[CS-FSLUG] Are Left Wing Activists Monitoring Sermons in YOUR Church?

[Fred Miller]

Christian Coalition Action Alert -- 7/29/2004

Are Left Wing Activists Monitoring Sermons in YOUR Church?
_________________________________________________________________________

As Pastor Ronnie Floyd of the First Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas 
went about his preparations for his July 4th sermon, he had no idea he would 
soon be the center of a national controversy

On the occasion of our country's birthday, he planned to encourage his flock 
to participate in the upcoming elections. Little did he know that, on this 
particular Sunday, not everyone in the pews would be a member of his 
congregation.

Among the usual churchgoers was a member of an ultra liberal organization 
called Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU). After the 
sermon, tape in hand, this left wing activist group filed a complaint with 
the IRS hoping to cause the church to lose its tax-exempt status.

The Pastor's crime? According to the complaint filed by Americans United, 
"...Bush is shown signing a ban on late-term abortions, an act most church 
members will laud, while Kerry is shown as one of a group of senators who 
opposed a law banning same-sex marriage, a stand most church members will 
likely oppose." Americans United wants the IRS to punish the First Baptist 
Church of Springdale because most of the congregation is Pro-Life and 
Pro-Family!


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Using the Internal Revenue Service to Silence Pastors
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Why was the First Baptist Church of Springdale singled out among the thousands 
of churches holding services the same day? According to Americans United, 
"The church is known for its stands on social issues and its opposition to 
legal abortion and gay rights." So there it is. If your church is Pro-Life or 
against the radical homosexual agenda you run the risk of being ' turned in ' 
to the Internal Revenue Service.


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Will Your Church Be Next?
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Will extremists from the Pro-Abortion Movement or those pushing for Homosexual 
Marriage be targeting your pastor and your congregation for intimidation? We 
can only stop the harassment of Houses of Worship by radical activists if we 
band together and make our voices heard!

Join with us in supporting Rep Walter Jones' (R-NC) effort to pass the "Houses 
of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act". This common sense bill would protect 
churches and their pastors from the kinds of vicious legal attacks launched 
by Americans United and other radical left wing groups.

The Act would, "...amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to protect the 
religious free exercise and free speech rights of churches and other houses 
of worship." This would stop Pro-Abortion activists and supporters of the 
radical Homosexual agenda from using the IRS Code to silence the Pro-Family 
movement. The bill currently has 168 cosponsors in the United States House of 
Representatives.


Help Defend YOUR Religious Freedom
Sign Our Petition in Support of the "Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration 
Act"
http://www.cc.org/pet/pet-ch.php



P. S. - As a grassroots organization we depend on your generous support, not 
large donors. Please consider making a contribution to allow us to keep up 
the fight by visiting us at: http://www.cc.org/donate7292004.htm
_________________________________________________________________________
Christian Coalition of America
P.O. Box 37030
Washington, D.C. 20013
www.cc.org 
Telephone: (202) 479-6900
Fax: (202) 479-4262 

-- 
"Ballmer is no more designed for the art of persuasion 
than the Abrams tank is for delivering meals on wheels."