A church-state watchdog group has asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate whether the Roman Catholic bishop of Paterson, N.J., violated tax laws by denouncing Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama.
In a letter sent to the IRS on Wednesday (Oct. 22), Americans United for Separation of Church and State accused Paterson Bishop Arthur Serratelli of illegal partisanship for lambasting Obama’s support of abortion rights.
In a column posted on the Diocese of Paterson’s website and published in its weekly newspaper, Serratelli also compared Obama to King Herod, the biblical monarch who ordered the death of John the Baptist.
Let’s get used to this, folks. This is the harbinger of things to come.
So, will the Diocese alone, or will the entire Catholic Church have its tax-exempt status endangered?
How many divisions does the IRS have?
I didn’t read the whole article, but don’t you think the good bishop was comparing the Senator from Illinois with the Herod who slaughtered the Holy Innocents? That would make more sense than John the Baptist’s “lap dance loving” Herod. But alas, scriptural literacy from the media is too much to ask.
There’s a big difference between endorsing a candidate and criticizing a candidate.
Quite apart from what the IRS (or a gadfly group) may say, Christian clergy should not publicly endorse political candidates. A candidate, like other human beings, is a mixed bag. But clergy should be free to criticize a candidate’s positions.
This sounds like more of the same from the Obama Campaign — investigate and smear anyone who publically questions “that One” or his policies. First it was anti-Obama ads, then Joe “the Plumber” now the Church. He’s already said he will reinstate the Fairness Doctrine (aka, silence the opposition free speech) bill that Pelosi and Reed have lobbied for and lost.
Also look for legal challenges to any state that votes against him in the majority. Was it Sharpton who said there will be riots like not seen since the 60’s if Obama loses? I know it was some big-shot.
No mistake, this is going to be an interesting four years if he gets elected.
Jim E.
I agree with Iranaeus. Note that after the bombing of Birmingham’s 16th Street Baptist Church Rev. Martin Luther King stated, “The murders of yesterday stand as blood on the hands of Governor Wallace.”
I could go on and on…
“This sounds like more of the same from the Obama Campaign” —LibraryJim
Jim [#6]: What evidence shows that the Obama campaign had anything to do with this complaint? This group has its own radical-separationist agenda, which it has pursued for decades. This complaint is consistent with the group’s previous actions and positions.
As for partisan bias, remember how the IRS investigated All Saints Pasadena after George Regas preached a sermon critical of Bush shortly before the 2004 election.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints_Episcopal_Church_(Pasadena,_California)
Irenaeus,
You and I will probably NEVER agree on the tactics of the Democrats against conservatives and Republicans. Let’s just say that the Obama campaign has done/taken similar actions (either directly or by proxy) so often in this campaign that it is difficult NOT to see their hand in this action.
Peace
Jim
“Was it Sharpton who said there will be riots like not seen since the 60’s if Obama loses?” —LibraryJim
Sharpton might like that. But he and Jesse Jackson stand to lose prominence if Obama becomes president.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
“Look for legal challenges to any state that votes against him”
Sort of like Bush v. Gore?
“Let’s just say that the Obama campaign has done/taken similar actions (either directly or by proxy) so often in this campaign that it is difficult NOT to see their hand in this action” —LibraryJim
Sounds like you feel certain but don’t have evidence.
Wouldn’t you criticize Democrats if they voiced criticisms under similar circumstances?
The Conference of Bishops has just pulled their long-term and generous funding of ACORN; can the church be prosecuted for having been on both sides?
What action is the IRS contemplating against Bishop Gene Robinson
for his pro-Obama advocacy ? Did the group Americans United for
Separation of Church and State also take umbrage at Bishop
Robinson’s political recommendation ?
The Catholic Conference of Bishops has been funding ACORN? Do they have a lot of money to give? Seriously, I’m not aware that the Catholic Conference has anything like TEC’s endowments or income. Maybe they do and I just don’t know it.
I agree with Irenaeus that criticizing one candidate’s positions is not the same as endorsing the other, although intelligent Catholics can no doubt understand what the bishops would recommend they do in the voting booth.
#13 seems closer to the truth on this one. I don’t see Americans United for the Separation of Church and State asking for investigations of TEC leadership for its political positions.
Nobody expects the liberal inquisition.
Well, actually, we do…now.
“Look for legal challenges to any state that votes against himâ€
Sort of like Bush v. Gore?
If you recall, the original lawsuit against Florida came from Gore.
Yep, we can expect O! and the thousands of minions he brings into the federal apparat to bring the full weight of that bureaucracy on critics, if the campaign is any indication.
[url=http://cst-phl.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=92&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail;=&wpage;=&skeyword;=&sidate;=&ccat;=&ccatm;=&restate;=&restatus;=&reoption;=&retype;=&repmin;=&repmax;=&rebed;=&rebath;=&subname;=&pform;=&sc=2666&hn=cst-phl&he;=.com]Here[/url] is Cardinal Rigali’s statement on the responsibilities of Catholic citizens on abortion. I think it applies to all Christians. He says that not all issues are of equal importance, and that abortion is the “transcending issue of our day.”
Correction to my post #6:
It was James Carville who hinted that if Obama loses, there will be race riots in the US such as not seen since the ’60s, not Al Sharpton. This statement was made on October 8, after one of the debates. My apologies for the incorrect attribution earlier.