The IRS does not have the authority to do anything about it. Address it to your Congressional representative. Don't hold your breath waiting for something to happen.
Need Advice About Letter to the IRS to Revoke the WTBTS' Tax Exempt Status
by ABibleStudent 34 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Band on the Run
The IRS is only administering the tax statutes enacted by Congress and signed into law by the president. Clearly, the Witnesses advance their own religion. In order to write effective letters, it is wise to focus on arguments from the other side. What would the Witness lawyers' say to prove to the IRS that they are tax exempt. The First Amendment is an extremely large hurdle to revoking their status. I can't think of a single argument to bolster the revokation of tax exempt status. I have not thought about it much. If you can come with some arguments, and argued them in your letter, it would be more potent.
Revoking their tax exempt status would negate American practice since Pilgrim Rock. I am not very creative. Maybe you are. I suggest framing the issue in a good way. I am curious as to how reps receive letters concerning tax exempt status for religions. I see a potential argument --allowing religious orgs. to receive tax exempt status tends to negate the policies behind the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Neither religion nor irreligion are to be favored. A wealth of Supreme Court cases say this. The WT might argue back that nonreligious charitable orgs. also receive tax exempt status.
I'm curious as to what the WT cites as charitable activities. Personally, I can't recollect any.
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just Ron
Just get Johnny to send a wire transfer to some terrorist group and then you can get the IRS to take them down.
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oppostate
The vast majority of sheeples will see any threat against the WTBTS, which might not succeed but may get some public or governmental attention, as a fulfillment of interpretations that Satan's system will turn against the Organization and that only means to them that the end is even more imminent than it imminently was before.
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ABibleStudent
Thank you for all your comments so far. I would like to especially thank the following:
@ LostGeneration - Do you feel that the IRS would grant exempt status to a religion, which would advance the worship of Molek from the Bible; an Aztec diety; Kali, an Indian godess of death and destruction; or some other religion that worships with human sacrifices? What about advancing worship of Aphrodite, as the ancient Greeks did, with temple prostitutes? Is requiring JWs to refuse whole blood transfusions to save the life of their children any less atrocious of a practise? Although my examples are extreme and most likely would not be granted tax exempt status by the IRS, my letter is to start a dialogue about determining what should trigger a dangerous cult from losing its tax exempt status. Also, by writing the letter I can inform representatives what the response of the IRS is and which law(s) need to be revised.
@ 00DAD and journey-on thanks for the encouraging words.
@ Rebel8 I do not know if my letter is the legal method to discover whether the IRS has the authority to revoke the tax exempt status of a dangerous cult. I was hoping that a JWN member might know more than I know by researching the IRS website. I am trying to start a dialogue to determine if the IRS' Criminal Enforcement Department (http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/index.html) is authorized to investigate a dangerous cult and revoke their tax exempt status. I know that IRS CE agents are skilled at forensic accounting, but I doubt that they would be able to differentiate between a wacky religion and a dangerous cult.
Thank you for your insights. I did locate the IRS' FOIA webpage at http://www.irs.gov/foia/article/0,,id=211443,00.html. I also searched for Scientology losing its tax exempt status and found this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_as_a_business. Unfortunately, the facts of the Scientology case are not relevant to the WTBTS unless I can prove that tax exempt assets inurred to the Governing Body (I can only hope), or that Governing Body members personally benefit significantly from donations (long gone are the days of Russell and Rutherford).
@ Band on the Run I thought that I did raise issues that pertained to "lessening the burdens of government; lessening neighborhood tensions; eliminating prejudice and discrimination; defending human and civil rights secured by law" that are included in the legal definition of charitable.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
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Band on the Run
oppostate raises a good point. Once you are away from the Witnesses, you view things as a normal person. They love persection. It would only create more fanaticism among the Witnesses.
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ABibleStudent
Hi Band on the Run and oppostate so what is the downside if JWs feel more persecuted? If governments did revoke the tax exempt status of the WTBTS, would JWs donate more to the WTBTS to make-up for the revenue loss? Or, what if the IRS allowed the WTBTS to keep their tax exempt status if they would stop using behavioral control techniques, would JWs decide to leave the WTBTS if active JWs would no longer shun inactive family and friends?
I'm more interested in getting the IRS to rule that the WTBTS is a dangerous cult to hopefully reduce the WTBTS' financial resources and prevent future converts from being recruited. I care about active JWs but it is their choice to play the victim and remain in the WTBTS.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
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ABibleStudent
@ Rebel8, while researching Scientology losing its tax exempt status I found this video. I thought that it was funny. I wonder why Anonymous was targeting Scientology and if they would target the WTBTS?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwfRJAK-EZ4
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
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outsmartthesystem
Nice letter....but the society can claim "advancement of religion" and use so many other loopholes. Not to mention.....they have a lot of $. There is no doubt in my mind that they could make $ure that certain law makers agree to keep them as a tax exempt non profit organization
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Band on the Run
It places the IRS and potentially Congress and the President in a very awkward situation. I thought that advancing religion is not a legitimate goal of religion under the Establishment Clause. If only tax exemption applied to religions, it might make sense. Much to my chagrin, the Court has radically shifted from separation of church and state to accomodating religion to a large extent. It makes me laugh b/c until recently revoked, several European countries had provisions that taxed nonbelievers to support the Roman Catholic Church. Not here in America! Yes, here in America. Colleges can receive funds to special students to work in Roman Catholic schools, teaching religious doctrine. It would have shocking 15 years ago.
You asked for comments. It is good practice to track language in a statute or regulation. Larger issues concerning the First Amendment exist. I thought the letter was well-written. If enough people wrote (millions) there might be some changes.
I am led to another question. Does the IRS check the Witnesses' financial records that we cannot view. How does the IRS know the accounting is legitimate, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board standards? As someone mentioned, I don't think MOlech worshippers could get an exemption. I'm not clear how the IRS monitors charitable standards. It is clear that the last thing anyone wants is the govt. analyzing every little transaction and determine whether the church is fulfilling its mission. One of the big items in Establishment Clause jurisprudence is the bar on any program that excessively entangles the govt into religion. Evidently, the Sup Ct had to rule that the IRS has a lesser standard. So there is hypocrisy but when has anyone thought the govt was not hypocritical since early elementary school.
I believe it is imprudent to believe that your letter alone with change anything. Nevertheless, venting to govt officials makes them aware that many Americans believe the tax exempt status should go. I wonder if the tax exemptions were determined now, if advancement of religion would be permitted. It makes atheists and agnostics pay more taxes than otherwise. It sounds to me exactly the same thing James Madison declared fundamentally wrong in his famous Remonstrance against taxes paid to support religion in VA.