0
   

Virtual church not churchly enough for the IRS

 
 
Reply Wed 25 Aug, 2010 09:06 am
August 19, 2010
Virtual church not churchly enough for the IRS

The Foundation of Human Understanding calls itself a church. The Internal Revenue Service begs to differ. The taxman asks: How can the Oregon-based foundation be a church when it doesn't really convene anywhere?

This week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit sided with the IRS in rejecting the Foundation of Human Understanding's bid for the tax-exempt status granted recognized churches. It's a decision worth considering in this age of virtual communities.

Incorporated in 1963, the Foundation describes itself as "based upon Judeo-Christian beliefs and the doctrine and teachings of its founder, Roy Masters." Masters, BTW, is a former conservative radio talk show host from Los Angeles.

The Foundation used to own certain buildings; more recently, the court noted, "the Foundation...continued to disseminate its messages through broadcast and print media, and it began to use the Internet for the same purpose."

The appellate court noted that a church, for taxing purposes, means more than simply providing religious teachings. Regular assembly of the congregation is also part of the church package. The fact that the Foundation convened 21 seminars nationwide was not sufficient, judges determined, nor was the Internet ministry. Reasoned the court:

"The fact that all the listeners simultaneously received the Foundation’s message over the radio or the Internet does not mean that those members associated with each other and worshiped communally."

The court added"

"A call-in show, like other forms of broadcast ministry, does not provide individual congregants with the opportunity to interact and associate with each other in worship, and it therefore does not provide a basis for concluding that the Foundation’s religious activities satisfied the associational test."

Posted by Mike Doyle at 01:54 PM | Permalink
Technorati Tags: Foundation of Human Understanding

Read more: http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/law/2010/08/online-church-not-churchly-enough-for-the-irs.html#ixzz0xd8b8E4w
  • Topic Stats
  • Top Replies
  • Link to this Topic
Type: Discussion • Score: 0 • Views: 883 • Replies: 1
No top replies

 
BumbleBeeBoogie
 
  0  
Reply Wed 25 Aug, 2010 09:07 am
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
Nice try to avoid paying taxes.

BBB
0 Replies
 
 

Related Topics

700 Inconsistencies in the Bible - Discussion by onevoice
Why do we deliberately fool ourselves? - Discussion by coincidence
Spirituality - Question by Miller
Oneness vs. Trinity - Discussion by Arella Mae
give you chills - Discussion by Bartikus
Evidence for Evolution! - Discussion by Bartikus
Evidence of God! - Discussion by Bartikus
One World Order?! - Discussion by Bartikus
God loves us all....!? - Discussion by Bartikus
The Preambles to Our States - Discussion by Charli
 
  1. Forums
  2. » Virtual church not churchly enough for the IRS
Copyright © 2024 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 0.09 seconds on 12/21/2024 at 08:46:40