Taxation & Estate Planning

Watchdog Group Reports Minister to IRS

By Darrin Mish

Watchdog group the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State reported Reverend H. Wayne Williams for endorsing a political candidate from the pulpit in Washington D.C. But the outspoken minister was far from intimidated. At a rally in Rapid City, he roared, ?Keep your cotton-picking hands off my freedom, you can?t have my freedom,? with his fist thumping the podium.

Rev. Williams had encouraged his congregation at Liberty Baptist Tabernacle to vote for state Senator Gordon Howie (R-Rapid City) for the Republican nominee for governor in the election held June 8. As it turned out, Howie finished fourth among five candidates.

Americans United filed an official complaint with the IRS against the minister and his church two days after the elections, claiming that the minister had violated federal tax law that granted tax-exemption to churches.

At the rally themed ?On the Right Side? held at the Ramkota Inn and Convention Center, Rev. Williams, Sen. Howie, Rev. Scott Craig of the Bighorn Canyon Community Church in Rapid City, former KOTA news anchor Shad Olson took turns to speak to encourage conservative Christians to influence politics, pastors and the media. The 75 or so people in attendance gave their support with cheers, claps and ?amen?s. Another rally of the same kind was held in Sioux Falls.

The various speakers at the rally encouraged the bonding of the Christian church with politics. Rev. Williams pointed out that the Founding Fathers were conservative Christians and were active politicians at the same time. He also brought up the many references to God in the US historical documents. Rev. Craig also described how Jesus engaged with the politicians of his day. Sen. Howie said he was disappointed with the voter turnout on election day for the Republican primary. He further reiterated that the only way for Christians to bring righteousness to the government was to voice their opinions. He made a call to action at the rally.

Although he lost in the election, Sen. Howie was satisfied that his campaign had brought to the fore important issues like abortion, education and illegal immigrants. At the rally, he encouraged the audience to take and pass out the latest edition of ?On the Right Side? a 4-page publication produced by the Senator himself. The first edition of the publication featured articles by the ministers Williams, Craig, Sen. Howie and Olson. Olson is the host of his own program, the Shad Olson Show. Speaking at the rally, Olson bemoaned the current state of the media in America. He compared today?s news articles with the 3 to 4 page articles in the newspapers of the 1700?s. He also praised the language used by the Founding Fathers and expressed his dissatisfaction with text messaging.

Fomer KOTA anchorman Olson was suspended by the broadcast station in April after he spoke at a tea party rally in Rapid City. He resigned in May and started his radio show.

Watchdog Group Reports Minister to IRS is a post from: IRS Tax Problem Solver Blog - IRS Help

Full post as published by IRS Problem Solver Blog on June 27, 2010 (boomark / email).