Can the Goverment Close down Your Church ?

[Alex The Hawk]

TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2006












Dear Alex,


The Internal Revenue Service can close your church. Yes, you read that correctly ... the IRS.
The same organization you file your tax return with each April 15th has the power to shut down your house of worship - because of a vague, half-century-old law.
This obscure law is being used by Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) and others to intimidate churches into silence on moral issues.
.
Churches are threatened with lawsuits and the revocation of their tax-exempt status. Ministers are intimidated into silence on topics like abortion, same-sex marriage, and other crucial issues of the day.
But today, we are fighting back against this threat to religious liberty and free speech.
Because of Americans United, the IRS is keeping a close eye on a group of religious leaders who make up the Pennsylvania Pastors Network - an issues-oriented public policy group.
AU insists that the Network's political organizing effort is really just a thinly veiled push to re-elect U.S Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA).
Reverend Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, says, ''Pennsylvania Pastors are being misled - in their support of Senator Santorum - and they need to be very careful; the Internal Revenue Service is watching carefully for violations of the federal tax law this year.''
In other words - churches are putting their tax-exempt status at risk whenever they speak out on issues of the day.
!
We are working with the House and Senate, assisting in the drafting of the ''Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act'' (HR 235). We've even testified before a congressional panel to push this Act forward and see it passed into law.
But we have more work to do. At this very moment - with crucial House and Senate seats at stake in upcoming fall elections - many church pastors and Christian leaders are silent ... intimidated by the AU's threats of action against their churches and groups.
This is nothing short of an outrage. If anyone should be bringing moral perspective to our national issues, it should be America's pastors and priests, ministers, and other Christian leaders!
At the ACLJ, we are ready to meet the challenge of Americans United in the halls of Congress, in the courtrooms of America, and in the media! But we must have your help.
Thank you for your immediate support to further the cause of freedom.

[Rebel Hog]

Thanks brother, I passed it on to atleast 20 church members.

[Ought Six]

And people wonder why we need the 2nd Amendment....<sigh>

[mqman44]

They can't touch my Church, for it is too widely dispersed.

[mqman44]

Besides, they would be looking for a building, and a marquee. The wouldn't recognize Gods Church if they held it in chains.

[Rebel Hog]

A church is always exempt from paying
[/align]taxes, but if a church goes and incorporates it is not a churchany more,if you
[/align]get a license from the state to become a church the license lists you as a non
[/align]profit corporation and you become a creature of the state so, therefore you
[/align]have to get a tax exempt certificate from the IRS which is called a 501-c3.
[/align]there is a regulation that says if you preach politics from the pulpit you can
[/align]lose your tax exemption. a church should never form a corporation as you don't need a license for a church
[/align]May God Bless you and yours
[/align]

[Lanse couche couche]

I guess then most black churcheswould in trouble, since historically they were rallying points for political activism. However, I think that it is safe to assume that these folks will only target conservative white churches.

[LBR]

Hmmmmmmmmm......maybe God knew what He was doing when He didn't authorizeleaders beyond theelders of an individualcongregation. Politics will always be used as leverage whenever possible--I think that's why the SBA wouldn't make a call one way or the other on Bill Clinton, why some "churches" (national/international organizations) call for gun control, homosexual "rights",etc. The Church has no business toying with politics--there's more than enough to do just sticking with teaching the Bible.

Chad

[Rebel Hog]

ORIGINAL: LBR

The Church has no business toying with politics--there's more than enough to do just sticking with teaching the Bible.

Chad

Amen brother!

[cataway]

ORIGINAL: mqman44

They can't touch my Church, for it is too widely dispersed.

don't be so shore of you self . see whats prophesied to happen
rev 17:16 And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire. 17 For God put [it] into their hearts to carry out his thought, even to carry out [their] one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished.