Local fundi church under fire at last

For some time, the Spirit One Church on Highway 96, North of Wichita, has been used as a staging ground for anti-abortion activities, a platform for fundamentalist politicians and a platform for a number of conservative causes, supported by the church as a stable institution of the far right. Recently the building was struck by lightning during a thunder storm (a porno shop across the street survived the storm unharmed).

Now the church has bigger problems as area activist have pushed for the IRS to review the church's political activities and decide if they are abusing their tax-exempt status by blatantly taking part in political activities.



On Fri, Jun. 01, 2007:

VOTER GUIDES, MARQUEE MESSAGES
IRS questions church's activities
BY BRENT D. WISTROM AND JOE RODRIGUEZ
The Wichita Eagle

The IRS has contacted a Wichita church about whether it has violated rules that prohibit churches from engaging in most political activity, the church's pastor said Thursday.

Pastor Mark Holick of Spirit One Christian Center, 1515 E. Harry, said the IRS sent him a letter last month asking him to respond to questions about political activities at the church.

Those activities include the pastor's involvement in distributing voter guides and messages on the church's marquee critical of candidates and their stances on abortion.

Under IRS tax code, churches and nonprofit groups are prohibited from some political campaign activities, including endorsing candidates and contributing money during active elections.

Groups that violate the ban risk losing their nonprofit status.

Michael Devine, IRS spokesman in Kansas, said he could not comment on specifics about the church's situation because of IRS privacy codes.

Holick said he submitted his responses Thursday, the final day he had to respond to the IRS.

On Thursday, he said he was disturbed by the IRS' inquiry.

"It's a clear violation of the First Amendment, the free exercise of religion, the free exercise of speech," said Holick, one of the most outspoken abortion opponents in the Wichita area.

He scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. today at his church to discuss the issue.

Holick said the letter raised 31 questions.

The IRS wanted to know if former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline spoke at Spirit One about elected officials and whether he asked the church to support his campaign. Holick said he answered no to both questions.

Holick said the IRS wanted information about four statements posted on the church marquee, how long they were posted, when they were posted and what the cost was. He said the four statements were:

• Morrison accepts blood money from abortionist Tiller. How many babies??

• Canfield supports life and traditional family, Barnett does not.

• Paul Morrison early release of felons. Reginald Carr multiple murders.

• Abortionist Tiller has given $300,000 to Sebelius. Price of 1,000 babies!

During the heat of the campaign last November, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said: "The governor has never received money from ProKanDo and has not a single donation from Dr. Tiller in her race for governor. These claims are totally false and made-up numbers."



There is a suspicion that one person filed a complaint that the IRS has finally acted on. This is not the first time someone has filed such a complaint. I personally have done that myself, but nothing was done about it. Perhaps the IRS has finally had enough complaints from citizens that if felt compelled to do something after all this time. If the fundies want to spend so much of their time and money attaching the left and secular politicians then the least they can do is pay taxes as the rest of us do. It looks like Spirit One may finally have to.