Democrat Patty Wetterling is running a great campaign against Republican Michelle Bachmann, and is ahead in some polls. At the Living Word Christian Center on October 14, 2006, Bachmann showed just what an uphill battle Wetterling faces. After her Pastor endorsed her during his sermon--contrary to IRS regulations for tax exempt entities--Bachmann then took center stage and told the congregation how God had called her to run for Congress.
The Church should lose its tax exempt status. Bachmann says she has ongoing conversations with God all the time. See the video below......
I found this on the Huffington Post.
As if we didn't know enough about how conservatives use religion to boost their political agenda along comes outright proof that the GOP is violating the law.
Here is a link to the video of the pastor "personally" endorsing Bachmann during a church service. The endorsement comes at the beginning of the video--the rest of it is Bachmann's recitation of how often God talks to her. Here is what the pastor said:
Pastor Mac Hammond: Amen. Now be seated again for a moment please. I have somebody special I want to introduce you to tonight. State Senator Michele Bachmann is with us and I'm going to ask her to come in in just a moment, and of course many of you know Michele, know of her pursuit of the United States Senate seat vacated by Mark Kennedy or Congressional seat vacated by Mark Kennedy's run for a United States Senate seat. Keeping all this straight gets to be challenging. But ya know we can't publicly endorse as a church and would not for any candidate but I can tell you personally that I'm going to vote for Michele Bachmann, because I've come to know her, what she stands for, and I want her to share her testimony with you tonight. Would you give her a warm welcome as she comes to share? Thank you Michele.
Here is another clip of Bachmann explaining how God talked her into running for Congress and how her race is the centerpiece of God's plans for the Country--megalomania anyone?
Here is an article explaining all--and how this endorsement from the pulpit is a violation of the law. A quote from that article:
An event last night at Living Word Christian Center, a large suburban chuch in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, featuring Republican Congressional Candidate Michele Bachmann could cost the church its nonprofit tax status as the event appeared to endorse Bachmann for office. A personal endorsement from the pastor of the church, as well as Bachmann's own statements in her speech, appear to have violated regulations pertaining to partisan politicking by churches. Bachmann is in a tight race with Patty Wetterling, a race that's at the top of most election analysts lists in terms of importance and competitiveness.
Churches that are tax exempt and file as a 501(c)3 organization are subject to most of the same rules that all other 501(c)3 nonprofits are subject to concerning political involvement: you must not show support for a candidate or political party. Just bringing a candidate for election to speak is risky business for nonprofits and churches. The best way to avoid the appearance of endorsement is to invite all candidates to the event or series of events. Equal time should be paid to all candidates to ensure implicit or explicit endorsement doesn't occur. Bachmann's opponents told me that they were not aware of any invites from Living Word having been sent to their campaigns.
This blatant law breaking should be publicized to the good citizens of Minnesota. Bachmann's manipulation should not stand. The Pastor believes religion and politics do mix and will not remain non-partisan:
I said important that we put men and women of God in office in our government. I don't want any more letters about church and politics don't mix. If that's your opinion then you need to get saved, because the bible makes clear that we are to have an effect on the world in which we live.
Update: Stand Strong has suggested contacting the Minnesota Attorney General's office below:
Minnesota Attorney
General's Office
1400 Bremer Tower
445 Minnesota St.
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 296-3353
800-657-3787
TTY: (651) 297-7206
TTY: 1-800-366-4812
Update II. Here is a link to another YouTube clip of Bachmann. In this clip she says she is hot! is now 50 and has been hot! since she was 16....