Maine's Catholic Church Double Collects In Order To Fund Marriage Equality Repeal

The Gay community in Maine needs to get together a petition to repeal tax exempt status from the RCC. They should gather enough signatures to get it before the public to vote. If anything, the RCC will spend money fighting to keep tax exempt status instead of taking away gay rights.

How is it the Church is still claiming tax-exempt status? They're in clear violation of the law. Oh wait, we live in America where our constitution means nothing. If it did gay rights would never be up to a majority's vote.

WCGay wrote:

The Gay community in Maine needs to get together a petition to repeal tax exempt status from the RCC. They should gather enough signatures to get it before the public to vote. If anything, the RCC will spend money fighting to keep tax exempt status instead of taking away gay rights.

You Can by filing 13909 form on IRS.gov
http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=178241,0...

There are a lot of churches that should loose their tax exempt. Maine should wake up and start going after these churches. The same for CA,UT or any state which these churches use their pulpit and money for political things.

In California in 2004 a liberal church in Pasadena only suggested that the parishoners vote for anti war candidates. Imagine that, a church preaching peace, and they ALMOST lost their tax free status due to restrictive IRS controls.
In Maine they should charge that horrible mess of a church DOUBLE taxes to make up for the extra money they collect. I am on the other side of the country from Maine, but I am going to send some money to the gay rights forces in order to push this through. Incredible, absolutely incredible.

They won't do anything to those churches, won't happen ever. Never has, never will. It's wrong for them to get away with it but the government is too afraid to do anything to a church unless children are being harmed.

Shadow Dragon wrote:

<quoted text>
You Can by filing 13909 form on IRS.gov
http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=178241,0...

Can one complete this and mail to the IRS or do you have to be from Maine? i live in PA and woukd love to send to my friends.

Parkview wrote:

<quoted text>
Can one complete this and mail to the IRS or do you have to be from Maine? i live in PA and woukd love to send to my friends.

anyone can file a cliam. I already did.
they are about to get inundated with them...LOL

when are we going to stop asking for approval and permission for our existence. Screw 'em. Just live your life as you please and tell them to go to hell.

They are never going to give us full equality. We have to take it.

I was looking to file form 13909 but noticed the IRS says that Congress has passed special laws to protect churches from being audited. It figures that Congress would be in the back pocket of the religious fanatics. I think we should just beat them at their own game and start the "First Church of Jesus Christ Homosexual" then no laws could be passed to keep gay people from marrying because it would interfere with "religious freedom"!

Here is some information from Publication 1828 from the IRS concerning churches and illegal activities:

"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.
Churches and religious organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public policy without the activity being considered as lobbying. For example, churches may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status."

It sure sounds to me like their activities are illegal!

Richie Haven wrote:

I was looking to file form 13909 but noticed the IRS says that Congress has passed special laws to protect churches from being audited. It figures that Congress would be in the back pocket of the religious fanatics. I think we should just beat them at their own game and start the "First Church of Jesus Christ Homosexual" then no laws could be passed to keep gay people from marrying because it would interfere with "religious freedom"!

lol..actually on facebook I started a group called:
"make gay a religion"
it was very popular!!

Dubya wrote:

Here is some information from Publication 1828 from the IRS concerning churches and illegal activities:
"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.
Churches and religious organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public policy without the activity being considered as lobbying. For example, churches may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status."
It sure sounds to me like their activities are illegal!

Here's where they get away with it..
The next paragraph below what you have provided is the following.
"Measuring Lobbying Activity Substantial part test.
Whether a church’s or religious organization’s attempts to influence legislation constitute a substantial part of its overall activities is determined on the basis of all the pertinent facts and circumstances in each case. The IRS considers a variety of factors, including the time devoted (by both compensated and volunteer workers) and the expenditures devoted by the organization to the activity, when determining whether the lobbying activity is substantial."
Since their lobbying is not a "substantial part of" their "overall activities" they can do exactly what they are doing. The special collections provide monies that are not considered part of the church's "coffer" and can be used for political lobbying. There have been a few cases investigated by the IRS, but even the IRS states that their regulations are so convoluted they have trouble understanding them. As of yet, no church has lost its tax-exempt status for political activity.

