Group Asks IRS to Investigate Ark. Pastor's Sermon

By Andrew DeMillo|Associated Press Writer

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – A group that advocates separation of church and state asked the Internal Revenue Service on Friday to investigate an Arkansas pastor who endorsed GOP presidential candidate John McCain from the pulpit this week.

Pastor Challenges IRS with Pro-McCain Sermon

Washington-based Americans United for Separation of Church and State complained that Bishop Robert Smith, pastor of the Word of Outreach Christian Center in Little Rock, violated federal tax law when he told worshippers during a sermon: "I will be voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin."

Smith's sermon was aimed at fighting an Internal Revenue Service policy that prohibits charities and churches from involvement in political campaigns. Smith even used the threat of losing the church's tax-exempt status as a fundraising tool before passing the offering basket Sunday.

"Bishop Smith knowingly and flagrantly violated the law and has even dared the IRS to investigate him for it," said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "I hope the federal tax agency promptly takes him up on that."

Smith said previously that he didn't tell parishioners anything they didn't already know from conversations with him and that he planned to send a copy of the sermon to the IRS. On Friday, Smith said he had not yet sent the IRS a recording of his sermon, but said he was not worried about the complaint or the threat of losing his church's tax-exempt status.

"I'm not more concerned about that than I am about the church's freedoms in the days and weeks and months to come," Smith said.

Smith was one of 33 pastors who had planned to make sermons about political candidates, part of an effort led by the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund to provoke a challenge to the federal laws and IRS rules on political speech by pastors.

The group has already filed complaints with the IRS against seven other churches that participated in the pulpit initiative last month.

Nancy Mathis, a spokeswoman for the IRS, declined to comment Friday on the complaint and said federal law prohibits the agency from talking about specific tax cases. Mathis earlier this week said the agency would monitor any allegations of political activity by churches.

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wbmoore »

Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:25 am Agree: 2 Disagree: 0

The idea has never been to keep religious people out of government, but to keep government out of religion. The founders were afraid of a state religion, as they had seen its bad effects in Europe and were opposed to the idea.

Amendment 1 to the US Constitution
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.
(http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1)

However, there is nothing there keeping religion or religious people from being in the government. It prevents the government from forming a state because the founders had had too many bad experiences with state religions. Yet, they knew that if people did not have religion were in office, there would be problems.

Our government is not set up to handle people who do not have religious morals. John Adams (Signer of the Declaration of Independence and Second President of the United States) wrote, "Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people." (http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=63)
artm »

Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:06 am Agree: 2 Disagree: 0

We have come to believe the lie that our founding Fathers did not want the Church to be involved in Government in any form at all, that is not true.

The Truth about Genuine Christanity is, Without it this Nation would just be another Russia, or China, Or maybe another People ruled by the False Religion Islam.

This Nation is headed full speed to the time when Christians will be blamed for all sorts of problems. When in realality, Our problems come from a rejection of God and His Word.
pvlman »

Mon Oct 20, 2008 12:29 am Agree: 1 Disagree: 6

Anyone who accuses the ACLU of revisionist history, should actually study the real history of Christians in the "new World". As a group fleeing oppression in the Old World, they arrived in the new world to become the oppressor, and are still at it today.
Daniel Paul »

Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:59 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

"you have listened to the aclu and their revisionist history for to long."

Hitler did that whole revistionist thing and so did communist Russia. It's take decades to reteach history in those countries. Those who do not learn from the past (the 60s and 70s in our case) are doomed to repeat it.
Daniel Paul »

Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:57 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

"Nancy Mathis, a spokeswoman for the IRS, declined to comment Friday on the complaint and said federal law prohibits the agency from talking about specific tax cases. Mathis earlier this week said the agency would monitor any allegations of political activity by churches."

Quite true and correct position from the IRS. I'm amazed!

Their job is to investigate. If Church and State are to be truely separate then the IRS cannot have the juristiction to investigate a church and in fact doesn't have the right to tax them anyway.

The court should set a legal definition of what a church is and that be that. The church is considered a 501(c)(3) for tax purposes but the church in America existed long before the tax code and therefore the church as it has existed for 200 years cannot be taxed or made to change to keep from being taxed.

In South Carolina it's only an ethics violation if money changed hands. Unless these pastors are taking up a collection and giving it to the candidate from the church it's not an ethics violation.

It's time for the real church to arise and vote. Run those who attack the church out of our government. We have the right and the voting strength. It is our own lack of maturity in Christ that keeps us from doing so.

Grow up Christians--vote.
believer »

Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:33 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

wj, why don't you carry that nonsense into the black church community and let us know how it turns out!
wjneill »

Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:31 pm Agree: 1 Disagree: 4

A church exists to fulfill a spiritual need. Any quest for political need can be found on radio or television, conversation, and newspapers. Period.
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Combining church with politics is like breeding King Kong with Little Mary Sunshine.
kdr1980 »

Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:40 am Agree: 3 Disagree: 1

Notice the hypocrisy of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State with Bishop Smith, but they're going to leave this pastor alone: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20081014/houston-megachurch-pastor-roots-for-obama.htm
artm »

Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:27 am Agree: 1 Disagree: 0

While the " False " church becomes more and more like the world, The " True " Church heads for a showdown with the world.

The True Church will be a Thorn in the Flesh of the " spirit of anti-christ " that is in the world today.

Look for more and more Persecution as we draw nearer to the Catching away of the True Church."

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