“What Would Jesus Do” if he owed money to a collection agency? That’s one of several questions raised by a lawsuit filed in a Minnesota court. A Monticello debt collection company is facing a federal class action lawsuit because it sent out collections notices with a WWJD header. The case pits the religious rights of a small business against the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act which prohibits harassing, oppressive or abusive communication in debt collection procedures.

According to court documents, Bullseye Collection Agency sent a collection notice to Mark and Sara Neill that had “WWJD” at the top of the notice, which the Neills contend “has the effect of invoking shame or guilt in alleged debtors and ‘portray[s] the debtor as a sinner who is going to hell.’”

The Neills own Bureau of Collection Recovery, a rival collection agency based in Eden Prairie.

Bullseye is being represented by Liberty Counsel, a Christian legal outfit founded in part by the late Jerry Falwell. According to court documents, “Bullseye admits that ‘WWJD’ is a ‘business motto’ that should be interpreted as a reference to Jesus Christ.”

Liberty Counsel moved to have the case dismissed on the grounds that there wasn’t enough factual evidence. Liberty argues that the case is religious harassment brought about by a business competitor.

“WWJD is not illegal,” senior counsel Horatio Mihet said. “The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act forbids only religious slurs and insults, but does not prohibit courteous references to people of historical, philosophical or religious significance. Courts cannot be used to legitimize religious harassment. The big business bully thought it could crush its competition by pouncing on it with a lawsuit. Liberty Counsel will not permit that to happen.”

But Liberty Counsel’s motion to dismiss the case was rejected by Judge Joan Erickson, a Bush appointee. The case will be heard in district court later this summer.