While we were looking at Terri Schiavo #1

The Miami Herald notes that

The IRS has notified a Liberty City church that it is under investigation for possibly engaging in political activity -- putting its tax-exempt status into question.

The probe is related to an appearance last October by Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and several black leaders, including U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek of Miami, the Rev. Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

The reason for the investigation, an IRS official wrote in a 10-page letter obtained by The Herald, is that "a reasonable belief exists that Friendship Missionary Baptist Church has engaged in political activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status as a church."

Meek says this is not an isolated incident.

Meek, the statewide chairman of Kerry's failed presidential campaign, said the complaints came from outsider groups that may specifically be targeting black churches. He said two other Miami-area churches received inquiry notices last year, but declined to name them or discuss the probes.

"I would like for these groups to show their face. What they're doing is launching complaints against African-American churches in Florida, which is very unfortunate, and in some cases embarrassing for the institution," Meek said.

Speaking of the inquiry at a Palm Sunday service,

Rev. Gaston Smith took a break from the revelry and worship of Palm Sunday services to inform the congregation about the inquiry. He said visits by political candidates are nothing new, and that the 75-year-old church did not violate U.S. tax code, as suggested in the letter. He has hired former U.S. Attorney Guy Lewis to defend the church in the inquiry.

"This is not about politics. It's about principles," Smith said. Silence fell over the congregation as he spoke.

[snip]

Although both Smith and Lewis discounted that the letter was politically motivated, some in the audience did not. They wondered if similar letters were sent to any church that hosted President Bush.

Meanwhile, in Republican Hypocrisy Land,

The Bush campaign is seeking to enlist thousands of religious congregations around the country in distributing campaign information and registering voters, according to an e-mail message to a Pennsylvania pastor obtained by The New York Times.

Today's Bible lesson comes from John 8:7: And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."