Little Old Man from Pasadena

As blogged here on 9 November 2005 and 16 December 2005, the All Saints Church in Pasadena was under audit by the Internal Revenue Service, the issue being whether, by dint of a single sermon by a guest preacher, the Church engaged in partisan political activity in violation of its tax-exempt status.

The IRS has closed its investigation of the Church, and the Church's attorney, Marcus Owens, now questions the procedures (or lack thereof) used by the IRS in the course of the audit. Having once been in the employ of the Service, I share Marc Owens's concern over the lack of accountability within the IRS (which Mr. Owens, having once occupied an IRS position far higher than my own, must also personally appreciate).

Now that the audit has been closed, Marc Owens's letter seems to be the ceremonial first ball in a brand new ballgame. There may well be repercussions on account of the IRS's laxity with the statutes and regulations.

I certainly have no affinity for the All Saints (Episcopal) Church as far as its religion or politics go. They are idiotarian moonbats, plain and simple. My concern is the behavior of the IRS.

Is the IRS justified in revoking the tax-exempt status of a church on account of a single sermon by a preacher? To that question, I will answer, with broad shoulders, a definitive "Yes!"

But if indeed the IRS seeks ensure that tax exemptions are only accorded to those entities which qualify, and which follow all of the rules (including the ban against political activity), then they have very fertile ground to plow in many American mosques, whose fare regularly entails preaching far more subversive and dangerous than the anti-Bush sermon heard at All Saints.

The IRS should stop picking on a little old man in Pasadena, and get down to the real business of the real tax money.