One of California's largest and most liberal churches could lose its tax-exempt status because of an anti-war sermon that a former rector delivered two days before the 2004 presidential election, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
In his sermon, the Rev. George F. Regas did not urge parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church to support either President George W. Bush or his opponent, Sen. John Kerry. But he was sharply critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts.
The IRS in a June 9 letter warned the church that its tax-exempt status was in jeopardy because the federal tax code prohibits such organizations from intervening in political campaigns and elections.
Sounds like bullshit to me. Last time I checked, the First Amendment stated: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech . . . ."
Now the IRS thinks that it can take legal action against churches based upon the content of their rectors' sermons??? I think f**king not. It's stuff like this that encourages me to support the ACLU, year after year.