Revoke Mormon Church's Tax Exempt Status (CA Prop 8)

[margotb822]

If you're angry that a church can meddle with another state's political statutes, here's something that you can do.

To report the LDS Church to the IRS, simply take 5 minutes to print these articles out and any others you can find:

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10839546
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10842051

Then print and fill out http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3949a.pdf

List the taxpayer as:

Thomas S. Monson, et al
50 East North Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah 84150

List his occupation as President and the business as the ridiculously full name of the church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) at the same address.

Check the boxes for False Exemption and Public/Political Corruption.

Then in the Comments section demand that the LDS Church be fined and their tax-exempt status revoked for repeated and blatant violations of the IRS's separate of church and state rules, and for conspiring to interfere with a state's political process.

Check Yes under "Are books/records available?" and write in "campaign finance records."

You don't have to provide any of your own personal info. Mail the form and the printed articles to:

Internal Revenue Service
Fresno, CA 93888

[Marnieworld]

1. Now you're talking!

:yourock:

[DBoon]

2. pass a constitutional amendment banning marriage between Mormons

This is a "church" that until recent times openly practiced polygamy, and still tolerates open polygamy among Mormom sects

[Corkey Mineola]

4. Cool. I even saw Gordon Hinkley campaigning against 8

How much did it cost to resurrect that old fucker?

[orleans]

15. that poster/picture shows us all that WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!

he needs to rethink this now--now that it is apparent what is going on--that so many followed his lead. he might have been stating a personal opinion, but he needs reformulate his public stance on this simply based on doing the right thing by people.

[Corkey Mineola]

3. Already signed it. Thanks! NT

[cosmic _mind]

5. Or, let's start a church and we can all be tax exempt!

Eliminate tax exemption for all churches as far as I'm concerned.

[Ian David]

6. Revoke their corporate charters in the Secretary of States offices.

Most states allow you to revoke the charter of any company that is harming the public interest.

[Speck Tater]

7. A Mormon co-wroker once told me

that the LDS church was NOT tax exempt. He made a big deal out of it. I have not been able to back up that claim on Google. In fact the LDS church LOST their tax exempt status on property in Britain, so that guy I knew was probably just blowing smoke.

[nichomachus]

9. In Britain they only lost tax exempt status on their Temple

not on their churches. The reasoning was that the Temple is a super-secret building and because it's not even open to all Mormons, isn't considered a "place of public worship."

[Merlot]

8. I've heard that the donations don't come from the church

the donations come from people who are members of the church. The church "suggests" where they donate their money would be my guess.

We need to change our CA Constitution amendment procedure to make sure any amendments pass a two thirds super majority.

[nichomachus]

10. Here's a site that tracks what Mormons have donated

http://mormonsfor8.com/

[nichomachus]

11. Here's a site where you can see who gave what

http://www.sfgate.com/webdb/prop8/

Select UT and check the box that says Supports Prop 8

Hundreds of donations. One guy at the top of the list gave $300,000.

[nichomachus]

16. I just looked up the donations from Utah

As of the last accounting, there were 562 individual donors from Utah in support of Prop Hate. They totaled just over $2,554,000.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=p38SnNWWYztQVMKEw8WnfcA

One joked gave $1,000,000. I'm guessing he wants a big planet when he croaks.

[Gregorian]

12. It's one place to start. But we have major change that must happen.

I now realize that the problem is the lying.

I think there must be a way to eliminate lies, at least during an election process, that are aimed at swaying the votes.

Bush got us into a war by making it ok. Americans would have never allowed bombing a country if they hadn't been lied to. It's no different than the perception that is being broadcast about gays. I got the robocalls.

How else did the same people who voted for Obama also vote yes on 8. And there had to be those who did, since a majority of voters voted yes.

[kwassa]

13. Do you know what the IRS's separation of church and state rules are?

The only thing prohibited that I know of by a church is specific endorsement of political candidate.

Everything else is protected free speech.

[margotb822]

23. I think this is where we cross into the gray area

I'd have to do more research, but it seems to me that when a church "recommends" donating to a cause, epecially a cause outside of its state (Utah vs California), and is the major funder of political actions, that seems to be violating the separation.

Lawyers smarter than me will have to be involved, but I think the church crossed into questionable territory with their actions.

And, considering this is a move to take rights away from people, unprecidented in America, we need to look at who is pushing this issue. We can't use religion as a basis for legislation, yet that seems to be the only argument against gay marriage (and gay rights in general).

[mikelgb]

14. I think we should also perform ceremonial "Gay Marriages"

between involving Mormons and publish them like the Mormons do to their unsolicited "baptisms"

btw I am proud to announce the happy Marriage of Brigham Young and Adolf Hitler, send your best wishes to the newlyweds

[lelgt60]

17. This is just one bunch of bigots calling out another bunch of bigots...

There's only 5 million Mormons or so, worldwide. I'm beginning to think it kind of strange that they're taking they brunt of this, even though the a couple of BILLION or so other Christians believe essentially the same thing, and no doubt give far more monetary support to the same anti-gay causes.

