Had the churches not been involved the American Revolution would not
have succeeded. Churches were active on both sides of the Civil War.
When the left used churches to mobilize the Civil Rights movement IRS
turned a blind eye. The leaders of the Civil Rights movement were almost
all ordained ministers. That is as it should have been. A whole segment
of God's people was made to be second-class citizens. Many were killed
or hosed down like animals. Churches stood with the downtrodden, as it
should be.
IRS never involved itself when churches, especially Roman Catholic
Churches, were the cornerstone of the movement to end the war in Viet
Nam. Some priests went overboard (and I know this to be true because I
heard it myself) and suggested that if you didn't get involved with the
so-called peace movement you weren't really a Christian.
IRS was nowhere during the campaign of Governor Michael Dukakis, who
used Greek Orthodox churches as a foundation partially to fund, as well
as from which to obtain volunteers. Same for Rev. Jesse L. Jackson.
Black churches were the backbone of the Jackson campaign. Churches often
took up a second collection to benefit the Jackson effort.
IRS has been silent as some liberal churches in this country became the
instrument of the Green movement. Earth Day and religion were supposed
to be a natural marriage. One can argue that proposition all day long.
The point is that pastors were political. Not a word from IRS.
Only now that more conservative churches have been finding their way in
the political process have we heard from IRS to send agents fanning out
across America to demand to see the content of sermons. In a San
Francisco church IRS is investigating agents demanded to see copies of
sermons from the past six months. The Episcopal Church is resisting.
Good for them. This is wrong, wrong, wrong and must be remedied by the
Congress. The House made progress on a bill opposing what IRS has been
doing. Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) has been spearheading it. It is right
now a dead letter in the Senate, thanks to Senator John W. Warner (R-VA)
and others. What is it coming to? My church does not permit girls at the
altar, does not allow women as deacons has only male priests. Will IRS
contend that in disallowing women to participate in liturgical functions
we are violating public policy?
What would happen were a church to refuse to give Communion to openly
practicing homosexuals or to those who advocate abortion? Guilty of
discrimination? What IRS appears to be doing this autumn is THE most
dangerous threat to the continuation of the Republic. There is so little
left of our Constitution that some Justices and others scarcely
recognize it.
Unless it is solely political (i.e., the pastor says "Now I want you
good people to get out the vote for Governor Mike Huckabee. He has
promised to see to it that we are adequately protected.") IRS should
rightfully step in. But if the pastor says, "Abortion is the moral evil
of our age. There are measures before the Congress which would begin to
restrict abortion. Call your Congressman and tell him you support those
bills," the pastor should have no fear of IRS intervention. (By the way,
Huckabee is term-limited and thus will be stepping down after two terms
as Governor of Arkansas in January.)
If you are speaking with your Congressman or Senator, doesn't matter if
he or she is liberal or conservative, Republican or a Democrat, tell him
or her that you want to see IRS intervention of this kind stopped.
Congress has the power to do so. It remains to be seen if it has the
will.