We’ve known for a while now that when churches make political statements from the pulpit — like on “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” — the IRS hasn’t been pursuing them for violations of their tax-exempt status as they should be.

The reason? Because no one at the IRS is in charge of the issue.

Now, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is suing the IRS (PDF) for not doing their job. (How’s that forpayback?)

[…]

The most jaw-dropping part of FFRF’s lawsuit has to be this:

The preferential tax-exemption that churches and other religious organizations obtain, despite noncompliance with electioneering restrictions, amounts to more than $100,000,000,000 annually in tax-free contributions made to churches and religious organizations in the United States.

Read more . . .

h/t: Planet Atheism

Opinion: Churches Shouldn’t Be The Next Super PACs (boston.cbslocal.com)

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE: Andrea Stone / “R. Martin Umbarger, [Indiana] National Guard General, Accused of Ethics Violation for Endorsing Christian Group”

Posted on 08.20.2012 by AlwaysQuestionAuthority

The head of the Indiana National Guard recorded a fundraising video for an evangelical Christian organization — an act that violates the constitutional separation of church and state, a watchdog group argues, and that is grounds for dismissal, one of the nation’s leading military law experts says.

In the video, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard, endorses Centurion’s Watch, an Indianapolis-based sectarian Christian nonprofit that offers marriage counseling to military families. The video was first noted by freethoughtblogs.com.

RELIGIOUS PARODY: Neal Starkman / “Devils at the Door”

Posted on 07.23.2012 by AlwaysQuestionAuthority

As soon as I opened the door and saw the two men standing there, each with a backpack, one holding a book and the other a magazine, I knew I should have ignored the knock. But it was a slow afternoon, so I thought I’d play along.

Of course, based on their age, their clothing, and their general demeanor, I could tell immediately who they were. Who else but scientists would be in their 60s, wear lab coats on a beautiful spring day, and crack nary a smile? I slightly raised my eyebrows, letting them know I was open to their pitch but warning them that my patience was limited.

“Good afternoon, sir,” said one of the men, without smiling. “We’d like to talk to you about something that’s important to all of us – especially these days.”

“And what might that be?” I said, not moving from the doorway.

“The value of science, of rationality, and of the pursuit of truth. The absolutely essential quality of asking questions wherever the answers might lead. And the resistance to supernatural dogma.”

“I see,” I said. “And why is this important to me?”

Continue reading . . .

h/t: Planet Atheism
h/t: Mike Daniels