The IRS could begin targeting churches over their tax-exempt status, just as it targeted tea party groups, according to J. Christian Adams, a former DOJ lawyer and current counsel for the Election Law Center.
The warning comes as an atheist group claims churches that preach about political ideas should not get tax exemptions.
"Because churches talk about theological issues, like abortion, same-sex marriage, the Freedom from Religion Foundation is saying, 'Hey, that's political and the IRS should go after you,''' Adams said Thursday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on
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"This is not about Democrat vs. Republican, this is about believer vs. non-believer. It's a battle centuries old and it's showing up in America now, unfortunately.''
And Adams believes the Obama administration will be on board with the idea.
"We have this long tradition of respecting theology, but this administration and more importantly it's supporters are overwhelmingly hostile to religion,'' he said.
"If you look at polling data, you will find that Obama's strongest supporters are non-religious.
"You will find his strongest opponents are religious and that polarization is showing up in policies because the people in power who are non-religious are using that power now to go after the religious.''
The IRS, now under investigation for allegedly targeting tea party groups, could begin sending out unnerving letters to places of worship, saying, ''we heard that father so and so gave homily that said such and such, is this true, do you have notes from the homily?'' Adams said.
"This is the sort of garbage the IRS was sending to the tea party asking for the content, for their prayers and asking for the names of volunteers. When those letters go out to churches the game is won by the left,'' he said.
"You're going to see churches who don't want to tangle with the IRS stop talking about theological issues that might anger those in power. This is a story as old as time. We've seen it across the centuries and across the continents.''