We already know that up until last year’s presidential election the IRS was busy judging books by their cover. If your organization had a name that included “patriot” or “tea party” or “9/12” chances are your application for tax-exempt status was not going to be granted in a timely fashion. Unless one is accustomed to employing geologic time in their everyday life.
But now we learn the IRS was also busy judging the theology of some Christian groups.
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Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, points out that IRS intimidation was not limited to President Obama’s political opponents. The IRS also singled out opponents of the president’s social issue advocacy.
In a letter to President Obama, Graham points out that during the election in 2012 the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association — based in North Carolina — ran a series of newspaper ads in that state that, in Grahams words, supported “the Marriage Amendment in North Carolina.” Later the ministry ran ads “encouraging voters to cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel.”
Graham’s ads concluded with the request that voters “Vote for biblical values this November 6, and pray with me (Billy Graham) that America will remain one nation under God.”
At no time did the ads violate IRS rules by mentioning candidates by name or urge voters to vote for or against specified candidates. What’s more, the ads were purchased “with designated funds given by friends of our ministry for this purpose.” Again in complete compliance with IRS rules.
What Graham failed to comply with was Obama’s cafeteria-style Christianity that only obeys selected portions of the Bible.
If you are an Obama-supporting IRS bureaucrat this is heresy on two fronts: opposition to homosexual marriage and strong support for Israel. When the president “evolves” he expects America to molt, too.
Although the IRS is slow to approve conservative organizations, it is quick to anger when existing organizations don’t toe the line. On September 6, Samaritan’s Purse, part of the association, received a letter from the IRS notifying Graham the group would have its 2010 tax return audited. Then on Oct 15 an IRS agent arrived to investigate Samaritan’s Purse and a few days later another agent showed up to audit the evangelistic association.
Both visits just happened to be timed to cause maximum intimidation before the election in November.
Alert: Obama Movie Exposes Frightening Agenda. Get the DVD Here.
This is a scandal. These actions are an abuse of power that targets democratic and Christian opposition to the president’s misguided policies. This intimidation is something one would expect in Russia, Venezuela, or Iran. But never in the United States.
It’s time for Obama to either start acting like a president and take control of an out-of-control bureaucracy; or admit that he’s just been a passenger on the ship of state for the last five years.