Wednesday, May 28, 2008

We're not going to take it any more: Pastors revolt against the IRS muzzle

Jill Stanek has a fascinating column on World Net Daily.
Did you know that the regulation of free speech of pastors is only 50 years old? It dates to the Senate career of Lyndon Johnson? He was being called soft on communism as his election for a second term came up, so he had the amendment passed to help him get re-elected, which eventually led to him becoming President when JFK was assassinated. He escalated the war in Vietnam and started the failed war on poverty. What a disastrous presidency!
Anyway, the Johnson Amendment caused a lot of unnecessary paranoia among conservatives. Liberals like Rev. Jeremiah Wright have no such fear.
What do they know? That there has only been one actual prosecution of a church for crossing the church/state divide, Pierce Creek Church in 1992 for running a newspaper ad opposing Bill Clinton. The Clinton's use of the IRS to prosecute their political opponents is legendary; just as Bill O'Reilly who was audited multiple times during the Clinton Administration. So, 50 brave pastors are signing up to give explicitly political homilies to challenge the unfair muzzling of traditional religious believers, and hopefully, bring the Johnson Amendment down. It's about time!
Here's the game plan:
"On Sept. 28, approximately 50 pastors the ADF has chosen from volunteers nationwide will preach sermons to provoke the IRS on this point. This would immediately invoke a lawsuit that would find its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a
press release condemning the plan as "deplorable" and "worldly," AU's Lynn stated, "I assume the ADF will provide a list of congregations unwise enough to join this move, and we'll be ready to report those churches to the IRS."
Barry, ADF is planning one better – no, two better. It plans to give you and the IRS videotapes of the sermons."

What valiant leaders these pastors are! How I would love to be one of their congregants. If you are, be sure to give them a FAT check in the collection that day! They may need it for legal fees!
HT World Net Daily

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