Unitarians win Texas case (tax-exempt status)

Posted on Sat, May. 29, 2004




RELIGIOUS TAX EXEMPTION


Unitarians win Texas case

Associated Press


The state of Texas has reversed a decision to deny tax-exempt status to a Unitarian Universalist church because of its teachings.

The state comptroller's office originally ruled that Red River Unitarian Universalist Church in Denison was not a religious organization for tax purposes because it ``does not have one system of belief.''

Church officials said it was the first time in U.S. history that a state had denied tax exemption to the Unitarians because of its teachings.
(snip)

The Unitarian Universalist church grew out of two Christian religious movements: Unitarians who believed in the unity of God and Universalists who believed in universal salvation for all.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/religion/8781187.htm?1c

SOMEBODY HAS COME TO THEIR SENSES!!!!

pagans, Satanists...

The law doesn't get to play favorites.

As a public school teacher, I have heard this exact idea used by some christians to support the separation of church and state-run schools; if you let religion into the classroom, you'd have to let the "wrong" religions in, too.

I would love to see, in my lifetime, a cultural mindset in which all roads to enlightenment were honored. I would love to see human civilization evolve to the level at which they could leave the mindset demanding only one "right" way behind.

They are few religions, UUism being one, that accept the idea that there can be more than one "right" way.

Just the basic idea that Christians feel that all non-Christians don't just not go to heaven, but that they go to hell creates an "our way is the only way" mentality. While there are Christians that rationalize that a "good person" like me won't go to hell, that's based on their personal feelings (and discomfort), not on the Bible that they base their faith on.

"There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day" (John 12:48)."

There even Christians that believe that Catholics ARE NOT Christians because, among other things, because Mary and the saints are strong figures in their religion as well as Jesus. Talk about being close minded!

Why not the UU's. The UU's are a natural union. The Unitarians thought they were to good to go to Hell. The Universalists thought that God was too good to send anyone to Hell. ... When UU's get to the Pearly Gates they get three choices: Heaven, Hell or Discussion Group. Three cheers for the UU's. ... ( All comments courtesy of a UU seminarian).

The players in this drama just made their bones with the Religious Right.

Welcome to the Council for National Policy! (The CFR of the "Rectal Right.")

--bkl

This is the church my father's family were in and I started in, then we went to the Congregational church. These churches just seem to liberal for the 'right' wing nuts.I thought we got over this when we became the USA.

I was appalled and angered to hear that these nitwits even tried to do this. This news restores my faith in the legal process (somewhat).

Although we're very open and accepting of many faith journeys, we UUs essentially believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people and in the interconnected web of all life. From these two foundations grow our belief in democracy, reason, spirituality, social justice.

I know these values are alien to Robertson, Falwell, etc., but this represents a belief system to me and thousands of other UUs.

www.uua.org

I was raised in the UU church here in Texas and I was just disgusted that Strayhorn would treat us with such disrespect. I think the fact that we perform marriage ceremonies for gay couples had something to do with it, but as for being creedless, I guess the fact that we "believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people" is just not enough of a creed for her. And it's not like we haven't been around for a while. We've been in North America for almost 200 years and the roots of Unitarianism (non-trinitarianism) go all the way back to early Christianity and a break from those that adhered to the Nicene Creed.

I'm preparing to move to Austin in a couple of weeks, and I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to make an appointment with Ms. Strayhorn and bring her a stack of books on Unitariansm and its rich history.

Im a UUer as well and this upset me very much.

That was bullshit and didn't have a Constitutional leg to stand on, if it had passed it would have been another BIG step toward their theocracy where THEY get to determine that true religions are ONLY the religions they think are valid.

UU is a great church!
They're the only religous group I would ever belong to.
I have a question.....wasn't one of our forefathers a Unitarian Universalist? I thought I read something about this once.

John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Paul Revere, Daniel Webster,

http://ga.essortment.com/whoareunitaria_pbh.htm

Welcome to DU! :hi:

So it would seem pretty un-American to diss the religion of some of our most respected forefathers, eh?:crazy:

Whats great about it?

The fact that the Unitarians are back at square one and will continue to receive the SAME funding the fundamentalist Christian churches inhale at a 20/1 rate over Unitarians?

The Texas government who pulled this stunt should pay attorneys fees and any other damages incurred, NOT to mention sign an order blocking any further future attacks on the Unitarian or any other religious estblishment, that those bullies just dont like.

This is not a victory simply to have your rights remain, and could perhaps be vulnerable at future moments.

A victory would be to hit back at Carole Keeton and her good ole pals with legal action that would render them legally powerless as to ever to try this again.

Because more people are Christians.

unfairly scrutinized or ostracized in this society because of their beliefs.

It is those individuals and institutions who do not consider themselves Christian-affliated or Christian in practice who appear to risk any scrutiny, discrimination and/or isolation.

I considered myself a Christian for a very long time and I still hold elements of the religion that are dear to me.

However, it is instances like this that make me realize how such narrow-minded, simplistic, un-Christianlike behavior has become increasingly involved in much of the decision making in both our Government and religious institutions. This practice is biased, hypocritical and overall harmful to the overall good that ones faith is supposed to create and inspire.

:party:

There were cars in the parking lot with Kerry stickers on them. I doubt you will see that in many church parking lots!