Last June Barack Obama addressed the General Synod of the United Church of Christ. The IRS believes that this speech was a violation of federal tax code preventing churches and other non-profit groups from endorsing candidates or political parties.
According to UCC General Minister John Thomas the church was careful to follow legal guidelines. Campaigning or campaign material was not allowed inside the venue. However Obama staffers were set-up outside the convention center. Obama was one of 60 speakers from an array of backgrounds including the arts, media, government, academia, business, science and technology. Obama has been an active member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago for over 20 years.
Obama’s speech is available on the UCC website.
Source: The Baptist Standard
The Dee Zone 
I am interested in taking a look at this speech. Thanks!
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Let me know what you think.
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The IRS is very weird about politicians and churches mixing. Separation of church and state, and all that. I can kind of understand their point generally speaking, but I will read Obama’s speech to see if I think it is a violation.
Yet at the same time they made a secret deal with Scientology, to allow people to write off the cost of their silly pseudo-science as religious education. However, no other religion can write off religious education.
It’s crazy. Who knows what the IRS is thinking.
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You can write off religious education if your are attending a private Christian college or seminary. I can’t remember the name of but it is some sort of education credit that is available for college education. I think this entire thing is because Hillary is jealous that her denomination wouldn’t invite her to speak at its annual convention.
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It took me longer than I thought, since the speech wasn’t in written form.
Obama is a dynamic speaker, I’ll give him that. I do think he probably did cross the line several times in that speech, though.
Let’s hope not, because the IRS can remove the church’s tax exemption status over it.
I can’t help but wonder if this is politically motivated. The Bush administration is still in office, after all, and I’m sure they’d like to make Obama and the Democrats look bad with elections coming up this year.
Of course, even if the UCC’s tax exempt status is revoked, the crazy “Church” of Scientology will be still be tax exempt. What a crazy, crazy world.
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Jimmy Carter taught Sunday School & spoke at the annual convention of his church. Of course that is the same church that won’t invite the Clintons.
Huckabee was however outspoken in the leadership of the same group. His willingness to publicly support an addition to the Baptist Faith & Message that were passed not following stated procedures. For the most part the BFM is a non-binding statement of beliefs. Since each church is autonomous, what happens at convention really is only the opinion of the delegates a that time. If he was willing to bend the rules on something like that what would happen on important things. Thankfully, he is out of the race.
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