Atheists Fight U.S. Churches

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, December 14, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

On October 11^th the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) filed a lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) asking the court to force churches and other religious organizations to file tax returns.

FFRP is an atheistic organization with a tax-exempt status and 23,500 members.  FFRF uses tax-exempt money to fight religious freedom, although the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protects that freedom.

The group is open about its goals.  They want all religious influence removed from social services, including adoption.  In health care, they want to make sure unborn babies can be aborted.  In education, they want no mention of God or scripture, and they want no Christian prayer in public schools.  In criminal justice, they want prison and rehabilitation programs to be God-free, and they want religious displays to be removed and banned from all public property.

An additional goal was identified in March 2011 when they co-founded the Clergy Project to support clergy that leave their faith.  Then, in 2012 they sued the IRS because churches and religious organizations are not required to file tax returns.  Four years later in 2015 they created another arm of their organization and called it, “Nonbelief Relief,” to provide charity to atheists, agnostics and free thinkers.  Atheists believe there is no God; agnostics believe humans cannot know whether there is a God; and free thinkers form opinions apart from tradition, authority or established belief.

After Nonbelief Relief’s tax exempt status was revoked, that arm of the FFRF filed its October 11^th lawsuit against the IRS, because churches and religious organizations did not lose their tax exempt status.

So, the issue will be decided in court and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is defending against that lawsuit.  On November 21^st, attorneys with ADF filed a motion on behalf of New Macedonia Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., asking the federal court to intervene on grounds that the government would be overstepping its constitutional bounds if churches were required to file IRS tax forms.

The FFRF began attacking religious freedom in 1976 and, as noted above, has expanded, systematically, since then.  If the atheists were to win their case, U.S. religious organizations, including churches, would lose their tax-exemption, and would be subjected to governmental red tape and interference.  This exemplifies the age-old un-ending battle between good and evil.  Pray that good prevails.  For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler your Capitol correspondent.

Cake Baker Sued, Again

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, September 14, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Masterpiece Cakeshop (sic) owner Jack Phillips is on the hot-seat again, despite the Supreme Court’s 7 – 2 vote in his favor on June 4^th.  However, that decision did not settle the fundamental question as to whether the government can coerce (force) businesses to discard their faith when doing business.  So, Jack Phillips is being targeted … again.

In June of 2017, Jack Phillips was asked by a transgender Colorado lawyer to bake a cake that was blue on the outside and pink on the inside to celebrate the lawyer’s birthday, which, also, was the seventh anniversary of the lawyer’s “coming out” as transgender.

Fast-forward more than a year to June 26, 2018.  That’s when the Colorado Civil Rights Commission decided there was probable cause that the Masterpiece Cakeshop owner denied the transgender lawyer “equal enjoyment of a place of public accommodation.”

Let me say this about that charge.  By using the words “public accommodation,” the Colorado Civil Rights Commission seem to equate Jack Phillips’ “private bakery,” which he owns and operates, with “public accommodations,” that are provided by government taxes.  According to Ballentine’s Law Dictionary, the legal definition of “public” is “belonging to the entire community.”  Jack Phillips’ bakery does not belong to the entire community, but Colorado commissioners seem to think it does. Continue reading →