Politics & Religion & IRS? Oh My!

Antiwar Sermon Brings IRS Warning
All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena risks losing its tax-exempt status because of a former rector's remarks in 2004.

By Patricia Ward Biederman and Jason Felch
Times Staff Writers
Published November 7, 2005

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.

Rector J. Edwin Bacon of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena told many congregants during morning services Sunday that a guest sermon by the church's former rector, the Rev. George F. Regas, on Oct. 31, 2004, had prompted a letter from the IRS.

In his sermon, Regas, who from the pulpit opposed both the Vietnam War and 1991's Gulf War, imagined Jesus participating in a political debate with then-candidates George W. Bush and John Kerry. Regas said that "good people of profound faith" could vote for either man, and did not tell parishioners whom to support.

LINK to article (Chicago Tribune--subscription req'd)).

One reads how the IRS can infiltrate a church for a "liberal" sermon to take away their nonprofit status, yet thousands of churches for GWB and his ilk can do this if they want. I read reports last year of Baptist's causes and this year as well (who want it). And yet, they are not touched. I'm posting a SW Lubbock church's response to a state amendment....of W's state, and of my state (I was born there unlike W, lived and worked more years than W, hello..)

My mother, who supports the Prop 2 Amendment "Marriage is between a man and woman" etc, said that this church was trying to mix state and church, and even she didn't support that notion. Church and state should be separated because our country has been the best when the two concepts don't mesh.

While I couldn't convince my momma about the rights of gay marriages, she agreed that perhaps another amendment should be presented for civil rights between gay couples...the rights of dying, property, etc, that perhaps states ignore.

I love my momma. I disagree that marriage is strictly between a man and a woman, but I'm glad she recognizes that if two women or two men love one another (and love is the true answer) that perhaps we should examine more for legal rights for them.