WASHINGTON - A church-state separation group filed complaints Monday with the Internal Revenue Service against six churches whose pastors either endorsed or made pointed comments about political candidates from their pulpits Sunday in defiance of federal tax law.
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(Photo: AP Images / Mike Wintroath)The outside of the Word of Outreach Christian Church is seen, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008 in Little Rock, Ark. On Sunday, ministers around the country plan to break the law, endorsing presidential candidates during their sermons despite IRS rules prohibiting such endorsements for tax-exempt non-profits. A minister was scheduled to fly into Little Rock Sunday to endorse a presidential candidate at the Word of Outreach Christian Church, but because of flight delays, did not make it.
The Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based conservative legal group, orchestrated the pulpit protest to invite IRS scrutiny and a legal fight it hopes will lead to the restrictions being found unconstitutional.
The group released a list Monday of 33 participating pastors — most if not all from conservative evangelical churches — and pledged to defend them.
The pastors intend to send copies of their sermons to the IRS. But Washington-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State didn't wait for that: The group filed complaints Monday with the IRS about six pastors whose sermons were detailed in media reports.
Five of the six supported Republican presidential candidate John McCain. The sixth, Wiley Drake of First Southern Baptist Church in Buena Park, Calif., said: "According to my Bible and in my opinion, there is no way in the world a Christian can vote for Barack Hussein Obama." Drake was not among the pastors Alliance Defense Fund selected for the protest and was acting independently.
The five others reported to the IRS were Jody Hice of Bethlehem First Baptist Church in Bethlehem, Ga.; Paul Blair of Fairview Baptist Church in Edmond, Okla.; Gus Booth of Warroad Community Church in Warroad, Minn.; Francis Pultro of Calvary Chapel Kings Highway in Philadelphia; and Luke Emrich of New Life Church in West Bend, Wis.
The IRS has said it would "take action as appropriate." The agency does not comment on specific complaints.
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Did Obama support the murder of Christians in Kenya? Aparently he raised $1 million dollars to his uncle who did.
The Church should not have to give up their tax exempt status regardless of what is preached. If the Courts are to be consistent with the "separation of Church and State" myth then the Govt. has no right to tax a church. Or does the separation only work one way?
If the church is speaking out on issues and candidates that are promoting Christian beliefs, how are they hurting the church? It seems to me it is their responsibility to speak out. If they have to give up their tax exempt status, maybe it will demonstrate their sincerity.
If they want to endorse, renounce their tax-exempt status.
I will weigh in and say that they are hurting the church mixing it up with the pursuit of worldly power. Please quit corrupting our message!
Samual was quite political, warning the jews not to elect Saul (or anyone else) as King and described in details the bad things which would accompany a King. Jesus, in his 7 woes, attacked the political behavior of the Pharisees. Politics and religion cannot be separated in a Godly community. Further, the Govt. has no right at all telling any Pastor what they can and cannot preach about.
Believer -
I suppose anyone (Wiley included) can express their opinion. But when they try to back up their own political agenda with scripture that doesnt exist, that's when I wish they'd just be quiet. It's the kind of thing that gives Christians a bad name ...
I just want to say , just as my own personal opinion; why not set aside reading rooms with newspapers, magazines, internet access etc. Make sure your flock is informed without breaking tax exempt status. The IRS can't stop your church from receiving the Daily Newspaper. Or magazine subscriptions.
I also want to draw your attention to Countries who leaders do not Honor God, look at there behaviour, its horrible, in Myanmar there government wouldn't allow food, tents, medicines to be brought in. China has their 'show churchs' their TSP churchs. And then persecute those who refuse to join. We truely are fortunate, in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, North Korea, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and all muslim and communnist nations they persecute our brethren, deny them justice and treat them horribly.
I believe tax exempt status is a great thing, it allows us to do the work with more resources. But building 'super duper mega churchs' spending millions on one building i have my reservations on.
Ironic, when Christians are truly being persecuted through out the world, that Americans consider loss of tax exempt status to be a punishment. Would such a concern cowed any of the OT prophets, John the Baptist, or Jesus? Would Martin Luther have backed down or MLK? The tax exempt status is noting more than a legal tact designed to muzzle the church. And why would the government not want to hear from Christians? They pay lip service to the existence of God by posting "In God We Trust" on money and swear in officials with the Bible, but yet do not want to hear from Christians. Is it due to their unchristian behavior? Or to the unchristian laws the enact? Or the programs they finance using the tax dollars they collect from Christians?
Christians and the Church are here to do the will of God, not man.
Endorsing a candidate from the pulpit divides the Body. These Pastors can’t see past their buildings; the Church is bigger than their building, city, state or this political season. How can a pastor say that another candidate is against God without suggesting his/her supporters are also against Him? In this instance, if a Christian doesn’t support John McCain, then these Pastors have questioned that person’s faith. For the Body of Christ to be strong, we all have to be in agreement on the issues that matter. Christians exist in every walk of life and in each of the two major parties. If we could remember that, we would think very carefully about presenting a political candidate when delivering God’s message.
The absolute low point of this story has nothing to do with religion and politics, but rather with shameless tactics. What really angers me is that these Pastors are going out on a limb to make sure they are persecuted. While most non-believers could care less what gets said in a church full of willing parishioners (Rev. Wright being the obvious exception), their sermons were recorded and then sent to the IRS with the intent of starting a legal fight. This is not what the Church needs today. We have larger issues that need to be addressed and every minute and dollar spent on this self-inflicted wound takes time and money away from helping where Christians are needed. Pastors shouldn’t endorse a candidate – with or without a tax exemption clause – because it can only end in division. Whoever the next President is, we should all be praying for him.
dtay, why isn't Wiley free to share his view of the candidates, if you don't like what he has to say that's one thing but to tell him he can't say it is totally unamerican. Also God's Word clearly says that God will honor the nation whose leaders honor Him. It sure sounds like God is concerned about who we choose to be our leaders.
Mr. Drake, I may be just a layman but I know for a fact that there is no scriptural reference to anyone voting for or against a particular candidate ... keep your hypocritical, judgmental agenda-driven stuff to yourself, please.
Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even if it means taxation. We are living in the last days, Jesus is coming, Spread the Word, be Fishers of men while it is yet day, For the time cometh when no man shall work.
Why don't these pastors simply renounce their tax-exempt status? That would truly be a form of protest that would actually be effective.
The fact that they don't indicates that they really don't have a principle in mind, but that the almighty dollar is what they're after.
The Shakers (a monastic Protestant group) never claimed tax-exempt status, yet they never took political positions either. These pastors should follow their example instead of just banging on their high-chairs.
what about the story on the news this morning about the pastor out in AZ who had a spa but it was really something else? What a laugh.
calm down mike, it didn't happen
WHY DOES NOT THIS WEBSITE TALK ABOUT THE $700 BILLION BAILOUT THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WANT TO PASS IN CONGRESS.