IRS denies tax exempt status to group for linking Christianity to politics

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has denied tax exempt status to a non-profit Christian group.

"Christians Engaged is a non-partisan Christian ministry, where we educate ordinary believers on the importance of praying for our elected officials and our nation. And the importance of voting and engaging in our civic duties as believers, as Americans. It's shocking that the IRS is targeting us because we teach issues from a biblical perspective."

A letter from the IRS gave, as part of its justification, that the group used bible teachings that are "typically affiliated with the Republican Party".

"Every church in America needs to take this case seriously, because if the IRS is going to start denying or revoking tax exempt status for organizations such as ours, that simply teach issues in our culture from a biblical perspective, then every church in America should feel threatened, it's absolutely chilling."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/tax...it-tax-exempt-status/vi-AALf2pf?ocid=msedgntp

According to the law, organizations are not eligible for tax exempt status if they participate in any political campaign. (So for example they are not allowed to say "vote for this candidate" or "vote for this party")
Tax exempt status is very important for non-profit organizations to be able to function. If they don't have it any money they save will be taxed.

It's hard to see what the IRS's justification would be on this one. Are they saying groups are not eligible for tax exempt status if they are trying to encourage people to vote?
That would be some pretty blatant double standards, because Democrats probably have a lot more of those groups than Republicans. (Think "Ballot Harvesting", for example)
Or are they saying that the group is not eligible for tax exempt status if they promote certain religious teachings that just happen to be more compatible with one political party than the other?

 

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Sovereign God reigns supreme... all others will be weighed in the balance in God's court of divine justice.

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every church?
every religion should have felt threatened way back at the sullivan case when the us guv stomped on the Mormon religion forcing them to comply with the 'US guvs religion' of polyamory prejudice.

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They are denying it because Christians are usually associated with voting republican. That's it. No first amendment for these people.

 

They can file as a 504 or other non-profit, since they admit to being primarily a political activist org. 503's are for churches, and no church is actually forced to file as a 503.c corporation, though most request a letter from the IRS stating that they are covered under the 503 as a status ruling, and this letter can be used by the church's donors to allow them to deduct their donations from their tax returns, is all.

The writer of this story doesn't seem to know what he's talking about, frankly, and neither do the people running the org whining about the claim; obviously they need better legal advice, or they just want to pull bullshit out of their asses to get attention and a bunch of other dumbasses all excited n stuff. The reporter is as dumb as the deviants and commies who run around claiming preachers aren't required to pay taxes on their earnings and other idiot rubbish.

 

You ignore the reason they were turned down which is the real issue.

 

I'm going by what the org rep is saying about what they are, and they are nt a church, they're a political lobbying group, and as a non-profit they can file under other non-profit corporate statutes. They are not a church, hence they shouldn't be filling under 503.c, period. Being a Christian based org doesn't mean anything special re the IRS, except even the IRS can't harass churches. The article writer is wrong; you don't have to be a church to qualify for non-profit status; there are no taxes on non-profits, whether they be churches or charities or political lobbying orgs. The guy claiming he was 'denied tax exempt status' is just a ****ling idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about. He probably thinks his salary and wages should be tax exempt. even though that is not even the case with preachers and never has been.

 

He simply can't claim 503 status. He's perfectly free to file under 504 or other clauses as a non-profit. lol @ claiming political orgs are paying taxes on their fund raising activities. This sort of ignorant stupidity is why lawyers get rich. The morons just filed under the wrong statute, is all.

Anybody who doubts this, please do post the tax returns of the Democratic Party and how much in taxes they paid in on that $ billion they raised in the last election. Do the same for any other political group, like PACs, or non-profits like the Rotarians, The Shriners, etc.

 

The reason is in the IRS reply.

 

Except the links aren't to the IRS, there is no IRS rep in the video, and all there is someone's specious obviously clueless claim, with zero evidence; the IRS denied them a 503.c exemption, they didn't deny them any tax exempt status for what their stated goals is, which is political activity and advocacy. Anybody who isn't clear on the distinctions can visit the IRS site itself and look up the 503's and 504's and 508's statutes and guidelines. The link in the OP is misleading and so is the claim this group is making. They aren't a church, they're a lobbying group; they don't qualify for exemption under the 503.c guidelines.

