So a Pentecostal Church in South Carolina has put up a sign asking if Obama and Osama are brothers, and our outrage has caused it to be taken down.
Story:
The sign in front of a small church in a small town is causing a big controversy in Jonesville, S.C.
Pastor Roger Byrd said that he just wanted to get people thinking. So last Thursday, he put a new message on the sign at the Jonesville Church of God.
It reads: "Obama, Osama, hmm, are they brothers?"
The pastor took the sign to his congregation who unanimously approved it, Fox news has reported.
UPDATE II: Push-back works, folks. Thanks. Ken Bell of the Central Church:
We, too, deeply regret such a disgraceful display. . . As soon as we found out about it, the pastor was instructed to take it down immediately. Unfortunately, the hurt had already been done.
MORE ACTION NEEDED: The church mistakenly confuses "humming" with "hmmming" and all of us avid hummers are deeply offended. Please send your complaints to:
Church Number and Address
(864) 674-6843
621 Forest Street Jonesville, SC 29353
State office for denomination:
864.963.4751 (Extension 102 for the "State Overseer", Thomas Propes)
adminbishop@sccog.com
National office:
kbell@churchofgod.org
(423) 472-3361
I cannot find the number for the local church as it's not on the website, but please list it in the comments if you can find it, and REC this diary so we can get some pushback.
The Bob Jones University case makes it clear that this sort of activity may jeopardize the church's tax-exempt status. Here is the information to file a complaint with the IRS.
Filing a Complaint with the IRS:
A referral of an exempt organization may be made by submitting Form 13909, Tax-Exempt Organization Complaint (Referral) Form, downloadable from IRS.gov.
Form 13909 and any supporting documentation may be submitted in a variety of ways. They can be sent via:
• Mail to IRS EO Classification, Mail Code 4910DAL, 1100 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75242-1198,
• Fax to 214-413-5415, or
• Email to eoclass@irs.gov.
Submission of Form 13909 is voluntary.
Thanks!