The Internal Revenue Service has warned one of Southern California's largest and most liberal churches that it is at risk of losing its tax-exempt status because of an antiwar sermon two days before the 2004 presidential election.
You can read the sermon here.
In his own voice, Regas said: "The religious right has drowned out everyone else. Now the faith of Jesus has come to be known as pro-rich, pro-war and pro-American.... I'm not pro-abortion, but pro-choice. There is something vicious and violent about coercing a woman to carry to term an unwanted child."
When you go into the voting booth, Regas told the congregation, "take with you all that you know about Jesus, the peacemaker. Take all that Jesus means to you. Then vote your deepest values."
Moral values are a choice, and choices have consequences. I guess actual 'moral values' about what's right and what's wrong don't count for much if they differ from the phony moral values that support Bush&Co.
To be fair (Damn, I hate that!), the IRS has gone after wingnut churches too, but the rules seem to be a bit more lax for them. They have to take out a full-page ad or put up a billboard telling folks how to vote or something like that before they get a "repent or pay" letter.
No comments:
Post a Comment