The Eleventh Commandment
I've always thought if there were an eleventh commandment it would read something like this: Thou shalt not tax the church lest thee be cast forever in shame from the light of public office.
The tax exempt status of the All Saints Episcopal Church in California is at risk through a series of unfortunate events. Two days before the last election a guest speaker, Rev. George Regas, gave a sermon that contained a hypothetical debate between President Bush, Sen. Kerry and Jesus. In this hypothetical debate, President Bush did not do well.
That drew a potential yellow flag from the Internal Revenue Service. You see, it is against the rules for an organization operating under the rules that govern church like operations to take political sides. The IRS officially handed the church notice their tax exempt status was under investigation and demanded documents relating to the inquiry.
The next unfortunate event is that All Saints Rev. Ed Bacon and his congregation have opted not to turn over any documents. Alas, the IRS is not an organization to thumb your nose at. The IRS issued a summons to the church to produce a large quantity of documentation surrounding the guest speaker and church policy in general.
Everyone that thinks that's not going to get ugly for the church, raise your hand.
Now according to the Los Angeles Times, just down the road from All Saints is the New Revelation Missionary Baptist Church run by Pastor William Turner Jr. He has preached against same-sex marriage, stem cell research and abortion. And he has proudly boasted to President Bush about converting 80% of his congregation from Democrat to Republican.
"I salute and support you President Bush and will work untiringly for your reelection," Turner wrote to the president in February 2004, telling him he had done the same for former California Gov. Pete Wilson. Turner also wrote to fellow African American clergymen in support of Bush in 2004, saying that "any gay, homosexual, lesbian and/or immoral act is an abomination against God."
Los Angeles Times: The IRS Works in Mysterious Ways
Anyone want to take a guess at whether or not the New Revolutionary Missionary Baptist Church is also under investigation? I'll save the guessing and tell you they are not.
Is that fair? I don't know. I guess it depends on how Pastor Turner is behaving. If he does his converting from the pulpit, then the answer is no. If he's doing his converting outside of his churchly duties, then the answer is yes.
But I have a solution that should please everyone.
Repeal the tax exemption for all churches. Churches are not only centers of of spiritual enlightenment, but many are also big business. The Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY seats several thousand and has millions of dollars in prime real estate. This complex still receives all city and county services, but doesn't pay one nickel in property tax. Some religious organizations have incomes that could easily make the top 30% in most states.
Talk about win-win. The preacher can extol the virtues of which ever politician they see fit and the cities, counties, schools and state governments get some badly needed revenue.
More Links
ABC News: Church to Fight IRS Demand for Documents
Houston Chronicle: Church balks at IRS probe over pulpit politics
Dallas Morning News: Church may fight IRS over tax-exempt status
The revocation of the Church's tax-exempt status neither violated the Constitution nor exceeded the IRS's statutory authority.
- James L. Buckley
The tax exempt status of the All Saints Episcopal Church in California is at risk through a series of unfortunate events. Two days before the last election a guest speaker, Rev. George Regas, gave a sermon that contained a hypothetical debate between President Bush, Sen. Kerry and Jesus. In this hypothetical debate, President Bush did not do well.
That drew a potential yellow flag from the Internal Revenue Service. You see, it is against the rules for an organization operating under the rules that govern church like operations to take political sides. The IRS officially handed the church notice their tax exempt status was under investigation and demanded documents relating to the inquiry.
The next unfortunate event is that All Saints Rev. Ed Bacon and his congregation have opted not to turn over any documents. Alas, the IRS is not an organization to thumb your nose at. The IRS issued a summons to the church to produce a large quantity of documentation surrounding the guest speaker and church policy in general.
Everyone that thinks that's not going to get ugly for the church, raise your hand.
Now according to the Los Angeles Times, just down the road from All Saints is the New Revelation Missionary Baptist Church run by Pastor William Turner Jr. He has preached against same-sex marriage, stem cell research and abortion. And he has proudly boasted to President Bush about converting 80% of his congregation from Democrat to Republican.
"I salute and support you President Bush and will work untiringly for your reelection," Turner wrote to the president in February 2004, telling him he had done the same for former California Gov. Pete Wilson. Turner also wrote to fellow African American clergymen in support of Bush in 2004, saying that "any gay, homosexual, lesbian and/or immoral act is an abomination against God."
Los Angeles Times: The IRS Works in Mysterious Ways
Anyone want to take a guess at whether or not the New Revolutionary Missionary Baptist Church is also under investigation? I'll save the guessing and tell you they are not.
Is that fair? I don't know. I guess it depends on how Pastor Turner is behaving. If he does his converting from the pulpit, then the answer is no. If he's doing his converting outside of his churchly duties, then the answer is yes.
But I have a solution that should please everyone.
Repeal the tax exemption for all churches. Churches are not only centers of of spiritual enlightenment, but many are also big business. The Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY seats several thousand and has millions of dollars in prime real estate. This complex still receives all city and county services, but doesn't pay one nickel in property tax. Some religious organizations have incomes that could easily make the top 30% in most states.
Talk about win-win. The preacher can extol the virtues of which ever politician they see fit and the cities, counties, schools and state governments get some badly needed revenue.
More Links
ABC News: Church to Fight IRS Demand for Documents
Houston Chronicle: Church balks at IRS probe over pulpit politics
Dallas Morning News: Church may fight IRS over tax-exempt status
The revocation of the Church's tax-exempt status neither violated the Constitution nor exceeded the IRS's statutory authority.
- James L. Buckley