 | Michele Bachmann Used Church As Campaign Tool |
Part three of the kooky Michele Bachmann story takes the Bachmann for Congress campaign beyond the merely bizarre into the downright illegal.
In part one of the story of kooky Michele Bachmann, we learned that Bachmann, the Republican candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 6th congressional district, believes that women have a religious duty to be submissive to their husbands: The Lord says, “Wives, be submissive to your husbands!” Bachmann declared while giving a campaign speech.
In part two of the kooky Michele Bachmann story, it was revealed that Bachmann claims to be the representative of God in Minnesota’s 6th congressional district. Michele Bachmann says that God is on her side, and wants her to run for Congress because he has a special plan for her to become powerful. Bachmann says that, of all the places in the cosmos, God is right now focused on supporting her campaign. God called me to run for the United States Congress,†she says, “God has, with his own will, and his own plan, focused like a laser beam… he has focused like a laser beam on this race.”
Now comes part three of the kooky Michele Bachmann story, the part in which Michele Bachmann colludes with Reverend Mac Hammond of the Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota to break the law.
Pastor Mac Hammond transformed a religious church service into a partisan campaign appearance for Michele Bachmann, and even took to the stage to endorse the campaign of Michele Bachmann for Congress, telling church members that they had the religious duty to vote for Bachmann.
Hammond declared, standing next to Michele Bachmann on stage in front of his church, “I’m going to vote for Michele Bachmann!” Hammond preached, “It’s important, I said important, that we put men and women of God in office in our government, amen. I don’t want any more letters about church and politics don’t mix. If that’s your opinion then you need to get saved!”
I need to get saved, Mr. Hammond? Oh, no. You need to pay your taxes, Mr. Hammond, because you’re working for the Republican Party now, not for God. That’s what needs to happen.
All tax-exempt organizations, whether they are religious or not, are forbidden from engaging in electoral politics. It’s a simple, clear requirement for the privilege of not paying taxes. Reverend Mac Hammond broke that law when he transformed his church into a get-out-the-vote station for the Michele Bachmann for Congress campaign.
And will Mac Hammond receive money from the White House Office of Faith Based Initatives as a political reward for his campaigning for Michele Bachmann? Has he already done so? Oh, now there’s something to investigate…
Michele Bachmann and her supporters have shown that they do not have respect for the law. To the citizens of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and the members of the Living Word Christian Center, please think about this: Do you really want to be represented by someone who uses churches as tools in her own ambitious climb to power?
Do you find it credible when someone tells you that God is a Republican?
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Oh, but don’t you see, he didn’t know that it was against the tax-exempt code to do that. You can’t expect to know why it is that he can claim tax-exempt status. He’s the victim here. We should just forget it happened and let him go on doing the wonderful work he does…..
Oh, did I accidentally hold down the “sarcasm” key when I was typing? Opps!
Comment by Billy Buerger — 10/18/2006 @ 9:47 am
Pat McCurdy wrote an excellent song about God:
http://www.patmccurdy.com/cgi-bin/lyrics/view.cgi?God
I can’t find an audio recording, but it’s very good. There’s also a hilarious “Jesus Christ” song.
Anyway, Peregrin, you’ll love Pat’s songs, if you haven’t heard them already.
Comment by Bob S-K — 10/18/2006 @ 11:44 am
There’s also a good video online, though it goes on for two minutes too long, called, “Take Your Jesus Off My Penis”.
Thanks for the reference, Bob.
Comment by J. Clifford — 10/18/2006 @ 11:45 am
Patty Wetterling… How does Bachmann explain Patty Wetterling? Was Patty Wetterling called by Satan to oppose Michele Bachmann? Is that what she thinks?
Comment by Francesca — 10/18/2006 @ 6:27 pm
Gotta love Pat! It’s been way too long since I’ve been to a show of his. Maybe next weekend when I’m back in Milwaukee. Anyways, here’s a link for you:
Pat McCurdy - God.mp3
Or better yet in Ogg format
Pat McCurdy - God.ogg
Comment by Billy Buerger — 10/18/2006 @ 8:19 pm
That was hilarious, Billy. It did sound a little exagerated, but judging from comments of other readers (and the numerous links provided by IT writers) I’m beginning to believe those people really do exist. Thank God I live in a blue state.
Comment by Iroquois Honky — 10/18/2006 @ 11:33 pm
This is exactly why I left Living Word. Well, actually, it was after receiving a members mailing from Pastor Hammond requesting contributions for Bishop Keith Butler’s pre-campaign preparations for MICHIGAN’s Senate primary. Who knows how many U S candidates Pastor Hammond has endorsed, or how much money has been generated for GOP candidates through Living Word. It’s outrageously appauling and something should be done about it.
Comment by NeeCee — 10/21/2006 @ 1:58 pm
If anyone wants to see a decent background, following story on “The Chosen One”
City Pages has this: http://citypages.com/databank/27/1348/article14760.asp
Comment by Laurie O — 10/21/2006 @ 3:31 pm
I like how you put words in people’s mouths. I also like how you made it sound like Bachmann invited herself to that church, suggesting that she began the whole campaign on those grounds. It’s also very interesting that you’ve got no one to back up your views enough that your oppinions would get published in a local newspaper. Maybe that’s because they are too mushy and illogical. Maybe it’s because a truly educated man or woman could pluck apart your little article here, stabbing every faulty point you make with real facts. It’s so amazing that you are able to blabber on and on, rambling with your own agenda, obviously in support of another campaign *hint hint* - everyone is biased, whether they want to admit it or not. You obviously had something against Bachmann to begin with, since you started ripping her apart before anything even happened with the “church incident.” What Living Word said by INVITING Bachmann to come and speak was that they support what she is doing. Freedom of speech can still reign on, even if you don’t agree. Cut out the nonsensical, irrational, liberalistic jargonizing of events, and try putting down solid facts for once. Here’s a fact: You’ve just destroyed any chance you had of a positive criticism of your work by half, if not a higher percentage, of the population, including myself, and my family, and my friends. Good day.
Comment by Me Gan — 11/6/2006 @ 5:28 pm
The difference, Me Gan, is that we pay our taxes. Pastor Mac Hammond wants to have his cake (privileged tax-exempt status) and eat it too. Mac Hammond needs to shit or get off the pot. If he wants to use his organization to influence the government, his organization needs to pay taxes into that government like the rest of us.
If you, your family, and your friends find yourselves infuriated when someone calls Mac Hammond’s illegal and unconstitutional behavior into question, that’s very interesting indeed.
Comment by Jim — 11/6/2006 @ 8:25 pm
[…] Michele Bachmann’s epic fuckup in consort with Daddy Mac Hammond of the “Living Word” megachurch may well seal her Godly fate. Appearing onstage at one of Hammond’s religious “services,” Bachmann went over the top and hot for Jesus. […]
Pingback by The "R" Word? » Minnesota Realty Blog n News — 6/30/2007 @ 4:54 am
Michelle Bachman is the bomb! Start getting jobs all you left wing loonies!
Comment by Chuck — 11/18/2007 @ 7:54 pm
So, you approve of using churches as Republican Party campaign tools? Is that how you plan to get your job, Chuck? Working at the Living Word Christian Center as a Republican Party hack?
Comment by Fruktata — 11/18/2007 @ 8:30 pm
Wow, Chuck. Reasons? Please get off of Mrs. Bachman for a few and post something constructive to the argument.
Comment by The Animist — 11/19/2007 @ 12:10 am