POLITICAL CHURCHES endorsed by Robertson

[JLSatty at AOL.COM]

Subj:    EPF ALERT: POLITICAL CHURCHES endorsed by Robertson
Date:   01/08/2002 9:13:27 PM Central Standard Time
From:   epf at dejazzd.com (Equal Partners in Faith)


Equal Partners in Faith ALERT:

The following press release is from our Coalition Partner, Americans United
for Separation of Church and State, regarding H.R.2357, Houses of Worship
Political Speech Protection Act

The stated purpose of HR2357 is  "To amend the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 to permit churches and other houses of worship to engage in political
campaigns."
-----------------------------------

TV PREACHER RESUMES POLITICAL CRUSADE

Pat Robertson Pushes House Bill Allowing Churches To Endorse Political
Candidates

Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Contact:Joseph Conn or Rob Boston
202-466-3234 telephone
202-466-2587 fax
http://www.au.org

January 7, 2002 - Only a month after Pat Robertson resigned from the
Christian Coalition and promised to devote his time to religious ministry,
the TV preacher has returned to hardball politics.

On his Christian Broadcasting Network show today, Robertson promoted a
House bill that would revise provisions of federal tax law and allow houses
of worship to endorse political candidates. The measure, H.R. 2357, has
been introduced by Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) and has 110 cosponsors,
almost all of them Republicans.

Appearing as a guest on Robertson's "700 Club," Jones urged the program's
estimated one million viewers to contact their House members and pressure
Rep. Bill Thomas, chair of the Ways and Means Committee, to schedule a
hearing on the bill in March. Jones said the measure was drafted by the
American Center for Law and Justice, the legal arm of Robertson's
religio-political empire.

The push for the Jones bill comes in an election year when control of
Congress is up for grabs. In recent weeks, White House political
strategists have expressed concern that evangelical Christians did not vote
for Bush in 2000 in expected numbers. The Jones bill and Robertson's
enthusiastic support for it may be part of a move to spark GOP endorsements
by conservative churches in the 2002 and 2004 elections.

Robertson made the partisan character of the Jones bill clear. Railing
against the "draconian" character of federal tax law, Robertson said on the
show, "As it is now, if somebody comes out and says, 'I support George
Bush,' theoretically the IRS can come in and take away their tax exemption."
Robertson's attempt to change federal tax law and prod America's churches
into partisan politics comes only four weeks after his Dec. 5 announcement
that he was quitting as president of the Christian Coalition to push
national revival and "focus on those things that will bring forth the
greatest spiritual benefit."

Robertson's critics were not surprised at his quick relapse into partisan
politics.

"This leopard will never change his spots," said Barry Lynn, executive
director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "Robertson
is as interested in winning votes for the Republicans as he is in winning
souls."

During today's show, Robertson charged that Americans United has sent a
"scare letter out to churches which was filled with misinformation" about
involvement in politics. In fact, Americans United has simply provided
accurate informational materials to church leaders about the kinds of
activities that are allowed and forbidden under federal tax law.

Said AU's Lynn, "Robertson will never give up his dream of forging churches
into a partisan political machine. If that dream ever comes true, it will
be a nightmare for America. Both religion and government are harmed when
the two are recklessly mixed."

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington,
D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the
importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

---------- end text ------------

Of course, Religious Right organizations are fully supportive of this
bill.  The see what they are saying about this bill, go to
http://congress.cwfa.org/cwfa/issues/bills/?bill=49935 .

EQUAL PARTNERS in FAITH is a multi-racial national network of religious
leaders and people of faith committed to equality and diversity. Our
diverse faith traditions and shared religious values lead us to affirm and
defend the equality of all people, regardless of religion, race, ability,
gender, sexual orientation or gender identity. As people of faith, we
actively oppose the manipulation of religion to promote inequality and
exclusion.

Join us and help us promote a more inclusive vision of religion and society.
http://www.us.net/epf/SupportEPF.htm

Equal Partners in Faith
5 Thomas Circle
Washington DC 20005
1-888-304-5831
1-202-797-0111 (fax)

website: http://www.us.net/epf/index2.html
email: epfnational at aol.com

Circulated by Laura Montgomery Rutt,
Director
EPFNational at aol.com