And Jesus wept. The Family Research Council a notorious multimillion-dollar “Christian” LGBT hate group is now a “Church” in the eyes of the IRS.
Via ProPublica: According to documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act and given to ProPublica, the FRC filed an application to change its status to an “association of churches,” a designation commonly used by groups with member churches like the Southern Baptist Convention, in March 2020. The agency approved the change a few months later.
Originally a 501(c)3 “public charity” changing to a 501(c)3 status “Church” does not change it’s tax exempt status at all. But there are special rules limiting the IRS’s ability to audit a “church” to make it harder as compared to a public charity.
Via the IRS website: Congress has imposed special limitations, found in section 7611 of the Internal Revenue Code PDF, on how and when the IRS may conduct civil tax inquiries and examinations of churches. The IRS may begin a church tax inquiry only if an appropriate high-level Treasury official reasonably believes, on the basis of facts and circumstances recorded in writing, that an organization claiming to be a church or convention or association of churches may not qualify for exemption, may be carrying on an unrelated trade or business (within the meaning of IRC § 513), may otherwise be engaged in taxable activities or may have entered into an IRC § 4958 excess benefit transaction with a disqualified person.
The Tax Exempt Government Entities (TE/GE) department of the IRS should have never changed their status according to their own rules to qualify as a “Church” you must:
- The organization must operate exclusively for religious, scientific, educational or charitable purposes
- The net earnings of the organization may not provide an advantage to a shareholder or private individuals
- The organization can’t devote a substantial part of its activity to influencing legislation
- The organization can’t intervene in political campaigns
- Any activities or purposes by the organization must be legal and in line with public policy
Perhaps those 87,000 new IRS hires has FRC President Tony Perkins a known white supremacist supporter is running scared.
**WE CAN REALLY USE YOUR HELP!
Recent medical issues and overwhelming Doctor and hospital bills have left us on the verge of bankruptcy leading to the closure of this beloved Independent LGBT News and History site.
If you can PLEASE make a donation no matter how small to help us and help keep us going and online and live we would really appreciate it.
Thank you – Will Kohler
PAYPAL will@back2stonewall.com or VENMO @Will-Kohler-1