[Peace-discuss] Another interesting development with regard to "peace churches"

[Morton K. Brussel]

This is a harassing tactic by the IRS (influenced by the Bush  
administration) which should not succeed. It is clearly intended to  
repress criticism of the administration's policies. Equivalent  
actions seem missing against the Pat Robertson/Jerry Falwell, …  
church followers.
--mkb

On Nov 8, 2005, at 10:45 PM, John W. wrote:

>
>
> Anti-war sermon could cost liberal church
>
> LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Internal Revenue Service has warned a  
> prominent liberal church that it could lose its tax-exempt status  
> because of an anti-war sermon a guest preacher gave on the eve of  
> the 2004 presidential election, according to church officials.
>
> The Rev. George F. Regas did not urge parishioners at All Saints  
> Episcopal Church to support either President Bush or John Kerry,  
> but he was critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts.
>
> The IRS warned the church in June that its tax-exempt status was in  
> jeopardy because such organizations are prohibited from intervening  
> in political campaigns and elections.
>
> The church's rector, J. Edwin Bacon, told his congregation about  
> the problem Sunday.
>
> "It's important for everyone to understand that the IRS concerns  
> are not supported by the facts," Bacon said.
>
> Bacon later said he chose Sunday to inform the congregation because  
> Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in attendance  
> and because he believes a decision from the IRS is imminent. He  
> called the IRS threat "a direct assault on freedom of speech and  
> freedom of religion."
>
> All Saints has long been vocal about its positions. Its Web site  
> mentions the upcoming special election in California and says three  
> Republican-backed propositions would "alter the very fabric of our  
> lives as a democracy by limiting the right to representation and  
> the right to express a political point of view." Regas, who gave  
> the 2004 sermon, retired 10 years ago as the church's rector.
>
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