Americans United Files IRS Complaint Against Arkansas Church
by Lateefah Williams*, 10/22/2008
Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed an IRS complaint against Word Outreach Christian Center in Little Rock, Ark. AU alleges that Bishop Robert Smith endorsed John McCain and Sarah Palin in an Oct. 12 Sermon.
Smith's sermon was part of the Sept. 28 "Pulpit Freedom Sunday" initiative organized by the Alliance Defense Fund. Smith was unable to deliver his sermon on that date, so he postponed it until Oct. 12. Smith's church is the eighth church that AU has asked the IRS to investigate as a result of "Pulpit Freedom Sunday."
The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, said that "Bishop Smith knowingly and flagrantly violated the law and has even dared the IRS to investigate him for it. I hope the federal tax agency promptly takes him up on that."
For more information on "Pulpit Freedom Sunday," click here.
