly what Christ set down but you can definitely get the sentiments and at least one or two proper rules God/Jesus wanted: Love thy neighbor and Love God.).

Thanks for the link and email address though! :-D I'll be sending a message to them shortly!

[Lars39]

28. If this church is deemed in violation, then the 'Justice Sunday' church

should be also.

[lisainmilo]

29. Nazi control of the churches n/t

[indepat]

30. Just another example of how perverted the politicization of the entire

Federal apparatus has become.

[Az_lefty]

33. what about the "Justice Sunday" mega-church???

are they going to be investigated also? There is no justice left in Washington, it's all about power and who controls it.

[Gregorian]

34. Singling out one church will backfire on the IRS.

All honest churches were against the war. I heard antiwar sermons.

The churches that are to be scrutinized are the ones that accepted payment from the administration, and preached BUSH.

(I only heard about the payments. I did not see it in print. I think it was the NY Times that wrote it, but don't know for certain.)


I have a cemetery on my propery. A new pastor came by to see if he could find a name. And before he left he made it clear why we have to be in Iraq. I couldn't believe it! And he invited me to his church. This is in a bushloving inbred little piece of shit logging town. Needless to say, I wouldn't set foot in his smelly church. But on some Sundays at 9:45 I can hear his bells ringing. I hate the world mostly. Very few see AND ACT like humans should.

[Wilber_Stool]

35. And what a church it is.

From their web site:

[mom cat]

36. Better quit calling Jesus the prince of Peace! The amount you render unto

Ceaser might just skyrocket.

[sakabatou]

38. No summons for the pro-war churches?

WTF?!