By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
After suffering a bitter defeat at the hands of voters this month, gay activists in Maine are taking aim at the tax exempt status of churches that rallied their congregations to vote for a repeal of the state’s gay marriage law.
According to a report by Charisma News Online, Maine Marriage Equality, a gay activist groups, says 80,000 people have joined its online effort to report churches to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for advocating for “Question One”, the ballot initiative that revoked a gay marriage law passed by the legislature last spring. The measure passed on Nov. 3 with 53 percent of the vote.
Claiming the IRS “clearly forbids churches from participating in political campaigns in any form,” Maine Marriage Equality is providing complaint forms and contact information for the IRS at its Web site. The group also lists churches and organizations that campaigned for Question One along with major financial contributors.
“It’s no secret that the Catholic Diocese led the ‘YES on 1′ effort in Maine, among many other churches encouraging their congregations to vote ‘YES,’ handing out signature forms and collection plates during services, and constantly asking for ‘sacrificial contributions’ from churchgoers,” the group claims.
Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), told Charisma that the IRS almost always allows churches to support ballot initiatives such as Question One, and that the campaign by gay activists is nothing more than an “all-too-obvious attempt” to use the IRS to intimidate pastors.
“Pastors and churches have a right to speak about biblical truths from the pulpit without fear of punishment,” Stanley said. “They can encourage their congregations to take a stand for marriage and can directly support legislative issues like Question One without running afoul of IRS rules.”
The ADF is offering free legal assistance to any church the IRS targets.
“Groups that want to redefine marriage are intentionally threatening the tax-exempt status of churches through fear, intimidation and disinformation to silence their voice,” Stanley said. “ADF will stand with these churches to defend their right to free speech and religious expression against these baseless scare tactics.”
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