Written by Pastor John Kirkwood
“Please explain in detail the activities at these prayer meetings. Also, please provide the percentage of time your organization spends on prayer groups as compared with the other activities of the organization.” – Internal Revenue Service
How often do your members pray? What is the nature of your prayers? The IRS posed these and other questions to certain tea party and religious groups who were seeking tax-exempt status. After the delays, the intimidation and the Stasi-like interrogation; many of the organizations just gave up.… Continue Reading
Protesters gather in front of Sullivan’s office late last year
to protest his support of marriage redefinition.
Written by David E. Smith
Despite promises to conservative members of the Illinois House Republican Caucus, Minority Leader Jim Durkin on Monday selected state Rep. Ed Sullivan, Jr. (R-Mundelein) to the Illinois House Republican Leadership Team. Representative Sullivan will take the spot left vacant by JoAnn Osmond who recently retired.
“Ed Sullivan has done a great job as one of our floor leaders and is always eager to help members of our caucus,” said Durkin.… Continue Reading
Written by IllinoiwReview.com
U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-Linconshire) is very upset about the U.S. Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision and now is asking those who agree with him to sign a petition in protest.
Most online people realize a petition is simply a ploy to build a database for the November election, but Schneider’s outreach on the topic clearly affirms he is more concerned about protecting government-funded birth control than protecting his constituents’ religious freedoms.
The same is true of his colleague U.S.
…
Continue Reading
Written by Beth Rogers
This is in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision involving Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties, which have sincere religious objections to providing insurance coverage for items that can destroy a human life at its earliest stages.
These family-owned Christian businesses contended that the Affordable Care Act mandate violated its First Amendment right to freedom of religion.
For more than 40 years, the Green family of Hobby Lobby has run its business on Christian principles and sees the business as an extension of the family.… Continue Reading
Written by David E. Smith
In response to the recent Supreme Court decision in favor of Hobby Lobby, Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced that he will introduce a bill that “requires all corporations using this Supreme Court decision to deny or limit contraception services to disclose this policy to all employed and applicants for employment.” U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) also responded by promising that Democrats “will continue to fight to preserve women’s access to contraceptive coverage and keep bosses out of the examination room.”… Continue Reading
A new Gallup poll shows that Illinoisans are the most unhappy residents in the nation, with one out of two hankering to leave – and one out of five seriously planning to move out.
Why Illinoisans so unhappy?
The numbers show Illinoisans point to work/business and weather/location, followed by quality of life, as the top three reasons they want out.
In the same poll, Gallup asked state residents how likely it is they will move in the next 12 months.… Continue Reading
Written by David E. Smith
Bruce Rauner, a venture capitalist from Winnetka, was asked asked by a reporter about his positions on the social issues: same-sex marriage and abortion. In the video below, Rauner dodges the question on same-sex marriage by saying that the issue should be put to the voters. On the issue of abortion, Rauner doesn’t flinch: “I am pro-choice.”
It is hard to believe that any pro-life voter would consider supporting a candidate that supports the death and dismemberment of unborn children.… Continue Reading
Written by Nathan Cherry
Have you ever read a voter guide or perused a legislative scorecard? Maybe you are one of the many Americans that have helped with a voter registration drive because you believe every citizen should be involved in electing their lawmakers.
The question is does everyone have the right to perform these tasks?
Putting together a voter guide or organizing a voter registration drive seems fairly mundane. Few people or organizations bother with it because it’s a straightforward activity that leaves no room for subjective opinion.… Continue Reading
Written by David E. Smith
Treasurer Dan Rutherford is being accused of sexual harassment by a male employee in his office. This same employee suggests that Rutherford has made unwanted sexual advances on other male employees in the Treasurer’s office as well. These allegations are deeply troubling and an indictment on his character, but Rutherford continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Yet, when considering that Rutherford voted as a state senator in 2005 to make homosexuality a civil right, then voted in 2010 to pass homosexual civil unions, and is on record saying he does not support a state marriage amendment — we are led to think that the unmarried Rutherford may not be completely forthcoming about his sexual proclivities.… Continue Reading
Uncategorized | David E. Smith | 
July 10, 2014 5:00 AM | 
Comments Off on For the President and His IRS: A Parson’s Prayer 
