IRS Complaint Against Catholic Church Long Overdue

http://news.yahoo.com/irs-complaint-against-catholic-church-long-overdue-211000669.html

IRS Complaint Against Catholic Church Long Overdue

By Donald Pennington

COMMENTARY | As is so often the case, it was ThinkProgress.org which caught my eye with the story of Bishop Daniel Jenky back-pedaling over a comment comparing President Obama to Hitler and Stalin. Oddly enough, both Hitler and Stalin tried to eradicate opposition of any and all groups which might oppose them, while Obama's efforts are in trying to guarantee equal access to birth control for all women, regardless of who their employers may be. So Jenky's mindless comments are specious at bet and dishonest at worst. 

Fortunately for women all over America, the Catholic Church's recent statements objecting to birth control access for their employees might have been the proverbial straw which broke the camel's back this time. As a non-profit, IRS rules state clearly, they are to steer clear of politics. According to a Chicago Tribune report, Jenky's comments - as well as similar comments from other church leaders - have bought the church a formal complaint with the I.R.S. In effect, the Catholic Church appears to be campaigning against President Obama being re-elected. This news follows closely to a report from the Independent last February of the Vatican being ordered to pay taxes to Italy. 

Before readers start griping about this complaint coming from "those dirty atheists," this complaint comes from one Reverend Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The complaint is simply this - If the Catholic Church wishes to get involved with politics, they no longer can be recognized as a charity. If the church wishes to partake in the political process, they should pay taxes just like everyone else. From my perspective, this has been a long time coming. Church leaders have interfered with too many aspects of life outside of their theology for far too long as it is. 

For all church leaders might know, any given female employee of any church-ran institution might not even be Catholic. So who is stifling religious freedom for whom? Perhaps this complaint - which the Catholic Church has obviously brought upon themselves - might serve as a lesson to religious leaders everywhere. Church leaders are free to enjoy the American freedom to sell religious dogma to their voluntary membership, and that's fine. But outside of the walls of those churches, they have no say over the rest of life.