Diocese of Portland asks for more money to fight Marriage Equality

LOL....they are going broke already...
poor poor bigoted church cults...LOL

God forbid they use the money to help abused kids, or feed the hungry or FIX thier divorce rates!!

I know this church and they are not paying taxes to the IRS or the state. Yet they are claiming tax expemted status. this is a very politically active church that uses the pulpit to fight gay righs.

I still don't understand how they can retain their tax-exempt status with this type of activity.
The following is taken directly from the IRS site.
"In general, no organization, including a church, may qualify for IRC section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation(commonly known as lobbying).
Legislation includes action by Congress, any state legislature,
any local council, or similar governing body, with respect to acts, bills, resolutions, or similar items (such as legislative confirmation of appointive offices), or by the public in a referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional amendment, or similar procedure. It does not include actions by executive, judicial, or administrative bodies.
A church or religious organization will be regarded as attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative
body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation."
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf
Sorry, but it's a bit lengthy.
Can anyone explain this to me? Seriously, is there someone with knowledge/education in this area that can provide an explanation?

Askew Obsfucation wrote:

Can anyone explain this to me? Seriously, is there someone with knowledge/education in this area that can provide an explanation?

They retain their tax exempt status because of the ambiguity of what actually constitutes "a substantial part of their activities". Since the Diocese can point to the claim that the money being pumped into this is not coming directly from the church's pockets, but as a result of special collections for this purpose and thus not having an effect on their exempt activities, the question becomes one of how the IRS claim that their involvement violates their tax exemption? While they are clearly engaged in "lobbying" does it constitute a "substantial portion of their activities"? As far as I know, no church or religiously affiliated organization has ever lost their status as a result of this provision of the law.

Why should Protestants like myself, and other Non-Catholic Americans, be forced, thru civil law, to live by Catholic rules ???

The Roman Catholic Church is EVIL.

And it's UN-AMERICAN.

Rick in Kansas wrote:

<quoted text>They retain their tax exempt status because of the ambiguity of what actually constitutes "a substantial part of their activities". Since the Diocese can point to the claim that the money being pumped into this is not coming directly from the church's pockets, but as a result of special collections for this purpose and thus not having an effect on their exempt activities, the question becomes one of how the IRS claim that their involvement violates their tax exemption? While they are clearly engaged in "lobbying" does it constitute a "substantial portion of their activities"? As far as I know, no church or religiously affiliated organization has ever lost their status as a result of this provision of the law.

Thanks for the info, Rick.
The "substantial part test" provided by the IRS doc even includes such factors as the time devoted by paid and volunteer workers.
I wonder just how often this issue has been challenged. Perhaps the issues of time and money it would take to mount such a challenge has been a deciding factor in persuing these organizations. Think I just found a new research project for myself.

Askew Obsfucation wrote:

<quoted text>
Thanks for the info, Rick.
The "substantial part test" provided by the IRS doc even includes such factors as the time devoted by paid and volunteer workers.
I wonder just how often this issue has been challenged. Perhaps the issues of time and money it would take to mount such a challenge has been a deciding factor in persuing these organizations. Think I just found a new research project for myself.

LOL..they say gay marriage is bad for society
They say gays adopting is bad for the children

Well here are a very few recent headlines
out of the thousands currently being reported:
This is how straight people are dealing with marriage and children...and you are worried about US?:

ND woman arrested after son found in freezing temp. ND woman arrested after son found in freezing temp

Toddler locked in car 'while mum played pokies'

Children found starving in hotel bathroom improving

Man accused of stepping on child's head, also abused mother

6 Alamo ministries kids to stay in state custody

Former Regent assistant dean, wife guilty of child sex abuse

Diocese appears to break Church pledge of openness - using First Amendment to hide details of child abuse crimes

Mom of bruised, bloodied boy arrested in Ariz.

'Librarian' of child sex archive pleads guilty

Man pleads guilty to planning girls' tourture

Soldier Accused of Abusing Stepson

Father Pleads Guilty To Child Abuse: Admits He and His Wife Starved Their Children and Abused Them By Withholding Water.

Fla. Woman Allegedly Puts Baby in Oven

perhaps you should be looking elsewhere for people to DENY rights to.
gays are NOT the problem!

Am wondering when all churches who get involved in politics will loose their tax exempt status. Wonder when they have to start paying taxes how many will have to close their doors. With all the money the catholic churches are having to pay am surprised they can come up with more money.
I hope and pray Maine keeps the rights for the GLBT community to marry.

So taking money to promote hate and inequality is more important to the Catholic Church than providing for services in the communities it serves.

Ahh...prejudice and bigotry in the name of Christ!
Once again, brought to you by...the Roman Catholic Church!!! How can any person with brains be part of that organization!!?!?!

mixed wrote:

So taking money to promote hate and inequality is more important to the Catholic Church than providing for services in the communities it serves.

Of course. Have you never wondered why they never sell any of the Pope's jewels or antiques or artwork to raise money? Or manuscripts from the Vatican Library?

It never fails to amaze me how many churches cry poor-mouth and spend so much on material property. Look at the congregations leaving their National Church bodies. They sue to try to take the money and land with them. But we're supposed to believe they are focused on "spiritual matters"?

You sound/seem to be the perfect candidate to infiltrate these *holes and bring them down from the inside. Hmmm...MSNBC style.

You can submit a complaint to the IRS and request they dig deeper into their tax exemption status.

It's pretty easy. Just fill out the one page form, and you can do it anonymously.

Here is the complaint form - http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13909.pdf

Property taxes are collected at the county level.

Shouldn't the public petition the counties to investigate and collect taxes on church properties?

I'll be voting against gay "marriage".

Janice wrote:

I'll be voting against gay "marriage".

well janic you go ahead - so since u r - and seems nothing can change your mind...you dumb c...nt....you prove education is not a priority in america today..ever hear of Alice Paul? Probably not, cause you're dumb....she fought to Obtain women's RIGHT to VOTE 89yrs ago...and who fought against women gettting that right...Men and the Church, that right hon....according to them, you were supposed to shut up and let men run the show...you are obviously a stupid,worthless woman...and please, do not have kids...you are poison!

and another thing Janice dear....good thing I dont know u - Id wanna slap the crap outa u....u obviously do not know gay people, or if u do - u pretend to be thier friend....u disgust me... chk out on youtube a gay cpl raising 2 children, they are called depfox "Gay Family Values" ..tho it sounds liek a stupid biatch like you is not worth the time and effort...
http://www.youtube.com/watch...

Janice wrote:

I'll be voting against gay "marriage".

and another thing Janice..its Marriage Equality..not gay Marriage...we don't call heterosexual unions - hetoersexual Marriage.

I am a devout Catholic. Our faith is based on love, caring and tolerance for all human beings. Shame on Bishop Malone for opposing the values that he is suppose to teach and uphold..Is this what he wants people to believe that Catholic church is about?

Janice wrote:

I'll be voting against gay "marriage".

LOL..why?..going for the world record by increasing the "straight" marriage debaucle
to a 90% divirces rate?