A Washington, D.C.-based organization of Christian senior citizens is asking the U.S. Justice Department to look into what it calls harassment of churches in Missouri and Kansas. The Christian Seniors Association, which refers to itself as a Christian alternative to the AARP, is concerned with a group known as the MAINstream Coalition, which has sent so-called monitors into certain churches to watch for politicking from the pulpit. CSA Executive Director James Lafferty calls this intimidation and has asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate. Caroline McKnight, Executive Director of the MAINstream Coalition, does not expect anything to come of this request. McKnight says religious institutions give up their right to preach politics when they accept tax exempt status.
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