- Federal judge Paul L. Friedman of Washington, D.C., has upheld a 1995 decision by the Internal Revenue Service (CT, June 19, 1995, p. 47) to revoke the tax-exempt status of the Church at Pierce Creek in Conklin, New York. The congregation ran full-page newspaper ads in USA Today and the Washington Times warning Christians against voting for Bill Clinton, calling such an act a sin because of the then-presidential candidate’s pro-abortion rights, pro-homosexual rights record as governor of Arkansas. The decision marks the first time a church has lost its tax-exempt status over partisan politics. Friedman noted the ad sought tax-deductible donations in fine print.
- Circuit Judge Susan Schaeffer sentenced Henry J. Lyons, 57, to five and one-half years in prison on March 31 and ordered him to repay nearly $2.5 million to the National Baptist Convention, USA. Lyons resigned as president of the denomination, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, on March 16 after being convicted on state charges of grand theft and racketeering (CT, April 5, 1999, p. 13). Lyons will be sentenced in federal court on June 18 on five federal charges. Meanwhile, former National Baptist official Bernice Edwards pleaded guilty March 25 to two federal tax-evasion charges. She will be sentenced September 13.
- Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) launched a $7 million promotional campaign March 31 for The Book, a repackaged New Living Translation of the Bible published by Tyndale House. CBN founder Pat Robertson, 69, says the “Bible reading is cool” campaign, which will include television commercials featuring gospel, rock, rap, and country and western singers, is designed to reach 10 million new Scripture readers. Tyndale is paying royalties to CBN to defray the marketing costs.
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