Petition to Revoke Scientology's Tax Exempt Status

by ABibleStudent 39 Replies latest social current

• 

  ABibleStudent

  FYi, If you feel that Scientology's tax-exempt status should be revoked, you can sign a White House Petition to revoke its tax-exempt status at https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/revoke-scientologys-tax-exempt-status.
  

  I signed the petition even though I have mixed feelings about this petition. I would prefer that dangerous cults like Scientology be reformed by suspending its tax-exempt status until it makes needed changes and I do not like targeting a specific organization when the whole system should be changed. On the other hand this type of action may help to promote debate about revising the tax codes in the US.

  I do prefer revising the tax code like I wrote about in Revise Tax Code to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse .

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 

  Phizzy

  'bout time.
• 

  Londo111

  The Watchtower Society needs to be added to the petition as well...
• 

  ABibleStudent

  Londo111 - The Watchtower Society needs to be added to the petition as well...

  Hi Londo111,
  

  If you are an American citizen, then write your representative and senators to revise the tax code like I wrote in the thread Revise Tax Code to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse . I have been trying to motivate people to revise the tax code to protect people from undue influence about 4 years including creating a White House petition in the thread

  URGENT: Please Sign White House Petition to "Protect Americans from Dangerous Cults: Modify USC Title 26 § 501 Tax Exemption Requirements"

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert

  
  

  
  

  
  
• 

  never a jw

  I would sign it if it applies to any religion that is unable to demonstrate that they employ a significant portion of their funds for the relief of the physical pain and basic needs of the needy.
• 

  Half banana

  Robert, why try to reform something (Scientology) which is useless? The WTBTS is another useless enterprise which only fleeces its flock for the perpetuation of its privileged leadership.

  Why not make it a condition for a "charity" to demonstrate that it has material benefits to give to society at large. Not contributions by their own description such as the Borg would claim like "teaching the Bible" but be able to demonstrate practical and financial input to the community's needs, before being classed as a charity. The tax free status should not be granted by an organisation simply calling itself "a religion".

  How can a money grabbing cults like Jehovah's Witnesses claim they are pursuing anything other than their own self-interest?
• 

  ABibleStudent

  I will be glad to answer additional specific questions about how to revise the Tax Code, as I propose. Please read what I wrote in Revise Tax Code to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse or the proposed draft of the bill that I wrote at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lbrkte086omivtt/AADN7PQHNylsdKwbltjHxBUea?dl=0 .

  I do not agree with singling out specific organizations to revoke their tax-exempt status like an opinion poll, but I do feel that the aforementioned White House petition will spark debate on this issue and maybe constructive and needed legislative changes. I have already written 99 senators about revising the tax code to protect children from sexual abuse in February 2015, and I plan to write the White House tonight encase the Scientology petition does obtain 90,000 signatures by April 22, 2015.

  The worst that can happen by signing the White House petition is that Scientology's tax-exempt status will be revoked. Scientology is very will connected and has lots of money so I do not feel that will happen.

  @ never a jw, IMHO I would rather define what is minimum socially acceptable standards of behavior for tax-exempt organizations, instead of attempting to define what are acceptable charitable activities to revise the tax code. Political organizations can be tax exempt. How do political organizations relieve physical pain and basic needs of the needy?

  I feel that many more people will agree that tax-exempt organizations should protect children from sexual abuse. A root-cause of organizations that enable and protect pedophiles is that they use undue influence to keep members compliant. If members are not afraid to voice their concerns about issues such as child abuse and how to protect children from sexual abuse, it is very unlikely that an organization will use or condone using undue influence on its members.

  @ Half banana, Please read my comments above.

  Organizations like Scientology and the Watchtower will never reform without being forced to by suspending their tax-exempt status until they meet basic minimum requirements, or suing them into oblivion. I feel that revising the Tax Code will allow members with doubts and former members to file complaints with the IRS to suspend a dangerous organization's tax-exempt status.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 

  Finkelstein

  Believe it or not but the Scientology Center in Hollywood has a cross on the front entrance of the building.

  As its known Scientology has nothing to do with Christianity.

  The Cross was placed there when about the time the organization self designated itself as a religion to able to get tax free status.

  
  
• 

  enigma1863

  I signed it after watching Going Clear.
• 

  ABibleStudent

  Encase the revoke Scientology's tax-exempt petition obtains 90,000 signatures to qualify for a White House response, I sent President Obama the following comment.

  I hope that more people will sign the petition to force debate on this issue. People can easily find the petition by googling "revoke Scientology's tax status".
  

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
  

  Robert

  
  

  Dear President Barack Obama:
  

  I respectfully ask that you use your presidential influence to actively promote introducing a bill to the 114th Congress by the end of May 2015 to revise the Tax Code to require tax-exempt organizations to protect children from sexual abuse instead of protecting and enabling pedophiles.

  Instead of singling out a specific organization to revoke its tax-exempt status as requested by the White House “We the People Petition” https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/revoke-scientologys-tax-exempt-status, why not fix the Tax Code instead?

  If you are interested, a rough-draft copy of a bill (~ 85% finished) with the following provisions is available at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lbrkte086omivtt/AADN7PQHNylsdKwbltjHxBUea?dl=0 :

  * Insert a new sub-section in 26 U.S. Code § 501 to describe the criteria and process to suspend an organization's tax-exempt status, and would allow the IRS to charge all tax-exempt organizations a nominal annual fee (may be $10 to $50) to fund the effort. Applicable tax-exempt organizations would be required to ensure that applicable adults pass a criminal background check and complete sexual abuse awareness training, to promote to members and employees to report suspected violent felonies to local law enforcement, to prohibit using undue influence on members and employees, and to prohibit promoting bigotry, prejudice, and inciting hatred and civil unrest.

  * Amend 26 U.S. Code § 6033 to require that all tax-exempt organizations, including religious organizations that are currently exempt, to file annual reports and adds additional requirements about what to include in the annual reports.

  * Amend 26 U.S. Code § 6104 to require the Treasury to provide free access to applications for tax-exemption and annual reports through the internet. The Treasury would be prohibited from releasing personal contact information (not business contact information) through the internet.

  * Create Section 520 to allow taxing of funds transferred from/to non-compliant organizations to reduce funding to such organizations.

  After reading the draft bill you will better understand how it will protect children from sexual abuse, prohibit promoting prejudice, bigotry, and hate-speech, and increase transparency and accountability by all tax-exempt organizations.

  Sincerely,

  Robert