Note how many comments have nothing to do with the LDS support of prop 8, but are just bigoted comments about some of their unique beliefs.

You want to support gay rights, you need to go after Catholics, Jews, Baptist, Muslims, as well.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. Catholics, Mormons and Baptists

those are the groups that are active in my own hometown. They are to blame. Mormons did the great majority of organizing and funding this hate bill.
when a religion is organized into a political hit squad, when they are attacking the human rights of myself and others, calling them out for that is not bigotry, it is casting a light on the truth of these hypocritcal hate mongers. The fact that their hatred is based on delusional myth that 99% of Americans find insane is a fact that they are about to learn in full living color.
You are trying to defend a bunch of haters by saying there are also other haters. That is not mitigation but confession.
Mormons and Kights of Colombus did this. Mormons will suffer the most for it, as any time mainstream people learn a new fact about Mormonism they dislike Mormons more. Rituals for the dead, that sort of thing. They like to keep it secret for a reason, most find it nuts and scary. The world will know all about them very quickly now. They have a long history of making trouble and being kicked out of states for hate and murder and every other thing, child marriage, multiple marriage, cheating the 'gentiles'...no, they have opened a can of worms and they will regret it.
You want to support mormons, go to Utah. World wide Christianity is nothing like Mormonism or hate based Sheite Baptistism. So don't try selling that soap.
They worship bigorty. They do freakish rituals and summoning of the dead. Many say they do animal sacrifice and perhaps even human, but there is no way to know, because unlike all other American religions, no one is allowed to witness the Mormon Temple rituals save for the inner circle. Non Mormons are not welcome, and one has to wonder what atrocities they committ behind those tall and secret wall. The world wants to know. But Mormons fear the light of day.

[lelgt60]

20. Thank you. Your post is self evidence of your own hate. n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

24. Them that dish it out

best be ready to take it. Them's playground rules, and that is where they dragged this. This is now a street fight.
And who do you think you are to judge my heart? All you see is my tactics, and from that you dare to judge. And yet you argue that organized thugs on the street should not be called out, for that is 'hate'. Do you feel it is hate when the police arrest other organized gangs, who come in from other states and nations to sew division and slander the citizens, to start fights and incite violence?
You are on the wrong side of this. You want sweet rehtoric toward organized hate gangs.
Standing against injustice is not injustice. Calling a bigot a bigot is not being a bigot. Pointing out the facts of the Mormon religion, such as rituals held to benefit the dead, and the locked tight secrecy of their Temple rituals, is just reporting what IS. They wear magic underwear and think all the males get to rule a planet when they die, as they become Gods themselves. All of that is their theology. Fact. Also fact, most Americans find it insane, and most Christians find it blashpemous.
Sorry, the LDS were better off standing silently in Utah. People who live in glass Temples should not throw stones. They poked the bear, and you clutch your pearls and hurl abuse when the bear growls. Well the bear has just begun to growl, and the religionists are going to rue the day they bought into the worship of hate and of power.
Mitt and his pals can kiss my ass, in a secret ritual closed to all 'gentiles'.

[lelgt60]

25. Right. Just love in your heart. Your statements reflect your heart...

Just like the Mormons. I have no problem calling the Mormon's bigots - as I did. I have a problem with outrageous, venomous claims like: "Many say they do animal sacrifice and perhaps even human, but there is no way to know" or "They have a long history of making trouble and being kicked out of states for hate and murder and every other thing".

These have nothing to do with their anti-gay stand. Statements like these will not help any gay person get any well deserved rights. It will do just the opposite, and you know it.

[kevinbgoode]

19. We are fully aware of where the bulk of that funding came from in this case.

...and we are fully aware of the other organizations which promote religious tyranny.

[lelgt60]

22. Understand. I support all efforts to end religious hate.

Including removing tax exempt status from religions

[TexasObserver]

21. Amen! copy your congress critters and demand they follow up, too

[slampoet]

26. Action speaks louder.

thanks.

[marshall]

27. It would be easier to argue if Obama had come out against Prop 8

Or even in support of gay marriage. He didn't, and the church can claim they weren't endorsing a candidate and were supporting a stand which arguably goes along with both candidate's statements.

[margotb822]

28. I wonder about Obama's support for gay marriage

It seems at odds with his other positions for equality. I wonder if this was a purely political stance to attract more crossover and moderate republican votes. I can see him changing his position on this once he gets into office (too late for Prop 8, I know, but I feel that we're at a jumping off point on GLBT issues. We've really started something and it's going to become a SCOTUS decision).

[LMortis]

29. Until we get there, let's boycott the LDS.

http://www.mormonstockindex.com/

^A listing of various Mormon-Run businesses.