churches’ violating their tax-exempt status by routinely promoting political issues, legislation and candidates from the pulpit. --- yank their tax free status asap by any means necessary.
On Friday, August 8, 2014 7:04:17 AM UTC-5, Travis wrote: > > > > > > Mike posted: "IRS Strikes Deal With Atheists To Monitor Churches > Investors Business Daily, 7/31/14 First Amendment: Government’s assault on > religious liberty has hit a new low as the IRS settles with atheists by > promising to monitor sermons for mentions of the ri" Respond to this > post by replying above this line > New post on *Fellowship of the Minds* > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/author/howrightismike/> IRS Strikes > Deal with Atheists to Monitor Churches and Sermons > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2014/08/07/irs-strikes-deal-with-atheists-to-monitor-churches-and-sermons/> > by > Mike <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/author/howrightismike/> > > IRS Strikes Deal With Atheists To Monitor Churches > > Investors Business Daily, 7/31/14 > > First Amendment: Government’s assault on religious liberty has hit a new > low as the IRS settles with atheists by promising to monitor sermons for > mentions of the right to life and traditional marriage. > > A lawsuit filed by the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation > (FFRF) asserted that the Internal Revenue Service ignored complaints about > churches’ violating their tax-exempt status by routinely promoting > political issues, legislation and candidates from the pulpit. > > The FFRF has temporarily withdrawn its suit in return for the IRS’s > agreement to monitor sermons and homilies for proscribed speech that the > foundation believes includes things like condemnation of gay marriage and > criticism of ObamaCare for its contraceptive mandate. > > The irony of this agreement is that it’s being enforced by the same Tax > Exempt and Government Entities Division of the IRS that was once headed by > Lois “Fifth Amendment” Lerner and that openly targeted Tea Party and other > conservative groups. > Among the questions that the IRS asked of those targeted groups was the > content of their prayers. > > Those who objected to the monitoring of what is said and done in mosques > for signs of terrorist activity have no problem with this one, though > monitoring what’s said in houses of worship is a clear violation of the > First Amendment. Can you say “chilling effect”? > > Congress can make no laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion. So > it’s not clear where the IRS gets off doing just that by spying on > religious leaders lest they comment on issues and activities by government > that are contrary to or impose on their religious consciences. Our country > was founded by people fleeing this kind of government-monitored and > mandated theology last practiced in the Soviet Union. > > The FFRF cites as its authority the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which states > that tax-exempt groups cannot endorse candidates. A 2009 court ruling > determined that the IRS must staff someone to monitor church politicking. > > The FFRF claims that the IRS has not adhered to the ruling and that the > settlement amounts to enforcing both the Johnson Amendment and the court > ruling. > > But is the Catholic Church “politicking” when it proclaims its “Fortnight > for Freedom” dedicated to opposing ObamaCare’s contraceptive mandate and > the government’s forcing schools and charities it considers an extension of > its faith to include it in insurance coverage or face crippling fines? > > Are Protestant and evangelical churches “politicking” when they > participate in “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” this year on Oct. 5 to encourage > congregations to “vote their faith,” which they consider to be an exercise > of free speech and freedom of religion? > > The FFRF says that such events at “rogue churches” have “become an annual > occasion for churches to violate the law with impunity.” But doesn’t the > Constitution say that Congress can make no such laws? > > Rather than “rogue churches,” it’s the rogue IRS that needs to be stopped. > *Mike <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/author/howrightismike/>* | > August 7, 2014 at 2:11 pm | Tags: atheists > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=atheists>, Barack Obama > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=barack-obama>, big government > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=big-government>, Democrats > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=democrats>, IRS > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=irs>, Left > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=left>, liberals > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=liberals>, Lois Lerner > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=lois-lerner>, Obama > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=obama>, Obama administration > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=obama-administration>, United States > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=united-states> | Categories: 2012 > Election <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=4934384>, 2014 Election > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=44872111>, 2016 Election > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=9141114>, Atheists > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=86287744>, Bible > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=10051>, Christians/Christianity > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=111409284>, conspiracy > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=11808>, crime > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=34945349>, Culture War > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=20812>, Evil > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=35821819>, Idiots > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=2909>, Insanity > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=29635004>, IRS-gate > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=168403802>, Liberals/Democrats/Left > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=115894710>, New World Order > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=35346179>, Obama > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=376320>, Obama scandals > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=12028321>, Obama's America > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=12285619>, persecution of Christians > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=212735197>, Religion > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=4983159>, Terrorism > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=35034649>, Uncategorized > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=1>, United States > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=5850> | URL: http://wp.me/pKuKY-rt2 > > Comment > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2014/08/07/irs-strikes-deal-with-atheists-to-monitor-churches-and-sermons/#respond> > > See all comments > <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2014/08/07/irs-strikes-deal-with-atheists-to-monitor-churches-and-sermons/#comments> > > > Unsubscribe > <https://subscribe.wordpress.com/?key=7f89380f46003915c34c2cdd2b126a38&email=bovinescatologists%40gmail.com&b=LQhOoa-ES8LP4fc%7E%7EvbJD-%3DHutrI6KS9itBjE-4yNFBz9%7C%2Bm0vC> > > to no longer receive posts from Fellowship of the Minds. > Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions > <https://subscribe.wordpress.com/?key=7f89380f46003915c34c2cdd2b126a38&email=bovinescatologists%40gmail.com>. > > > > *Trouble clicking?* Copy and paste this URL into your browser: > > http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2014/08/07/irs-strikes-deal-with-atheists-to-monitor-churches-and-sermons/ > > Thanks for flying with WordPress.com <http://wordpress.com> > > > -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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