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President Trump and $cientology

Tilly

Patron
I watch One America News on cable and they just flashed on the bottom of the page on that strip that runs along with news on it while the show is going on that President Trump is considering revoking the Cof$ tax exempt status because it's long history of abuse and corruption. :eek: could it really happen?! Let's keep our fingers crossed!
 

Churchill

Gold Meritorious Patron
The President could, and should, direct his next IRS Commissioner to examine whether Scientology has violated the IRS agreement. Congress could, and should, question The next nominee for Commissioner during confirmation hearings about the last 25 years of “Hear no evil, see no evil” regarding Scientology’s failure to uphold the 1993 swamp agreement.
I hope the Senators will consider the information Jeffrey Augustine has compiled on Scientology’s fraudulent representations to the IRS.
 

Churchill

Gold Meritorious Patron
And ex-Scientologists might want to mention factual misrepresentations and fraud when they contact the White House, keeping in mind that the issue is NOT whether Scientology is a religion or not. That’s NOT a question that government gets to decide, under our Constitution.
 

Tilly

Patron
The President could, and should, direct his next IRS Commissioner to examine whether Scientology has violated the IRS agreement. Congress could, and should, question The next nominee for Commissioner during confirmation hearings about the last 25 years of “Hear no evil, see no evil” regarding Scientology’s failure to uphold the 1993 swamp agreement.
I hope the Senators will consider the information Jeffrey Augustine has compiled on Scientology’s fraudulent representations to the IRS.
What is the swamp agreement?
 

Tilly

Patron
And ex-Scientologists might want to mention factual misrepresentations and fraud when they contact the White House, keeping in mind that the issue is NOT whether Scientology is a religion or not. That’s NOT a question that government gets to decide, under our Constitution.
How is it decided if $ci is a religion?
 
This is at least good for getting attention of people who have not been following Scientology in any way. A lot more people might check out what critics are saying based on this exposure from the White House.
 

Churchill

Gold Meritorious Patron
How is it decided if $ci is a religion?
In the US, the government doesn’t pick and choose who’s a religion and who isn’t. As individuals, we are free to form our own opinions on such matters.
Outside of the US many countries do NOT recognize $cn as a religion. The swamp agreement was the IRS capitulation, in 1993 to to Scientology. The excellent award winning documentary, “Going Clear” explains it in great detail.
 

Tilly

Patron
In the US, the government doesn’t pick and choose who’s a religion and who isn’t. As individuals, we are free to form our own opinions on such matters.
Outside of the US many countries do NOT recognize $cn as a religion. The swamp agreement was the IRS capitulation, in 1993 to to Scientology. The excellent award winning documentary, “Going Clear” explains it in great detail.
Doesn't someone have to decide if an organization is a religion for it to be declared tax exempt?
 

Churchill

Gold Meritorious Patron
Doesn't someone have to decide if an organization is a religion for it to be declared tax exempt?
The establishment clause of the Constitution says that Government doesn’t get to adjudicate who is and isn’t a religion.
The IRS denied Scientology tax exemption because Hubbard was siphoning millions of dollars for himself. It was on the basis of inurement that Scientology’s tax exemption was rescinded. More recently, Scientology has essentially shredded the closing agreement, yet the past 3 administrations have turned a blind eye to it.
Watch “Going Clear” and you’ll understand how Scientology did it.
 

Tilly

Patron
The establishment clause of the Constitution says that Government doesn’t get to adjudicate who is and isn’t a religion.
The IRS denied Scientology tax exemption because Hubbard was siphoning millions of dollars for himself. It was on the basis of inurement that Scientology’s tax exemption was rescinded. More recently, Scientology has essentially shredded the closing agreement, yet the past 3 administrations have turned a blind eye to it.
Watch “Going Clear” and you’ll understand how Scientology did it.
I just finished "Going Clear" by Lawrence Wright is the movie about the stuff that's in his book? I have to confess I had no idea what inurement meant and had to look it up in the dictionary, but, I have no idea what point you're trying to make with it.
 

WhatWall

Silver Meritorious Patron
Doesn't someone have to decide if an organization is a religion for it to be declared tax exempt?
The IRS can grant tax exempt status to a charitable organization, whether religious in nature or not. The granting of tax exempt status by the IRS to a religious charitable organization has become erroneously interpreted as U.S. government recognition of a religion.

From the Foundation Group, What is a 501(c)(3)?:
Section 501(c)(3) is the portion of the US Internal Revenue Code that allows for federal tax exemption of nonprofit organizations, specifically those that are considered public charities, private foundations or private operating foundations. It is regulated and administered by the US Department of Treasury through the Internal Revenue Service. There are other 501(c) organizations, indicated by categories 501(c)(1) – 501(c)(28).
This misinterpretation is understandable because "religious purposes" is one of the reasons the IRS grants the 501(c)(3) status.

From the Neo Law Group, Starting a Nonprofit: What is “Religious” under 501(c)(3)?:
A “religious” purpose is one of the seven exempt purposes specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). However, unlike with the terms “charitable,” “educational,” and “scientific,” the term “religious” is not defined in the Treasury Regulations, in large part due to constitutional issues. IRS guidance explains “under the First Amendment, the Service cannot consider the content or sources of a doctrine alleged to constitute a particular religion, and cannot evaluate the content of a doctrine an organization claims is religious. This does not apply to rites or practices that violate federal, state or local law.”

Note: One of the consequences of an income tax system is that exemptions from taxes can be used to grant special status and/or influence economic & social behavior.
 

Tilly

Patron
The IRS can grant tax exempt status to a charitable organization, whether religious in nature or not. The granting of tax exempt status by the IRS to a religious charitable organization has become erroneously interpreted as U.S. government recognition of a religion.

From the Foundation Group, What is a 501(c)(3)?:

This misinterpretation is understandable because "religious purposes" is one of the reasons the IRS grants the 501(c)(3) status.

From the Neo Law Group, Starting a Nonprofit: What is “Religious” under 501(c)(3)?:


Note: One of the consequences of an income tax system is that exemptions from taxes can be used to grant special status and/or influence economic & social behavior.
I read what is a 501(c)(3) and it has link to what is educational and it said:

An organization may be educational even though it advocates a particular position or viewpoint so long as it presents a sufficiently full and fair exposition of the pertinent facts as to permit an individual or the public to form an independent opinion or conclusion. On the other hand, an organization is not educational if its principal function is the mere presentation of unsupported opinion.

I would think the Zenu story alone would fall under unsupported opinion.
 

Tilly

Patron
I still don't get that word "inurement" looks like it can mean two different things:

https://www.bing.com/search?q=inure...s=n&sk=&cvid=b13baf8a86a8419d9ebcd502f941a35d

A section 501(c)(3) organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, such as the creator or the creator's family, shareholders of the organization, other designated individuals, or persons controlled directly or indirectly by such private interests. No part of the net earnings of a section 501(c)(3) organization may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. A private shareholder or individual is a person having a personal and private interest in the activities of the organization.
 

WhatWall

Silver Meritorious Patron
I read what is a 501(c)(3) and it has link to what is educational and it said:

An organization may be educational even though it advocates a particular position or viewpoint so long as it presents a sufficiently full and fair exposition of the pertinent facts as to permit an individual or the public to form an independent opinion or conclusion. On the other hand, an organization is not educational if its principal function is the mere presentation of unsupported opinion.

I would think the Zenu story alone would fall under unsupported opinion.
Scientology wasn't granted tax exempt status for its educational purposes or services so it isn't judged by the IRS on those criteria.
 
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