By Free Republic | Created at 2024-09-25 20:23:54 | Updated at 2024-10-02 08:22:59
6 days ago
IRS urged to revoke tax-exempt status of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association over ‘electioneering’
Christian Post ^ | 09/25/24 | Michael Gryboski
Posted on 09/25/2024 12:59:32 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
A prominent secular legal organization has asked the Internal Revenue Service to revoke the tax-exempt status of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association over alleged violation of election law.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which advocates for a strict separation of church and state, sent a request to the IRS last week regarding a special edition of the BGEA's Decision magazine that compares the two major party presidential candidates.
According to FFRF, the magazine labels Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris an advocate of "socialism" while Republican former President Donald Trump is labeled a supporter of "freedom."
The group alleges that the BGEA magazine has "a cherry-picked comparison between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump intended to encourage readers to vote for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris."
"It evidences a clear bias and preference for Donald Trump and Republicans in the upcoming elections and is distributed for the purpose of intervening in these elections," stated the FFRF.
The FFRF accuses the BGEA of violating the Internal Revenue Code's prohibition on nonprofit groups taking part "in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office."
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bgea; electioneering
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1 posted on 09/25/2024 12:59:32 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
To: SeekAndFind
2 posted on 09/25/2024 1:01:40 PM PDT by omegatoo (You know you'll get your money's worth...become a monthly donor!)
To: SeekAndFind
For their part, the BGEA provided Christian Post with an official statement at the time in which they defended the “vote biblical values” ads as being in step with federal law on electioneering.
“The ads intentionally do not mention any candidate, political party, or contest, urging instead for readers to cast votes for candidates-at all levels-based on their support for biblical values,” read the 2012 statement.
The FFRF’s latest complaint against the BGEA comes as Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance and his wife Usha visited the graves of Billy Graham and his wife, Ruth, at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina, Monday.
3 posted on 09/25/2024 1:02:18 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
To: SeekAndFind
"The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which advocates for a strict separation of church and state"
Where again, is that in the Constitution?
To: SeekAndFind
An assault on freedom of speech.
5 posted on 09/25/2024 1:03:35 PM PDT by Magnum44 (...against all enemies, foreign and domestic... )
To: SeekAndFind
Don’t Biden, Harris, Pelosi, Clintons, etc go into churches to “get out the vote”?
6 posted on 09/25/2024 1:05:46 PM PDT by mikelets456
To: SeekAndFind
I really don’t think the government wants to open that Pandora’s box. I triple dog dare them to do it.
7 posted on 09/25/2024 1:06:34 PM PDT by Frank Drebin (And don't ever let me catch you guys in America!)
To: omegatoo
I am 84.
I have very clear memories of JESSE JACKSON politicking in many ‘churches’.
8 posted on 09/25/2024 1:09:19 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
To: Frank Drebin
Agreed. For starters, there are many, many left leaning non-profits that are tax exempt and do a lot of advocacy for the Dims. If they start clamping down on the very few church organizations that advocate for Republicans, they risk the same happening to a much larger army of Dim supporting groups.
9 posted on 09/25/2024 1:11:43 PM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
To: ridesthemiles
Black people and churches are exempt. The blacks and apologists wish to put whites in concentration camps and confiscate their wealth as did the Rhodesians and South Africans that took over. Pay attention..it is slowly happening and yet many are just not paying attention and call this observation “racist”.
10 posted on 09/25/2024 1:13:08 PM PDT by vetvetdoug
To: SeekAndFind
Every Negro Church in America has gotten away with electioneering for the Democrats from the pulpit. Never have they been called out on it. Ever. Ever. Ever.
By the way, NO WHERE in the founding documents, or any other document, is there mention of "Separation of Church and State". There is plenty in the founder's documents about freedom of religion and freedom of speech.
Billy Graham did more to help people of all races than 50 years of the "Black Caucus".
"The Black Caucus" sounds like a Sherlock Holmes mystery where he fights an evil nemesis.
To: SeekAndFind
The DNC is filled to the brim with “non-profits” who’s only tasks are attacking the GOP and “get out the vote”
The IRS doesn’t have a problem with them.
12 posted on 09/25/2024 1:16:59 PM PDT by Zathras
To: Magnum44
Actually they can speak all they want. Just don’t accept the welfare from the government. Yes getting money through tax savings is definitely welfare.
13 posted on 09/25/2024 1:20:29 PM PDT by napscoordinator (DeSantis is a beast! Florida is the freest state in the country! )
To: SeekAndFind
Ok - now revoke the nonprofit status of all the black churches and Muslim mosques…
14 posted on 09/25/2024 1:22:48 PM PDT by Skywise
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