Is anyone suing to challenge tax status of the GOTV churches yet?

[0rganism]

From what I've been reading, it's apparent that many church parishes, Catholic and Evangelical, have been engaged in some pretty blatant candidate endorsements. That is sufficient grounds for them to pay taxes.

If these alleged followers of Christ like preemptive wars so very much, it's time for them to start picking up the tab.

[cheshire]

1. I believe they are exempt but shouldn't be.

[0rganism]

2. They are exempt only if they follow the rules of tax-exempt organizations

Among those rules is candidate neutrality. Tax-exempt organizations cannot distribute voting guides that endorse candidates, let alone directly advocate on a candidate's behalf from the pulpit.

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. All churches should be taxed

Maybe give them breaks for education programs and programs for the needy, that sort of thing, but otherwise they should pay property taxes, just like the rest of us. Then they can talk politics all the want and it wouldn't be illegal.

[vetwife]

4. Being turned in as well as other Tax exempt org who violated !

They are being turned in !

[0rganism]

5. Excellent! Do you have any urls for news stories about this?

It's so farkin' illegal, what they've done...

If the republicans are going to attack the NAACP, then it's about time we hit back.

[Eloriel]

15. Here is one of the most important websites

and organizations (IMO) on this issue:

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State:

http://www.au.org

I haven't kept up with them recently, but they ARE hot to trot on this issue. Barry Lynn, Exec Dir, is both an ordained Presbyterian minister and an attorney. They do great work and are definitely worthy of our support (membership used to be $25/year and their monthly newsletter alone was worth that price). They've often teamed up with ACLU and/or PFAW to bring lawsuits, and have indeed filed complaints with IRS against various churches, etc.

[0rganism]

17. Excellent! au.org confirms the CC voting guides are a direct violation

I've read multiple accounts of priests/reverends/ministers/whatever handing them out IN THE CHURCHES. Time to take them down a notch.

[leftist.]

6. !!! Thank you SO MUCH for posting this!

I've been trying to post all day asking this very question!!! (Is DU not allowing people with low post counts to start new threads???)

Anyway, keep this kicked!!! Thanks again!

[almostallhere]

20. i think they recently increased the # required to start new threads

[Wols]

7. If you guys think that this fundamentalist Christian administration

is going to let the IRS go after conservative Christian churches I have a bridge I'd like to sell you. Yes, they broke the law, just as many black churches have no doubt done. Yes, they should have their tax exempt status taken away. But there's no way it's gonna happen. This IRS has decided to go after the NAACP but not Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. Is anyone surprised? I predict any lawsuits filed against these right wing churches will go nowhere. Hope I'm wrong. Separation of church and state would be a neat concept.

[eriffle]

8. it won't stick

they would have to have someone on tape saying vote for candidate X. from personal experience what they said was vote for the candidate that supports outlawing abortions, or saying a vote for a pro-choicer is a vote to go to hell. they can then explain the issues of the candidate, but as long as they don't say vote for bush they're inside the letter of the law. i work in the tax-prep industry (college job, studying to be an accountant) and these people are savvy. they know what to do, and not what to do. they may be able to nail some fire and brimstone preacher in podunk america, but any of the mega churches, or in my case the catholic diocese of west virginia, know how to get their message across and stay within the tax code.

[0rganism]

11. Like you say, there is some subset of the ministry who have fucked up

They should be held duly responsible.

As for the rest, you're right, they know how to work the system. But I would still see grounds for a challenge insofar as "vote for the candidate that supports outlawing abortions" is about as candidate-neutral as saying "vote for the incumbent candidate from Texas whose name rhymes with tush."

[Straight Shooter]

9. And it's time to make tithing a requirement of church membership

They want to quote Leviticus and all that garbage, those "convenient Christians," they can pay their damn dues to the Lord.

"Lip service evangelicals," just like their (mis)leader bush.

[YouLiedTheyDied]

10. Does anybody think a couple steps ahead?

Do you forget WE go into churches as well... let's not cut off our own noses to spite our faces! My lord, you realize that whenever you ask the government to investigate something you become part of the investigation as well? We ask them to look at Republican churches, how many African American churches are going to get harassed in the process. Neither side should be in churches looking for votes and we do it too! Let's get ready for the midterms and take the Senate back before all the courts get packed!

[0rganism]

12. Hey, if we're doing it, we should damn well stop

If the ministers in black churches are telling their parishoners to vote for a candidate instead of an issue, then they should be paying taxes too. Fuck it. Let's do this thing, and let the chips fall where they may.

[JI7]

13. the problem is they will go after the minority churches

and they will leave the white ones, especially the white right wing churches alone.

[0rganism]

14. Then we sue the enforcers for equal protection violations

Look, we have about 2 years before the next set of elections, and about 1 year before the judiciary is hopelessly stacked against us. Do you want to fix this problem or let it fuck us up in 2006, too?

[Eloriel]

16. Right on, on all counts

If we want Separation of Church and State, then we want it everywhere.

It just occurred to me: THIS is what Bush is aiming at (or one thing) with his "tax simplification" plan. Because, obviously, the separation of church and state where it comes to elections is implemented via our tax code. THey definitely want to do away with that. We CAN'T let them.

[marlakay]

18. Great thread I was thinking of this yesterday

I said to my husband if the churches are registering voters and telling out right people who to vote for and sending their people flyers about it in the mail they should loose tax exempt status, that would hurt them.

They would have to check on it though to be fair to the ones who didn't do it.

[pdx_prog]

19. Yes.....I posted something about this the other day

it is illegal for them to engage in political issues.....but as long as they don't mention candidates it is ok.