Verad wrote:

<quoted text>
Has Wil, David, whatever moved to France or just changed his IP location in a feeble attempt to "disguise" himself? Sounds like the same old drivel.

Yes, David learned a new computer trick!!
Sometimes it's France, but you'll also see Germany and Ohio. He still forgets occasionally and uses the Pekin, IL. He changes his nic and ISP, but continues to copy & paste the same spam like we're not going to recognize him.. duh!!

David von Schtupidfokker wrote:

(more drivel from David who's now using software to violate the Terms of Service agreement by falsifying his IP)

"96.3% of the homosexual population of the US is *NOT* involved in any sort of registered domestic partnership," you wrote, in a vain attempt to discredit homosexual partnerships.

I, however, replied that the reason that 96.3% of homosexuals in the US not being in any sort of registered domestic partnership is because of the activities of people like yourself who are seeking to prevent gays from marrying.

You never responded.

Are you afraid of the truth?

You are, by the way, in violation of several articles of the Terms of Service agreement, which further discredits you as an individual.

Article 6.a.-(You agree to NOT use the Service to:) upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any Content that is...defamatory...libelous...h ateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable;

6.f....forge headers or otherwise manipulate identifiers in order to disguise the origin of any Content transmitted through the Service;

6.k....repost Content that was deleted;

6.u....upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any Content that is false, deceptive, misleading, deceitful, misinformative, or constitutes "bait and switch";

Of course Christians (in particular Catholics) have no problems with breaking laws. They're so **** holy, you know?

I say tax all the bastards. Tax 'em until they they scream!

DeSwiss wrote:

Of course Christians (in particular Catholics) have no problems with breaking laws. They're so **** holy, you know?
I say tax all the bastards. Tax 'em until they they scream!

That would help fix economy

Somewhere during the 12th or 13th century I'm sure the Catholic churches all passed a second collection plate to help them find and punish witches.

Somewhere in the successive centuries I'm sure the Catholic churches all passed a second collection plate to help them find and punish heretics.

Footnote: One of the popes had the truly inspired idea that any property belonging to a witch or a heretic automatically became the property of the church. The more witches and heretics, the richer the church.

Eschew Obfuscation wrote:

<quoted text>
Here's where they get away with it..
The next paragraph below what you have provided is the following.
"Measuring Lobbying Activity Substantial part test.
Whether a church’s or religious organization’s attempts to influence legislation constitute a substantial part of its overall activities is determined on the basis of all the pertinent facts and circumstances in each case. The IRS considers a variety of factors, including the time devoted (by both compensated and volunteer workers) and the expenditures devoted by the organization to the activity, when determining whether the lobbying activity is substantial."
Since their lobbying is not a "substantial part of" their "overall activities" they can do exactly what they are doing. The special collections provide monies that are not considered part of the church's "coffer" and can be used for political lobbying. There have been a few cases investigated by the IRS, but even the IRS states that their regulations are so convoluted they have trouble understanding them. As of yet, no church has lost its tax-exempt status for political activity.

While we are talking about Federal IRS, could the Maine State IRS laws be changed to make a simpler definition by a ballot measure? Couldn't one start a petition to "simplify" the law concerning tax exempt status and political meandering? Whether successful or not, it make scare the bejesus out of these "churches" and make them take a second look. Would be a lot of fun, too!

again - a disgrace...hmmm come winter- there AWILL BE POOR families with NO money for Heat Bills $$...Food Banks that need $$$, Homeless shelters that need $$....and this is what the Catholic church spends thier money on? SIN! WWJD? What a God-dammed disgrace!