Prayerful Imbibers, Rejoice!
While I was editor of Gilbert Magazine, I often heard this topic bantered about: Was G.K. Chesterton a saint? I always thought to myself, "I don't know, but man, the guy liked to toss back the wine, as well as an assortment of other beverages. If he was a saint, there's hope for the rest of us drinkers."
Well, it looks like there might be at least a little bit of hope. "Scholars will soon meet in Oxford to discuss the possible Cause of G.K. Chesterton."
I'll have to remember to ask for his intercession the next time I suffer one of those unjustified hangover attacks, like the one I had last Saturday morning. If he can get one of those cured in short order, the Vatican's best devil's advocate won't be able to defeat him.
Related Links: GKC in WSJ and GKC at NRO.
Grappling with Goliath
Catholic Answers is taking on the IRS: "Catholic Answers is appealing for support for its lawsuit against the IRS. The suit, filed in April, is a response to an IRS ruling that Catholic Answers president Karl Keating violated tax law in 2004 by commenting in an e-letter in 2004 that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry shouldn't be receiving Communion because of his support for abortion. . . . 'Now, it's important to note that at no time did I or anyone at Catholic Answers tell people whom to vote for or whom not to vote for,' Keating said. 'We merely stated our view that pro-abortion Catholic politicians should not be allowed to receive Holy Communion.'
I'm not well-versed in the tax-exempt status vis-a-vis political issues, except I've formed enough 501(c)(3) organizations to know it's very touchy. The IRS Application for Tax-Exemption (Form 1023, if you care to download it and fall asleep) is filled with questions meant to find out whether your organization intends to influence legislation or elections. If it is, your chances of obtaining tax-exempt status wane. How much they wane, I don't know, but I wouldn't have thought it was a problem for Karl Keating to write (in 2004) that John Kerry shouldn't be allowed to receive Communion.
By analogy, I wouldn't have thought it was much different than, say, a sola scriptura preacher telling his congregation that John McCain's beliefs contradict the Bible. Okay, McCain's beliefs contradict the Bible, so what? Well, the implication is clear: the congregation shouldn't vote for him, but that doesn't strike me as the sort of political advocacy condemned by normal IRS standards. Is the IRS saying that non-profits can never point out which politicians hurt their causes? Environmental groups can't say that Republican X is for more drilling, which violates one of the group's tenets? Can a civil rights group criticize a candidate's civil rights record?
Aside: I'm curious to know whether the IRS is investigating any of the sermons and pamphlets put out in the Chicago inner-city during the 2008 election cycle.
Bring It, Edgar
This is one of those complaints I'll never understand: [A] Michigan Muslim organisation asked the US Justice Department to investigate complaints that the FBI was asking the faithful to spy on Islamic leaders and worshippers.
What do you care if someone watches you while you pray? You wanna send a spy to watch me during Mass? Go right ahead. You'll really rack up the federal crimes: refusal to hold hands with people during the Our Father, leaving church during the final hymn (usually, in the middle of fourteenth verse), looking at my watch during the sermon, telling my wife that "Kumbaya" has more sustenance than half the hymns we sing, etc. If those things trip Edgar Juniors' triggers, I'm happy for 'em. Come watch.
Interesting Fact
"The concentrate for 70 percent of Coca-Cola's 1.5 billion drinks served each day originates in the tax haven of Ireland, where enough concentrate for 50,000 Cokes costs $2.60–including labor. The concentrate's main ingredient? Caramel." Link.
