Turn "Activist Churches" into the IRS

I wanted to let the IRS how I felt about the Episcopal church losing their tax exempt status. I went to www.irs.gov and clicked on "Contact Us" There before me was a link to report suspected tax fraud activities. So my mind went into overdrive. What if we turn in these churches that were involved in Justice Sunday? What is sauce for the liberal should be sauce for the fundies. What do you think? Here's the link to that page

http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/article/0,,id=106778,00.html

Let me know what you think....

n/t

.. i will take part.

One Nation Under God Action Center
http://www.renewamerica.us/commandments/links.htm

Here are the churches and organizations that are the mose egregious violators; these groups should lose their tax exempt status first.

Unlike the Episcopal church in question, the rightwing nutso churches actually have been crossing the line. Crossing the line? Obliterating it.

if they're going to target anti-war churches they they should target every stinking fundie church that hands out voter guides and preaches politics from their pulpits. No holds barred here, let's go for it.

Either they have to treat both sides the same or shut the fucking IRS down (which I'm in full favor of!).

Especially churches that are nothing more then fronts for political parties.

I say do it.

have some basis in scripture for being anti-war.

that should lose its tax exempt status. Last fall, I heard through the grapevine that the preacher said that the only vote a true xian could make was for shrubito. He also preached sermons about how going to war was the right thing to do. If that is not activism, I don't know what is.

I wonder what kind of evidence the IRS would want? Covert videotaping perhaps?

I guess I'm going to have to attend. Yechh.

it really burned me up when I heard that church's were putting bulletins denouncing the Ohio Voting Reform Issues as coming from the people who are destroying America's morals, etc. This is not only factually incorrect, but morally and ethically wrong, and they should not get away with it.

I'm interested in helping with this if I can.

It was a blatant attempt to exert political influence. The scope of "Justice Sunday" was MUCH wider than a stance on a single issue (anti-war). It was a massive, coordinated attempt to seize control of the Judaical branch of the US Government.

****

Freedom From Religion Foundation
http://ffrf.org

The Age of Reason
http://www.ageofreason.org

Secular Web - infidels.org
http://www.infidels.org

Council for Secular Humanism
http://www.secularhumanism.org

Secular Coalition for America
http://www.secular.org

American Athiests
http://www.atheists.org

I think if a religious organization is SO involved with political activity that they get to meet with a senior White House adviser to be reassured that a nominee to the Supreme Court is "OK", that should disqualify them from tax-exempt status.

American Atheist Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Filing on Dobsongate
http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/court40.htm

I'm not sure if this has actually happened as reported above. Someone might want to check.

Principle of equal enforcement of the law still applies.

If that doesn't count, and a simple anti-war sermon does...we have a serious hypocrisy situation going on.

Well, either the government gets serious about enforcing the law in regard to the tax status of these churches. Or all churches lose their exempt status.

That is, after all, the law of the land. Get out of politics, or lose your tax status.

There are definately some churches who are guilty of politicising their services and need their exemption revoked, but I suspect the IRS is not going to do an damn thing without some kind of proof.

I hate to sound like a legal stickler here, but I would think, if you really want anything done, you're going to need copies of "How to Vote flyers", links to a Church web site that shows blatent political statements, and a screen print of that web site info just in case they decide to change it before they're caught.

A lot of emails to the IRS complaining aoubt many churches is going to be ignored as ramblings of LW whiners.

we need to know what the legal line is and what proof they need. I live in Alabama and hear horror stories about what is said from the pulpit all the time, but could I prove it?

hell, just turn on your iPod and plug in a recording device. hit record. blam, done.

if they say anything just bend the truth a little, "your words are so inspiring i want to keep them and listen to them again."

they don't have to know that the inspiration comes from turning their ass in to the IRS...

in this age of massive amounts of recording devices there's no lack of means to obtain "proof."

prove fraud by a church?? :shrug: Maybe we should only target the Justice Sunday churches since they are the most blatant. I looked on the IRS website and didn't see what they needed to investigate a church for political activities.

Please see my Daily Kos diary entry "On the tax exempt status and political activites of churches" regarding the legal issues... here's the link: http://www.dailykos.com/user/ElaineinIN

sorry to pimp my diary, but its kind of long and right on point.

What do you need for an IRS referral? Well, I would say that for a slam dunk, you want written or audio/visual evidence of someone affiliated with the church saying vote for (fill in your republican candidate here). Policy positions (anti abortion, anti gay marriage), which we all think of as political, aren't "political" for purposes of Section 501(c)(3)---its got to be involvment in a political campaing, which means voting. Also, get context in which the statements were made. A pastor will argue that he was speaking as an indivdual and not as a pastor--hard to believe if he's speaking from the pulpit on Sunday am.

I would send these to the Cincinnati office of the IRS, which is where most exempt organizations work is done and use the word "Referral". Try not to be partisan... only facts, and just the facts. I know lots of people here think that the IRS is looking the other way, but having dealt with them a great deal, I can say that the vast majority are public servants working hard to do the right thing, and they hate charities that break the law, right or left. The upper levels in Wash may be partisan, but most of your IRS agents really aren't. Also, we may here of high profile media stories about this church or that, but remember the IRS can't talk about inidividual taxpayers. I think I remember a report from them indicateing that they got over 200 reports of political activity in the 2004 election cycle, pursuant about 135, and those were pretty evently divided with slightly more Republicans.

For the discussion that the IRS uses to train its agents, called an IRS EO CPE text, see here :freak: :

on "electioneering" by Section 501(c)(3) orgs:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopici02.pdf

and on setting up an affiliate to do you political activities for you:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopics00.pdf

and the rules applicable to most of those affiliates:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicl03.pdf

For the discussion that the IRS uses to train its agents, called an IRS EO CPE text, see here :freak: :

on "electioneering" by Section 501(c)(3) orgs:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopici02.pdf

and on setting up an affiliate to do you political activities for you:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopics00.pdf

and the rules applicable to most of those affiliates:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicl03.pdf

to help with this.

No doubt lightening will strike me but oh well - gotta go sometime-
and this is the best reason i can think of to go to church.:evilgrin:

Hell, I think I'll do it tonight. Phelps is a total asshole and he should have got what's coming to him a long time ago.

"Render unto Ceaser those things which are Cesar's". Yep, sorry Phelps, but God DOES hate Tax Cheats.

You could file a Qui Tam suit on behalf of the IRS for tax fraud... could be interesting.

Remember who controls Congress, the White House and the Judiciary.... the Repukes. The IRS probably has its marching orders to turn on any church that so much as utters a word contrary to the Bush Bible. I'm sure this "action" was taken to try to dampen and suppress liberal free speech in churches across the country. Until there is a change in Washington nothing will happen to the wacko nut-case churches on the right. I wish it weren't true.

just a thought.

I have a feeling that if Arnie's props pass in Cali, and Kaine loses in Va., it will be because blatant electioneering turned out masses of voters from churches whose members are among the "religious" Right.

I'm sure if we all called Ken Blackwell, he'd give us his list.

And what about Vision America ($800K backing from an anonymous donor)?

I like your idea alot. I have been thinking of a way to hit the policy makers of the church without insulting the people in the pews.

Hit those bastards where it hurts--their fat fundie wallets! :evilgrin:

Remember, it's only them librul churches that should have their tax exempt status revoked. Right wingers can do anything they want. (James Dobson waves his Free Pass card around like a sword)

Sigh.