No Franky, my post was meant to urge the parishoner in whose RC Church Cardinal Mahoney's pro-illegal immigrant position was pushed on attendees at a mass to challenge the tax free status. The IRS will revoke a church's tax exempt status if it involves itself in such politicking. This would not result in the entire US Catholic Church losing its tax exempt status, only the offending parish (and possibly) diocese. Cardinal Mahoney was complicit in the active cover up (and hiding of evidence) of the child abuse by priests scandal in Los Angeles. Now he is preaching that we should allow millions of illegal immigrants because it is compassionate in his eyes. Just compounding law breaking with more law breaking. He is entitled to his belief, but if he is pushing that belief on parishoners in church (with the church's imprimatur) then he is just a political hack. In that case he needs to play by the rules.
MSM= Main Stream Media, a branch of media known for distortions in news reporting.
Where as I do not agree with Mahoney's opinions and pray that he get "straight" on governing his flock the IRS rule as formulated by congress leaves the usual loop holes. The following as shown on a congressional report leaves some need for interpretation:
"It should be noted, however, that many types of political activities that are not“campaign activities” are permitted to some extent. The key distinction is that non-campaign political activities cannot support or oppose a particular candidate. Permissible political activities under the IRC, so long as no candidate is endorsed or opposed, include: educational activities, such as conducting public forums at which social, political, and international questions are considered;compiling voting records of Members of Congress,so long as the record is not widely distributed to the general public during an election campaign; publishing candidate responses to a questionnaire on a variety of subjects;issuing report cards that indicate whether legislators support or oppose the organization’s
views; issue advertising(this is usually considered lobbying); nonpartisan public opinion polling; non-partisan voter registration drives meeting the requirements of IRC § 4945(f);..."
A question is, does Mahoney's activities fall under "permissible political activities"? Even though he is doing illegal things in promoting immigration, is he doing illegal things under the IRS Code?
There is overall concern in the Catholic Church that there are some in the U. S. who want the Church out of the way and that the tax-exempt basis is what would do it.
There has been a long standing effort to close Christian Churches and Mahoney's church or diocese would be the tip of an ice berg. That is the reason I mentioned a broad sweep by the IRS (government)to close all churches.
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:JTl709ypEZMJ:fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/24677.pdf+congressional+law+for+tax+free+churches&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4
Thanks for the definition. No, I'm just a senior citizen who is active in the Pennsylvania Pro Life Federation.