Frank
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June 1, 2004
Church's Tax-Exempt Status Threatened
by Steve Jordahl, correspondent Pro-homosexual group lodges complaint with the state against a Montana church that aired the "Battle for Marriage" satellite broadcast.
A Montana church, one of hundreds across the country to broadcast a pro-marriage TV special on May 23, has been threatened by a gay-activists group with removal of its tax-exempt status.
Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church in Helena showed congregants "The Battle for Marriage" — a video simulcast featuring Focus on the Family Chairman Dr. James Dobson and other pro-family leaders — and circulated a petition at the event calling for a state constitutional amendment supporting traditional marriage. Those actions rankled the gay-activist group Montanans for Family and Fairness, which lodged a complaint with the state's Commission of Political Practices.
The complaint alleges that what the church did "may … have implications for an organization's tax status." The commission has said it will investigate, but Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) attorney Gary McCaleb said the argument is without merit.
"The letter that was sent out by these far-left activists is outrageous," McCaleb said. "I think it's defamatory, and it's certainly an intolerant effort to suppress free speech."
Canyon Pastor B.G. Stumberg said his church is not intimidated. The commission is unable to affect a church's tax-exempt status on its own, but a decision against the church is the first step in stripping a congregation of its tax benefits.
"I don't think it's scaring us at all," he said. "It's sort of galvanized us, in one sense, (and) I think everybody's sort of saying, 'OK, let's go.' "
The letter was also sent to several hundred other Montana churches, an obvious attempt to make them think twice about addressing the issue of gay marriage. McCaleb said churches should press ahead, anyway.
"You certainly don't convert your church into a political committee," he explained, "when you speak out in favor of marriage."
The ADF, McCaleb added, would be happy to consult with any church that has questions.
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