... from a New York church, a federal judge ruled March 30.
U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman said the IRS acted lawfully
when it removed tax breaks from the Church at Pierce Creek (see
link #1 below), in Binghamton. He rejected the church’s charge
that the IRS violated its religious freedoms and engaged in
selective prosecution.
...During the 1992 presidential campaign, Church at Pierce Creek,
a nondenominational congregation, placed full-page newspaper ads
that said candidate Bill Clinton "is promoting policies that are
in rebellion to God's laws." The ads warned Christians "not put
the economy ahead of the Ten Commandments."
...The IRS’ two-year investigation concluded the church had
violated the federal tax code. It prohibits churches that claim
exemption from taxation from taking sides in election campaigns.
The IRS ruled that the church no longer was entitled to the
exemption, and revoked its tax-exempt status in 1995.

#1.  http://www.religiontoday.com/Archive/NewsSummary

Reprinted with permission from Religion Today, http://www.ReligionToday.com."

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