IRS Investigates Wiley Drake

Wiley Drake, pastor and former Southern Baptist Convention second vice president, announced yesterday that he is being investigated by the IRS because of his endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. Last August, I reported for Ethics Daily that Americans United had filed an IRS complaint against Drake. Although Drake claims it was just a personal endorsement, he used church letterhead and resources to make it. In the article last August, I noted that Drake asked for Christians to offer 'imprecatory prayer' (or a cursing prayer) against AU's leaders. He explained to me about this prayer:

What matters is what does God's Word say? God’s Word says if they continue to attack God's people, God will cause their children to become orphans and their wives to become widows. I didn't say that, God did.

We will have to see if he makes similar threats against the lives of IRS agents now. Hopefully, he will learn his lesson and be more careful about his rhetoric. He needs to not only tone down the violence but also the focus on politics. Pastors should not make public endorsements--even if just personal ones--because it could drive people away from listening to the pastor's message about God. And we definitely should not be calling for God to strike people dead. Let us not create any other barriers between the love of Jesus and those who need that love.


UPDATE [2-16-08]: It seems that sadly Drake has not learned his lesson. He is once again calling for prayers for the deaths of AU leaders.