Illegal Immigrant hiding out in church

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:47 am

Breitbart.com Story

Nice. I'm a fan of churches, especially protestant ones, but this really irks me. Churches cannot harbor criminals anymore than anyone else. If this church does not give up the criminal, then revoke the tax-exempt status and go in and get her.

Arres · Post by **Arres** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:07 am

They don't even HAVE to revoke the tax exempt status. According to your linked article the tradition of Sanctuary has no legal basis in American law. At this point it appears to be a PR issue. I'd like to see them deport her personally.

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:09 am

I'm talking about as a punishment to that particular church, not to get them to do something. Generally speaking, organizations that engage in illegal and questionable activity have a hard time getting and/or keeping tax-exempt status. Ask the Scientologists.

Spongiform · Post by **Spongiform** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:10 am

They should revoke the tax-exempt status anyway. For all churches and establishments of religion.

If the churches are hurting too much from the income tax, I'm sure God will provide for them, right? Seriously.

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:21 am

U RS OS SMARTZ

StruckingFuggle · Post by **StruckingFuggle** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:23 am

Well he does have a point. There's no reason they should be given tax exempt status.

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:27 am

Ok, so there should also be no reason I have to pay for health care to people who can't budget for it.

Or pay for welfare, or pay for public schools that I don't use. Etc etc.

Do you two even know why churches get tax-exemption. Because most of the money they bring in goes out in the form of charity. That's right, churches fall under the tax-exemption codes are other charities.

StruckingFuggle · Post by **StruckingFuggle** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:31 am

And how are any of those things related?

And I've heard the charity thing, but in some cases, like those newfangled megachurches that have everything but a moneychanger, the ones with all the wealthy pastors, I find it hard to believe the "charity" thing isn't a scam.

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:35 am

The point is, most people have no idea of what they are saying some of the time. So sarcasm and exaggerated statements are needed to get across to people.

Who says that some of them aren't? Churches are run by people. People do bad things.

StruckingFuggle · Post by **StruckingFuggle** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:39 am

So it should default to "pay taxes like any other business", and they can file for tax-exempt, hopefully reviewed, status as a charity, instead of being granted it by default. And they have to avoid advocating, or at least financing, politics.

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:45 am

SF, they are not granted it by default. They must apply for it, and obtain the status. It is also frequently revoked for churches that fail to abide by the statutes.

StruckingFuggle · Post by **StruckingFuggle** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:48 am

Huh. News to me. I had thought it was a blanket thing, that once you were legally established as a church it came with tax-exempt status.

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 2:50 am

Nope, they have to file it to get a EIN just like a business would have to apply to get one. Just different paperwork I imagine.

Spongiform · Post by **Spongiform** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:11 am

[quote="Bigity";p="663318"]SF, they are not granted it by default. They must apply for it, and obtain the status. It is also frequently revoked for churches that fail to abide by the statutes.[/quote]

Which statutes?

Bigity · Post by **Bigity** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:16 am

The IRS statutes.

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