About a Year Ago ... What happened with all that Obama Church Preacher Bidness Anyway?
Retrieved by Pat Darnell and Pa Rody
In case you were all left hanging in the water spout of Obama's Church Pastor's and others' internetional performances of hate statements, the real question was: '... do those Churches owe taxes for being involved in the 2008 Prez Campaigns?'
Did you ever get an answer? It has been ruled not applicable, and they were exonerated.
According to a copy of an IRS letter that the church received Monday, [Feb 25, 2008] ... the IRS is launching the inquiry "because reasonable belief exists that the United Church of Christ has engaged in political activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status." [SOURCE]
Under federal law, churches are barred from becoming directly or indirectly involved in campaigns of political candidates.
According to a text of the speech posted on the church's Web site, Obama promised to sign a universal health care bill in his first term as president, and he denounced the Iraq war.
"I have a plan that would have already begun redeploying our troops with the goal of bringing all our combat brigades home by March 31st of next year" according to the text. He also said "our conscience cannot rest" until genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan is stopped and 12 million illegal immigrants get a chance to earn their citizenship.
An IRS spokesperson declined to comment. But a UCC spokesman, the Rev. J. Bennett Guess, said the investigation is "disturbing news."
"We went to great lengths to make sure no laws were broken," he said. (Salmon, Jacqueline L. 02.26.2008, IRS Investigating Obama's Church HERE)
Is MooPig Religion Editor, Conestoga DeLeon Merritt, off base to ask: "Ever notice that diet drinks are still as sugar-sweet tasting as regular drinks?"
-- Also --
"I want to encourage all those who desire to start their own religions to make sure you never have a Presidential Candidate come from your congregation," chimed in DeLeon Merritt; "or any civil servants for that matter ... just don't allow them to join your religions"
-- And --
"So how did that turn out, with the IRS, the UCC, Obama drama, and Huckabee candidacy?"
In Conclusion: "IRS ends probe of UCC on Obama talk, clears pastor on Huckabee endorsement
Christian Century, June 17, 2008 HERE
In letters sent on successive days, the Internal Revenue Service said it concluded that neither the United Church of Christ, whose national convention heard Barack Obama speak, nor a Southern Baptist pastor, who publicly backed Mike Huckabee, violated tax-exemption provisions prohibiting political endorsements by churches. (2008 The Christian Century Foundation. 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning)"
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