tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294505416127496842.post2550552330726814474..comments2024-03-25T14:09:59.347-05:00Comments on Augoeides: China Bans Temple IPO'sScott Stenwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12389664381513219613noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294505416127496842.post-39285098785632748212012-06-13T11:16:37.666-05:002012-06-13T11:16:37.666-05:00@Rob: Scientology is kind of the poster case for o...@Rob: Scientology is kind of the poster case for organizations declaring themselves to be a church in order to make more money. But I doubt they're the only offender along those lines.<br /><br />I do know that occasionally non-profit religious groups get in trouble for political advocacy. The Christian Coalition spent more than a decade in court with the IRS over that issue and finally settled in 2005. Still, I don't think the prohibition is as widely enforced with Christian groups as it should be, and you're probably right that the establishment would come down a lot harder on a Pagan group that did the same.<br /><br />Of course, as long as Citizens United stands, all the Pagan group would have to do is set up a Super PAC to distribute those newsletters. Then they would be in the clear.<br /><br />@Dorispinto1001: It sure looks like your Tarot reader advertises on the Internet to me! Or is it your contention that a blog comment is in some fundamental way different from a banner ad? ;-)Scott Stenwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12389664381513219613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7294505416127496842.post-62211979347976475872012-06-13T00:26:39.042-05:002012-06-13T00:26:39.042-05:00I'm no tax expert, but I believe the current r...I'm no tax expert, but I believe the current rules for tax exempt status leave some wiggle room. A church could, for instance, separate itself into different children in a parent organization. Then some parts could be run for profit, and some parts as church exempt. Many church's do this to raise additional funds. I think the biggest issue is making sure company's don't just declare themselves a church to get tax exempt status.<br /><br />One area I don't understand is the political involvement rules involved in Church exempt status. It seems like a clear violation of first amendment rights in a lot of different ways, and it seems like its specifically geared towards favoring majority religions (ie Christianity) over minority faiths. It also seems like Christian church's ignore these rules completely and still retain their tax exempt status. <br /><br />The way it seems to me, a Pagan priest, for instance, couldn't ask their congregation not to vote for a candidate based on a history of anti-pagan remarks and a clear religious agenda without risking their tax exempt status. In the same way a tax exempt institution couldn't publish a news letter informing members and non-members of minority faith sensitive and insensitive candidates.<br /><br />Christian groups do this all the time though, and as far as I know retain their status.<br /><br />Maybe there is some fear of political candidates being able to use church status to flaunt voting laws, but I don't understand those laws well enough to figure out how that might happen.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15339922041233122021noreply@blogger.com