UCC being investigated by the IRS

[ladym55]

I just received an email from the United Church of Christ that they are being investigated by the IRS and the denomination's tax-exempt status is being threatened BECAUSE CHURCH MEMBER BARACK OBAMA SPOKE AT THE DENOMINATION'S 50TH GENERAL SYNOD MEETING.

Now I realize that we are all hot and bothered by the primaries right now, but this ISN'T about Obama. It's about a progressive denomination being intimidated by the federal government.

The Internal Revenue Service has notified the United Church of Christ's national offices in Cleveland, Ohio, that the IRS has opened an investigation into U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's address at the UCC's 2007 General Synod as the church engaging in "political activities."

In the IRS letter dated Feb. 20, the IRS said it was initiating a church tax inquiry "because reasonable belief exists that the United Church of Christ has engaged in political activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status."

This is chilling. Today John Haggee endorses McCain, and James Dobson and Pat Robertson regularly insert themselves into the political process with any consequences. HOWEVER, if progressive denomination has a member speak (who is a political candidate), they are in danger of losing tax-exempt status. What about ALL the churches that have hosted Huckabee in his campaign? Are THEY being investigated?

Now the denomination is forced to start a defense fund.

To read more about it, check out this link from the UCC website:
www.ucc.org/news/obama-speech-in-2007-prompts-1.html

[dflprincess]

1. And don't forget,

it was the UCC that was running those ads last year or so making it clear that all people are welcome at their churches - even (brace yourselves) Gay couples!

That denomination has just been begging for trouble. :sarcasm: