Criticism of Parsley
Parsley is identified as a prominent player in the so-called dominionist movement by both TheocracyWatch and commentator Bill Moyers.
Some have also criticized Parsley for his recent book, Silent No More, because of the book's explanation of Islam and the view that the U.S. Constitution provides for a separation of church and state (among other social issues), and for his support of faith healing. Parsley supports that claim that Islam is an enemy of the United States and Christianity.
In January 2006, a group of 31 Columbus, Ohio, area pastors charged that Parsley and another central Ohio religious leader had violated federal tax laws. The complaining clergy alleged that Parsley violated the tax-exempt status of his church by supporting various political causes.
Parsley has since publicly stated that the Internal Revenue Service notified him in September 2006 that Reformation Ohio, an evangelistic organization named in the complaint, was in no jeopardy of losing its 501 c-3 status, and in 2008 also notified World Harvest Church that nothing improper was discovered.
Author Chris Hedges' 2006 book American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America quoted Parsley as using militaristic metaphors in a sermon concerning his critics:
| “ | The secular media never likes it when I say this, so let me say it twice. Man your battle stations! Ready your weapons! They say this rhetoric is so inciting. I came to incite a riot. ... Man your battle stations. Ready your weapons. Lock and load — for the thirty, forty liberal pastors who filed against our ministry with the Internal Revenue Service. ... Let the struggle begin. Let it begin in your heart today with a shout unto him who has called us to war — not only that, he has empowered you and I to win. | ” |
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