Catholic Group to Ask IRS to Revoke
Tax-Exempt Status of Florida Church By Melanie Hunter CNSNews.com Deputy Managing Editor August 30,
2004
(CNSNews.com) - A Catholic group plans to ask the Internal
Revenue Service to revoke the tax-exempt status of a Miami, Fla., church, where
prominent Democrats helped turned the Sunday church service into what the South
Florida Sun-Sentinel called a "political rally."
The Catholic League said
the bishop of Miami's New Birth Baptist Church, Bishop Victor T. Curry,
"welcomed" former Democratic presidential candidate Rev. Al Sharpton and the
chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Terry McAuliffe.
"Rev.
Sharpton, speaking from the pulpit, added to the politicized atmosphere by
shouting, 'We're not people who are going to be beat twice,'" Catholic League
President William Donohue said.
"But no one was more partisan than
McAuliffe: 'Bush has misled us for four years and will not mislead us for the
next four years. Get out to vote and we'll send Bush back to Texas.'
Consequently, the Catholic League will now ask the IRS to revoke the tax-exempt
status of this church," he added.
"In what Donohue called "an interesting
turn of events," former President Bill Clinton spoke Sunday at New York's
Riverside Church.
"Politics and political involvement dictated by faith
is not the exclusive province of the right wing," Donohue quoted Clinton as
saying.
"This is a remarkable statement coming from a leader of the
Democratic Party. To be specific, John Kerry has said, 'I can't take my Catholic
belief, my article of faith, and legislate it on a Protestant or a Jew or an
atheist...' Thus does Kerry want to inoculate his religious views from his
political positions?" he asked.
"This is in sharp contrast to Bill
Clinton's plea that one's politics should be dictated by one's faith,"
Donohue added.
Also in contrast, Donohue said, Rev. George Rutler
celebrated Mass Sunday in New York, which was "well attended" by Catholics who
were in town for the convention.
"In a lengthy sermon, which focused on
humility and the poor, Rutler made a passing reference to the controversy over
Catholic pro-abortion politicians, saying that 'No one has a right to take
Communion,'" Donohue said.
"Yet this was enough for an AP reporter to say
that 'church-state separation watchdogs' have said that 'Masses such as the one
held Sunday amount to tacit political endorsement,'" he added.
"Neither
Clinton nor Rutler violated the IRS rules governing church and state. But
McAuliffe crossed the line, hence the need to contact the IRS," Donohue
concluded.
Again Rome chooses to be the forerunner of a
technique only found in her past. FORCE! And to top it off, they are doing so
in a hypocritical manner! Is it not a violation of Church & State for the
US Bishops to proclaim anyone that votes for pro-abortion
candidates should be refused communion? Is it not a violation of Church
& State for the Pope to ask for civil laws to enforce Sunday keeping on
page 112 of his 1998 Dios Domini? Is it not a violation
of Church & State for Rome to have it's priests photographed
in prayer with presidents and other politicians? Is it not a violation of
Church & State for Rome to even exist itself? For Rome is the ultimate violation!
They ARE a church AND a state at the same time!
Roman Catholicism has
already taken the IRS by storm long ago. Some of us have seen what happens
to churches that have been attacked by the IRS. They not only remove their tax
free status, they enforce a special excise tax on them, and tack on years of
penalties for not paying taxes. In other words, if you're a church 20 years
with a 501C3 tax free number, and the IRS decides you need it removed, all back
taxes are no retroactive. You owe for ALL the years you were tax free. Plus
the penalties. Plus the excise tax. That completely wipes the pastor out, his
family, as well as all people on the church board! The fines are in the MILLIONS!
Rome knows this. And yet, these Catholic people want this for this church and
their families? YES! For that is the nature of the beast!
