FFRF questions 'vote biblical' campaign

[swag]

https://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/item/16037-ffrf-questions-vote-biblical-campaign

November 5, 2012

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has filed a report with the Internal Revenue Service over illegal political campaigning by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).

BGEA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has run full-page ads publicizing Billy Graham's call for the electorate to “vote biblical values.” The ads have appeared in several "swing state" newspapers in preparation for tomorrow's heated presidential election. Throughout the month of October, BGEA published articles favorable to Romney, which included a statement by Billy Graham: "What impresses me even more than Gov. Romney’s successful career are his values and strong moral convictions."

"The context of the ads and publications by BGEA evidence its intent to endorse candidate Mitt Romney," wrote FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor in an Oct. 31 letter to the IRS.

"Tax exempt non-profit groups are to be conducted with educational and charitable purposes, not for the purpose of political campaign advocacy. When non-profit groups become involved in political elections, they should be investigated and lose their tax-exempt status," said Gaylor.

Gaylor noted that BGEA had $122 million in net assets in 2011 and spent over $3.5 million on advertising and promotion.

. . .

[srichardson]

1. Gotta say

I used to have the utmost respect for Graham. Not any longer. Anyone who can say without sarcasm that Mitt Romney has values and a strong moral conviction is a useless piece of propaganda for the religious right. I've read the Bible (well, the NT and most of the OT) and not one scripture says lying, hoarding money, lying, cheating the government, lying, putting companies into bankruptcy, lying, putting many people out of work, lying, and believing in a religion that spits in the face of Christianity is moral. I dare any Christian to give me biblical references that would support Mitt Romney and his values and strong moral conviction. That's an argument they couldn't win with a 3 year old.

[BigDemVoter]

2. I've NEVER had respect for that senile FUCKWAD

He's disgusting. And he's not disgusting because he's old, stupid, and senile. . . He was disgusting a LOOOONNNG time ago---way back when that ass-hat had all of his faculties. Ever heard of him spouting blatant ANTI-SEMITIC bullshit with Tricky Dick Nixon in the White House? And guess who was spouting that shit out of his puckered pie hole? Oh yeah, the one and only Billy Fucking Graham. He got busted with his nuts hanging out ON TAPE (yeah, THOSE tapes).

He's had the public AND the media kissing his stupid ass for 2 generations, and for the life of me, I CANNOT see why.

There is NO excuse for him. He's proven himself over and over and over to be a grade "A" ASS-WIPE. And his son? He's even worse, but then again, the apple never falls too far from the tree as they say.

[NICO9000]

3. Hear, hear!

They had that ad in the L.A. Times yesterday and I wanted to puke. Graham has always been another Elmer Gantry hustler as far as I'm concerned. And yes, I too clearly remember his anti-semitic comment on those Nixon tapes.

Personally every one of these TV preachers are a bunch of charlatans. History has shown over and over again that these folks are nothing but a bunch of crooks fleecing the gullible.

[Zorro]

4. That full-page ad was in Sunday's LA Times

Not that I think it had much of an impact here.