THE POWER TO DESTROY

Baptist Temple rejects militia's intervention Church 'disappointed and grieved' at group's plan for 'unsolicited actions'

 

© 2001WorldNetDaily.com -Jan 20, 2001 - Members and friends of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple immediately rejected a local militia's public announcement yesterday that it has moved about 50 members to the area in preparation for an impending seizure of church property by U.S. marshals.

"Steps have been taken and we are ready to respond if something does happen," militia commander Roger Stalcup told the Hoosier Times.

Militia members are staying with sympathetic families in the area, he said, and come from the Southern Indiana Regional Militia as well as the Greene County Militia, currently under the command of Stalcup's wife, Janice.

"It's my opinion that if you've got people in that church and the U.S. marshals go in, anything can happen," Roger Stalcup told the local publication. "Dixon (the church pastor) has asked that no one be armed, but he doesn't know if they are or not. And if someone with an ax to grind fires the first shot, that could turn bad."

Stalcup said his group would only step in should the situation escalate.

"I never planned to challenge the government when it came to taking the church," he said. "I just don't want to see anybody get hurt."

The church, known as IBT, is set to be seized by the U.S. Marshals Service for not withholding certain employment taxes from employees' paychecks, leaving individuals to decide whether or not to pay the taxes due. About 60 church employees passed IRS audits. But the agency determined the taxes should have been withheld and paid by the church, not individuals, and successfully sued the Indianapolis Baptist Temple.

As reported by WorldNetDaily, the Indianapolis Baptist Temple stands by its convictions that a church and its property belong only to God. However, what individuals choose to do with the money they receive from the church is their own decision, says IBT's attorney Al Cunningham.

"The pastors and congregation of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple, in no uncertain terms, repudiate all efforts of the Southern Indiana militia, under the leadership of Roger and Janice Stalcup, to aid the church in its ongoing struggle for religious liberty. The church is relying totally and completely upon the Sovereign God of Heaven for His protection and safety," church officials wrote in a statement yesterday.

"We are disappointed and grieved that the Southern Indiana Regional Militia is attempting to interfere at this juncture by announcing unsolicited actions which, if undertaken, will discredit and subvert IBT's effort to restore religious liberties by appeal to the Congress and with the president of the United States in a peaceful and nonviolent manner," the statement continues.

Church members and supporters have occupied the church 24 hours a day for the past 68 consecutive days -- since federal Judge Sarah Evans Barker ordered church property seized in November.

The church has been in constant communication with U.S. Marshal Frank Anderson and plans to enter the sanctuary for prayer once the seizure begins. A date for the seizure is still unknown. However, the procedure has been choreographed by the church and the marshal's office. Some occupants will walk out voluntarily, while others will be escorted. Those who wish to be carried out will be located at the front of the sanctuary. At no time will violence be employed by protesters, IBC officials maintain.

"IBT has great respect for Marshal Frank Anderson and thank (sic) him for displaying great patience and restraint in this tragic event that has occurred in the history of America," says the church's statement. IBT sympathizer Mike Anderson is a pastor from Iowa who has been in Indianapolis for the protest since November with his wife and two grown daughters.

"We had absolutely no idea these folks were going to be in town," he said of the militia. "We've got women and children here," he told WND. "We just want to glorify Jesus Christ. We don't want any violence here."

[ http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=21418 ]

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