Firetxmi
08-19-2007, 10:53 AM
Minister calls for death prayers over IRS complaint
Californian names 3 who filed case after he endorsed Huckabee
11:36 AM CDT on Friday, August 17, 2007
Associated Press
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A California minister who used church stationery and an Internet radio program to endorse former Gov. Mike Huckabee for president is asking his followers to pray for the deaths of those who filed a complaint against him with the Internal Revenue Service.
The Rev. Wiley S. Drake of First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, Calif., called for "imprecatory prayer" targeting Barry Lynn, Joe Conn and Jeremy Leaming of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
"The prayer does call for serious, serious punishment on people. But I didn't call for that, God did," said Mr. Drake, who completed a term in June as second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Mr. Huckabee is a Southern Baptist minister.
The Americans United for Separation of Church and State asked the IRS to investigate whether it was proper for Mr. Drake to endorse Mr. Huckabee. Churches that endorse candidates may lose their tax-exempt status.
Mr. Drake said in a telephone interview Thursday that neither he nor the church violated the law and insisted he could use church stationery and the Internet program to "personally" endorse a political candidate. He said the Bible calls for imprecatory prayer when someone "attacks the church."
On his Internet show, in a news release on ChristianNewsWire and in an e-mail to Americans United, Mr. Drake called on others to pray that the Americans United officials be punished.
He gave as examples of imprecatory prayer:
"Persecute them. ... Let them be put to shame and perish."
"Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow."
"Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg."
Americans United, a nonpartisan group based in Washington, D.C., asked the IRS on Tuesday to investigate whether Mr. Drake violated federal law by endorsing the Republican candidate on church stationery Saturday and on his Internet program Monday.
Nancy Mathis, spokeswoman for the IRS, said Thursday that the agency could not comment on specific taxpayers. She also would not confirm whether the agency received the request.
Alice Stewart, a Huckabee campaign spokeswoman, said the campaign did not coordinate with Mr. Drake on any of the material.
"We certainly don't condone the evil comments he's made," she said.
Link: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-ardeaththreat.ART.State.Edition1.41eff1d.html
Real cute! I guess they are in every religion,
Californian names 3 who filed case after he endorsed Huckabee
11:36 AM CDT on Friday, August 17, 2007
Associated Press
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A California minister who used church stationery and an Internet radio program to endorse former Gov. Mike Huckabee for president is asking his followers to pray for the deaths of those who filed a complaint against him with the Internal Revenue Service.
The Rev. Wiley S. Drake of First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, Calif., called for "imprecatory prayer" targeting Barry Lynn, Joe Conn and Jeremy Leaming of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
"The prayer does call for serious, serious punishment on people. But I didn't call for that, God did," said Mr. Drake, who completed a term in June as second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Mr. Huckabee is a Southern Baptist minister.
The Americans United for Separation of Church and State asked the IRS to investigate whether it was proper for Mr. Drake to endorse Mr. Huckabee. Churches that endorse candidates may lose their tax-exempt status.
Mr. Drake said in a telephone interview Thursday that neither he nor the church violated the law and insisted he could use church stationery and the Internet program to "personally" endorse a political candidate. He said the Bible calls for imprecatory prayer when someone "attacks the church."
On his Internet show, in a news release on ChristianNewsWire and in an e-mail to Americans United, Mr. Drake called on others to pray that the Americans United officials be punished.
He gave as examples of imprecatory prayer:
"Persecute them. ... Let them be put to shame and perish."
"Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow."
"Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg."
Americans United, a nonpartisan group based in Washington, D.C., asked the IRS on Tuesday to investigate whether Mr. Drake violated federal law by endorsing the Republican candidate on church stationery Saturday and on his Internet program Monday.
Nancy Mathis, spokeswoman for the IRS, said Thursday that the agency could not comment on specific taxpayers. She also would not confirm whether the agency received the request.
Alice Stewart, a Huckabee campaign spokeswoman, said the campaign did not coordinate with Mr. Drake on any of the material.
"We certainly don't condone the evil comments he's made," she said.
Link: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-ardeaththreat.ART.State.Edition1.41eff1d.html
Real cute! I guess they are in every religion,