Baptists Laundering Money in Oklahoma

The Oklahoman is reporting that a political action committee has received $100,000 from the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO). The money is allegedly funding a media campaign against a referendum on gambling.

Over the past few weeks, BGCO has been collecting an offering from its 1700 churches to fund a "Moral Issues Campaign." Few Baptists realized that the money was filling the coffers of a political action committee run by Republican State Representative, Forrest Claunch. Claunch is a member of First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, OK. (For a glimpse of the role of First Southern Del City in the takeover of the SBC, click here and count how many prominent takeover leaders have ties to this church.)

Churches and Conventions are free to support or oppose legislation and referendums. They place their tax exempt status in jeopardy when they endorse and/or distribute funds to politicians and political parties. Donations to political action committees are questionable.

For the record, Mainstream Baptists do not advocate legalizing gambling. Neither do we condone laundering donations to political action committees through conventions or churches.