Catholic Church's nonprofit status challenged in Maine (by defenders of same sex marriage law)

One News Now ^ | May 23, 2009

[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.

[Twink]

If tax exempt status is pulled, I bet the Church won’t be as PC (in America) as it’s been.

[Twink]

I think that would happen if he tried to tax any “one” church/religion. He’d have to tax all of them.

[gidget7]

They might try to fight it, but there is no standing to. After all if it isn't govt. sanctioned, what can govt. do? It would be like challenging a baptism or bahmitzfah ( I know, I l know, bad spelling) or conformation. A lot of Christians would rather be married in the eyes of God, than govt.

And if they keep pushing benefits for homosexuals who are not married, we would have standing for those as well. Who wouldn't rather have their name listed in a Bible rather than court records? The homosexuals did it for years, some still do, using just anyone to perform it. We would have Priests or Clergy to do it. And the govt. would have no need for the information.

[17th Miss Regt]

A lot of them will still be as PC because they believe in PC. But may won't. If they are taxed they will be free to engage in candidate advocacy, issues advocacy, and other political activities that they do not do now. A lot of Republicans will benefit from this and a few Democrats would also. I say a few Democrats because most churches that support Democrats are already doing these things because they do not fear being selectively targeted for their 501c3 status. But the effect of a religious leader being able to openly advocate for a candidate could be fairly large.

[Twink]

I see it the same way, too.

In our current world, I think the Church would also benefit from this.

[Wilhelm Tell]

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

That is the goal of the left - shut down the churches. The leftists are turning churches into Marxist indoctrination centers and any church the Marxists cannot take over, they want to close.

[m4629]

Perhaps catholic hospitals would stop treating AIDS patients with homo lifestyles?

[rmlew]

We need to make this an issue in NY. A lot of purposely ignorant religious folk think this wont affect them.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Yeah, me too. The boy better make a good confession, cause I think it won’t be long until he faces the ‘hereafter’ music.

[cradle of freedom]

This tax exempt rule was put in effect by Lyndon Johnson for his own political reasons. There is no such law in the Constitution.