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http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/07/antiwar.sermon.ap/index.html (http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/07/antiwar.sermon.ap/index.html)

Church: Anti-war sermon imperils tax status
Officials say IRS has warned church over pre-election message

Monday, November 7, 2005; Posted: 9:30 p.m. EST (02:30 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- The Internal Revenue Service has warned a prominent liberal church it could lose its tax-exempt status because of an anti-war sermon a guest preacher gave on the eve of the 2004 presidential election, church officials say.

The Rev. George F. Regas did not urge parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena to support either President Bush or John Kerry, but he was critical of the Iraq war and Bush's tax cuts.

The IRS warned the church in June that its tax-exempt status was in jeopardy because such organizations are prohibited from intervening in political campaigns and elections.

The church's rector, J. Edwin Bacon, told his congregation about the problem Sunday.

"It's important for everyone to understand that the IRS concerns are not supported by the facts," Bacon said.

Bacon later said he chose Sunday to inform the congregation because Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in attendance and because he believes a decision from the IRS is imminent.

He called the IRS threat "a direct assault on freedom of speech and freedom of religion."

An IRS spokesman in Washington declined to comment Monday, saying he could not discuss particular cases.

Some All Saints members said they feared the 3,500-member church was being singled out for its political views. . . "

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http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/07/antiwar.sermon.ap/index.html (http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/07/antiwar.sermon.ap/index.html)