 

Organizations need to make choices and those choices do have tax ramifications. Are they nonprofit? Are they religious? Etc.

If they have the characteristics of a political organization they shouldn't be allowed to dodge their tax responsibility by claiming they are religious.

 

You are still avoiding the reason they were turned down.

 

I'd say the reason they were turned down is that they are a political action group.

 

Not the reason.

 

Nah, you're just avoiding the obvious, that they are not a church applying for a religious exemption, they're a lobbying group and need to file under a different statute. The fact they claim to be Christians is beside the point, and means nothing. Did Chic Fila get tax exempt status because its founders were open Christians? Even Chic Fila wouldn't pay Federal taxes if it didn't turn a profit, in any case, regardless of what corporate form it filed under.
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Find and quote what the IRS said about it. All I've seen is some airhead babbling stuff, nothing from the IRS.

 

Oh, and a correction: they were filing under 501.c, not 503. My bad, doesn't change the points, though.

 

“The bible teachings are typically affiliated with the [Republican] party and candidates. This disqualifies you…”

 

Like I said, show us a direct quote from an IRS rep or letter or whatever. So far we just have someone's unsubstantiated claim. The article linked to has zero such evidence, and I highly doubt any agent would make such a stupid statement. Right wing conspiracy claims aren't any more believable than left wing garbage is. You also clearly don't understand the different tax statutes and how they work. These people were not a church, and they were attempting to get a 501.c exemption, which of course means they're morons in the first place, or running a scam for attention.

 

That is a direct quote.

 

FRom the people claiming that's what the IRS said. Nobody has a direct comment from the IRS itself on it. And, lobbying groups can file under any of the other non-profit statutes; they don't rate a 501.c exemption; that is not what 501.c guidelines are for. 501.c is for churches, not everybody running around claiming to be
Christians. They want a 501,c exemption they can start a church or a religious charity.

Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.

The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization's net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.

Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues PDF; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues PDF.

Interactive Training
Learn more about the benefits, limitations and expectations of tax-exempt organizations by attending 10 courses at the online Small to Mid-Size Tax Exempt Organization Workshop.

Additional Information

• Application Process Step-by-Step: Questions and answers that will help an organization determine if it is eligible to apply for recognition of exemption from federal income taxation under IRC section 501(a) and, if so, how to proceed.
• Private foundations - requirements for exemption
• Tax-Exempt Status: Online training available at the IRS microsite StayExempt.irs.gov.
  
  https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-p...ns/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations

Political and Lobbying Activities

Political activities and legislative activities (commonly referred to as lobbying) are two different things and are subject to two different sets of rules and have different consequences of exceeding the limitations. The rules applied in a given situation depend on several issues:

• The type of tax-exempt organization (different rules apply to private foundations than to other section 501(c)(3) organizations),
• The type of activity (political or lobbying) at issue, and
• The scope or amount of the activity conducted.

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/political-and-lobbying-activities

 

OK, so you will not accept the actual quote from the letter from the IRS. Can't help you.

 

You haven't showed me the letter or anything else the IRS said, and 'Posting Last' doesn't impress me either. Post something besides hearsay. It's clear what the context of the IRS ruling is, it's clearly stated on their own website; these people are a political lobbying group ,period; their religious affiliation doesn't make them 'special'. They have many other tax exempt options; they should hire an attorney who knows what they're doing if they were really serious.

These morons just discovered this; others have already had this discussion many times before, usually with left wing loons trying to claim pastors and churches can't say anything bad about abortion or homosexual fetishists. They were full of baloney, too.

 

What law is that, exactly? Political and legislative lobbying organizations are covered under different guidelines; they weren't denied 'tax exempt status', they just aren't a church or a charity. Then can file under other guidelines. 501.c3's are for churches and affiliated charities.

 

IRS Code 170:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/170

Are donations to the Democratic Party or the GOP tax deductible? No, and neither should donations to these people be tax deductible. They're running a scam, is all; claiming to be a church or a charity while they are just a PAC.