A story on death's best friend, taxes:
A liberal church that has been threatened with the loss of its tax-exempt status over an anti-war sermon delivered just days before the 2004 presidential election said Thursday it will fight an IRS order to turn over documents on the matter.
They'll fight it with much indignation, outrage, etc. IRS spokesman Terry Lemons has answered them with a gentle reminder that there is no constitutional right to be exempt from federal taxation.
This is what drew the IRS's attention:
The dispute at the 3,500-member Episcopal church centers on a sermon titled "If Jesus Debated Senator Kerry and President Bush," delivered by a guest pastor. Though he did not endorse a candidate, he said Jesus would condemn the Iraq war and Bush's doctrine of pre-emptive war.
So far the only church to be stripped of its tax exemption is one in Binghampton, New York that ran full-page newspaper ads against Clinton in the 1992 election.
Posted by floridacracker at September 22, 2006 12:29 PMGo figure, a church that ran an article in a paper gets its tax exemption revoked.
All those other churches that ranted from the pulpit about how great Clintor and Shrillery were, how evil the republicans were, all got a pass.
Even Algore was praised from on high in them.
I'm shocked I tell you, shocked!
There's a reason the IRS was used as a political weapon in the 90's... fear.
Posted by: Gmac at September 22, 2006 10:02 PM