LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY inkedgeekfreak)

According to Fox News in Orlando Florida State Rep. Robert "Bob" Allen, of Merrit Island, was arrested on second degree misdemeanor charges for soliciation for prostiution. In a move right out of George Michael's life, Allen solicited an under cover cop for a blow job while in a public bathroom. It was the cruising in and out of the bathroom that caught the cops attention.

Beyond the usual reaction of oh a ranking government official got busted there's a little more going on here. This entire story is reminiscent of Ted Haggard. Allen received as score of "A" from the Christian Coalitions 2005-2006 scorecard. His voting record proves he's very conservative, even against property rights. He agreed with the Christian Coalition 92% of the time. Ironically he was the author of the failed HB 1475 - Lewd or Lascivious Exhibition act. In addition to this Allen sought mandatory life without parole sentences for those designated as sexual predators.

Most of the articles I have read do mention his widely spread anti-gay rhetoric although his PR is spinning that he never took that stances.

I don't know if this is for humor but his recreational activities are listed as water sports

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY velvetpage)

Is the Christian Coalition dying because it's too centered on two issues to respond to its members?

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061124/23654.htm

In light of first the DefCon America call for people to report dominionist groups violating tax exempt status and a later report of at least the second serious threat against Focus on the Family's tax exempt status, I would like to present both a bit of useful info and history and a very long list of groups that you, too, can file complaint in regards to.
( First, the history )

A brief note on the whole 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 stuff...the US tax code allows specific exemptions to federal taxes for certain classes of nonprofit organisations. To make a very long story short, the three main types of nonprofit groups legally recognised under the US tax codes are 501(c)3 groups, 501(c)4 groups, and PACs (political action committees). Both 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 groups can be set up as nonprofit groups; 501(c)3 exemptions tend to be used by churches, schools and educational groups whilst 501(c)4 groups tend to be used by actual lobbying groups. (Of note to Dark Christianity, dominionist groups typically register as 501(c)3 groups, and typically under the "religious ministry" or "educational foundation" exemptions (with the exception of groups like the DeVos Foundations, which are organised as private charitable foundations). The very few dominionist groups registered as 501(c)4 groups are uniformly registered as "social welfare organisations".)

The main difference in practice between a 501(c)3 and a 501(c)4 in practice:

501(c)3 group donations *can* be counted off on taxes as "tax deductible donations" but 501(c)3 groups generally are not legally allowed to engage in most political activity. (Certainly not advocating certain persons or certain parties for election, even certain issues can be iffy if it's a party-defining issue)

501(c)4 groups have more leeway as far as lobbying in Congress and state governments but donations to these groups are *not* tax deductible.

The specific IRS rules for lobbying for 501(c)3 groups are here and the rules for 501(c)4 "social welfare" groups are here.

Of special note (and of major import for dominionist groups)--groups that lose their 501(c)3 status as a result of lobbying *cannot* apply for 501(c)4 status; they lose their tax exempt status period. (Christian Coalition had changed their status to 501(c)4 just before the IRS yanked their tax exempt status, and it was only after almost seven years before it was restored; even now, they're essentially on "double secret probation" with the IRS.) Also, 501(c)4 groups can't have political lobbying as their *primary* activity (which is much of what got the Christian Coalition in trouble, and what may even get the few dominionist 501(c)4 groups in hot water).

Instead of the 1040C or other business-related tax forms that are normally filled out, organisations that qualify as 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 groups fill out a different form, called a form 990 or form 990-PF (the latter mostly applies to 501(c)4 groups); churches are largely exempt from having to register or file a form 990 (it's "assumed" they're tax exempt unless they show misbehaviour like, oh, distributing blatantly partisan dominionist voter's guides in sermon).

This is important in relevance to the next section:
( Form 990 filings and tax exempt statuses for lots of dominionist groups )

I know there are probably dominionist groups I've not listed there--if you've additions, let me know and I can add their tax info (and you can have fun reporting them for their misbehaviour!).

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY gairid)

I have some questions--I don't want anyone to think I am being disingenuous here, I really want opinions and, if possible, links to anything that might shed light upon my questions.

dogemperor, you have been so very helpful as well as forthcoming regarding your upbringing and what you had to endure, as have others on this extremely informative and erudite group.

Anyway, here goes--these leaders of dominionist groups, Jim Dobson, Ted Haggerd, Jerry Falwell, etc.--what's the real story on them personally? Do they really believe what they are selling or are they in it for the power/money? Are there sources for first hand accounts of what these people are really like?

What about the pastors or whatever they call themselves that some of you are personally acquainted with?

(more behind the cut, so as to not clog up the page!)

( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY nagisa_kaworu)

NEW YORK After news broke that local law enforcement officials were investigating complaints that Louis Beres, longtime chairman of the Christian Coalition of Oregon, had molested three female family members when they were pre-teens, The Oregonian in Portland went out and interviewed Beres' family members.

Two told reporters that Beres, indeed, had molested them. All three said they have been interviewed for several hours by detectives.

"I was molested," said one of the women, now in her early 50s. "I was victimized, and I've suffered all my life for it. I'm still afraid to be in the same room with [Beres]."

The coalition led by Beres, 70, champions socially conservative candidates and causes. Its Web site describes the group as "Oregon's leading grassroots organization defending our Godly heritage." The group opposes abortion, gay rights, and stem cell research. It is affiliated with the national Christian Coalition, which was founded in 1989 by television evangelist Pat Robertson.

More here: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001263321

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

From Yahoo news

Reed Makes First Run for Office in Ga.

By DICK PETTYS, Associated Press WriterSat Jun 18, 2:46 PM ET

For two decades, Ralph Reed made his mark as a squeaky-clean political operator and a driving force behind the Christian right. Now he's trying to get himself into elected office amid allegations he raked in money from the same gambling interests he once called "a cancer on the American body politic."

The former organizer for the Christian Coalition and adviser to presidential campaigns is seeking to become Georgia's first Republican lieutenant governor since Reconstruction, a largely powerless post that could serve as a stepping stone to higher office.

The election is still more than a year away, with incumbent Democrat Mark Taylor vacating the seat to run for governor, but already Reed is raising money and assembling a team.( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Sometimes one has to read the materials of the adversary to understand their real motives. I've been doing a bit of that this morning. Here's some stuff I found:

The Christianization of the Republican Party

It's clear that this political party was targeted long ago. Here's some material that is three years old, but shows some of that they plan:

The huge influx of Christians has provided Republicans an ever-growing pool of the volunteers they lacked for decades; it has also helped establish Republicans' recent fundraising advantage over Democrats (one reason Democrats and leftist Republicans want to strangle them through campaign finance "reform"). Now Christians' power is beginning to catch up with their influence; and with vision and leadership, that trend could well produce a Christian-led Republican Party by the end of the decade.

Could that party lead America? Yes. But to succeed, there is a lot Christians still have to learn: how to take and keep the offensive; how to articulate one (and just one) unified vision that's saleable to the broader conservative majority; and, perhaps most importantly, how to build a national coalition and hold it together over time.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Here's the Coalition on Revival website. Quite a bit of interesting -and chilling- reading there.