Crossroads pastor's letter hints at politics

[naaman fletcher]

EVANSVILLE — A letter written on Crossroads Christian Church letterhead and signed by Senior Pastor Ken Idleman suggests fellow clergymen talk up Republican congressional candidate John Lee Smith.

"That is why I am writing to you today. Not so much to ask you to endorse this man from the pulpit (which I understand we cannot do and retain our tax-exempt status), but to suggest some actions that you could take as a church body to help this man and others like him," according to Idleman's letter, which was sent this week.

Idleman's letter praises Smith, who is one of the 5,000-member church's elders, as "the type of Christian leader the Christian community could be proud to have as a representative in Congress."

Among the actions Idleman suggested was to "encourage your leadership to spread the word about this man to friends, neighbors, and co-workers by word of mouth and the Internet."

Idleman said the letter, which he called "not a public letter," was mailed to a handful of area pastors at his personal expense.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2010/apr/22/pastors-letter-hints-at-politics/?partner=popular

The government should not have a preference in religion, which is why religion's should be treated like any other organization. I don't think taxing the churches would be that big of a deal, so long as they are not making any big profit. Money raised for charitable endeavors could easily be raised into a separate affiliated charity.

If I have a business selling, say, pool cleaning I will get taxed. If I have a business fleecing people out of their money and calling it religion, I don't see why I shouldnt also be taxed.

[Initech]

1. Unacceptable. They should lose their tax exempt status regardless.

[LibertyLover]

2. He crossed the line by writing on church stationary

IRS rules prohibit letters of endorsement printed on the letterhead of the church, not just endorsements from the pulpit. The letter reads to me like an endorsement. It doesn't matter that he paid for the postage. I hope that he gets reported and the IRS investigates.