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Catholic Church's nonprofit status challenged in Maine (by defenders of same sex marriage law)
One News Now ^ | May 23, 2009

Posted on 05/23/2009 3:19:07 PM PDT by NYer

AUGUSTA, ME - A California-based homosexual-rights group has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service challenging the tax-exempt status of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine. The Empowering Spirits Foundation says that by engaging in political activity aimed at overturning Maine's new same-sex "marriage" law, the diocese is violating IRS rules for nonprofits.

 

A diocese spokesman says IRS policy allows the diocese to participate in the campaign to collect the more than 55,000 voter signatures needed to suspend the law and have voters decide its fate.


After Maine's Legislature passed the bill legalizing same-sex marriage and the governor signed it earlier this month, Bishop Richard Malone called it "a dangerous sociological experiment" and said the diocese would work with others to bring the issue to a vote in November.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; US: Maine
KEYWORDS: gaymarriage; homoagendaalert; homosexual; homosexualagenda
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1 posted on 05/23/2009 3:19:07 PM PDT by NYer
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To: Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
Catholic Ping List
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


2 posted on 05/23/2009 3:19:46 PM PDT by NYer ("Run from places of sin as from a plague." - St. John Climacus)
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To: ItsOurTimeNow

Ping!


3 posted on 05/23/2009 3:21:12 PM PDT by NYer ("Run from places of sin as from a plague." - St. John Climacus)
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To: NYer

Portland, Maine is San Francisco East. Getting worse by the day....


4 posted on 05/23/2009 3:35:09 PM PDT by MrLee (Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalyim!! God bless Eretz Israel.)
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To: NYer

If the tax exempt status of the diocese is pulled the diocese is free to engage in unrestricted political activity. Do the homosexuals really want that?


5 posted on 05/23/2009 3:35:23 PM PDT by 17th Miss Regt
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To: NYer

NYer I’ll bet ya a dollar that in time Obamma will tax church’s.


6 posted on 05/23/2009 3:35:32 PM PDT by Joe Boucher
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To: NYer

Every day the gays are showing just how “tolerant” they are. I hope gullible people are now waking up especially the sleazy politicians who thought that giving in to the gay agenda would be real easy in their “safe” Democrat districts.


7 posted on 05/23/2009 3:38:52 PM PDT by cradle of freedom (Long live the Republic !)
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To: cradle of freedom

Are all those black churches which had speakers for Obama and chartered buses to take voters to the polls also subject to losing their tax exempt status?


8 posted on 05/23/2009 3:39:53 PM PDT by CondorFlight (I)
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To: Joe Boucher

>>NYer I’ll bet ya a dollar that in time Obamma will tax church’s.

If they try to pull the tax exemption of the RCC, they will have to pull the tax exemption of every Black Church in America.

It ain’t gonna happen as long as Rev. wright is pulling the TOTUS-reader’s strings (meaning for the next 4 years).


9 posted on 05/23/2009 3:41:07 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Communism comes to America: 1/20/2009. Keep your powder dry, folks. Sic semper tyrannis)
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To: freedumb2003

I mean I bet he tries to tax ALL church’s, Mosques, All religion.


10 posted on 05/23/2009 3:43:31 PM PDT by Joe Boucher
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To: NYer

It was bound to happen.


11 posted on 05/23/2009 3:45:51 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( Don't mess with the mockingbird! /\/\ http://tiny.cc/freepthis)
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To: NYer

We’re not Catholic but we fully support Bishop Malone. Anyone know the status of or have information on the initiative?


12 posted on 05/23/2009 4:00:49 PM PDT by NewHampshireDuo (Earth - Taking care of itself since 4.6 billion BC)
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To: NYer

It was going to happen sooner or later. Destruction of the Church seems to be the goal.


13 posted on 05/23/2009 4:07:33 PM PDT by Desdemona (Tolerance of grave evil is NOT a Christian virtue. http://www.thekingsmen.us/)
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To: Desdemona

And when gay marriage is universally legal, the priests and ministers who refuse to perform the ceremonies will be jailed.Just wait.


14 posted on 05/23/2009 4:10:52 PM PDT by georgia peach (georgia peach)
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To: georgia peach
Probably right. I think Churches should get together and come with a policy for Churches to marry people the way they used to, before govt intrusion, without a license, not recognized by govt, but by God, and call it Holy Matrimony again. Then the homosexuals couldn't touch it.
15 posted on 05/23/2009 4:33:15 PM PDT by gidget7 (Duncan Hunter-Valley Forge Republican!)
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All that amyl nitrate must affect the homos ability to read. However, since Obowma and tax cheat Geithner are now running the IRS it will be a toss of the coin as to what they consider "substantial".

Lobbying

In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). A 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status.

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 office), or by the public in referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional amendment, or similar procedure. It does not include actions by executive, judicial, or administrative bodies.

An 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.

Organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public policy without the activity being considered as lobbying. For example, organizations 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.

Additional information:

Measuring lobbying activity: substantial part test
Measuring lobbying activity: expenditure test

Page Last Reviewed or Updated: May 08, 2009

16 posted on 05/23/2009 4:44:25 PM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Barry Soetoro is a Kenyan communist)
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To: NYer

Watch what happens if the “hate crimes” bill passes. I see them really coming after churches then. If they refuse to marry homos I see confiscation of church property, fines and possible jail terms for clergy who refuse.


17 posted on 05/23/2009 5:00:09 PM PDT by Cap'n Crunch (Rush Limbaugh, the Winston Churchill of our time)
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To: NYer

We knew this would come and if hate speech legislation is passed this will only be the beginning. There is a reason they attack us, hold tight to the faith folks. I have this fear that someday that it will be a crime to make the sign of the cross....*sigh*


18 posted on 05/23/2009 5:00:14 PM PDT by chris_bdba
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To: Cap'n Crunch

Ted Kennedy is the leader of the hate crimes bill. They always like to have him lead in all the really far out moonbat bills because Kennedy, like Pelosi is in a safe district, which means the idiot voters will let them do anything.

I would like to see a large number of Catholics and other religions surround Kennedy’s Hyannisport compound. Kennedy has to face the music for what he is doing.


19 posted on 05/23/2009 5:10:29 PM PDT by cradle of freedom (Long live the Republic !)
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To: gidget7

Very interesting idea.They do this in some foreign countries.I like it.
Would that satisfy the radicals???Or would they fight that idea just for the heck of it.


20 posted on 05/23/2009 6:36:20 PM PDT by georgia peach (georgia peach)
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