IRS Agent: Keep Faith to Your Self

The scandal surrounding the targeting of Christian and conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service has taken a new twist.  A non-profit pro-life group in Texas has released an audiotape conversation in which an IRS agent berated the group for its religious activities. 

The group Pro-Life Revolution has been seeking approval of its tax-exempt status for more than two years.  In March of last year, its President, Ania Joseph, recorded a phone conversation with IRS Exempt Organization Specialist Sherry Wan. 

In that conversation, Wan told Joseph that “prayer and evangelization at abortion clinics” was neither an educational nor charitable activity. 

“You cannot force your religion or force your beliefs on somebody else…You cannot reach out to a woman…I don’t believe you need the right to do this.” 

Wan’s lecture to the pro-life leader included the statement that opposition to abortion is motivated by “blind, emotional feelings.” “You can’t put something on a website and ask people to take action against the abortion clinic.” 

Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, says that the latest revelations are the most disturbing accusations to come to light in the IRS scandal. 

“The IRS is a tax collector–it shouldn’t be allowed to be the speech and belief police.  The current scandal has exposed the abuse of power that characterizes this agency and threatens our fundamental freedoms.” 

“The power to tax is the power to destroy,” Stanley adds.  “We cannot allow the IRS to ruthlessly dictate against legitimate non-profits simply because it does not approve of the organization’s mission.”