[Vision2020] Interesting Prop 8 Reaction

Chasuk chasuk at gmail.com
Fri Nov 7 11:16:28 PST 2008


http://lds501c3.wordpress.com/

Revoke LDS Church 501(c)(3) Status

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the
"Mormon" or LDS Church) has gone too far in promoting the 2008
California Proposition 8, which would claims to amend the California
state constitution to define marriage as one man and one woman in
order to supersede a state supreme court opinion issued earlier this
year. [Whether the proposition was a lawful amendment or a revision
that cannot legally be made by a voter initiative remains an open
question.]

Section 501(c)(3) of US Code Title 26, which governs tax-exempt
organizations, reads (emphasis added):

    (3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation,
organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable,
scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational
purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports
competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the
provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention
of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of
which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual,
no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on
propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except
as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not
participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or
distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or
in opposition to) any candidate for public office.

(The "otherwise provided" clause does not apply, as the LDS Church,
being a church, is a disqualified entity as described in subsection
(h).)

The LDS church, through inciting its members to donate time and means
to support Proposition 8 (resulting in millions of dollars of cash
contributions from its members and countless volunteer hours), and
in-kind campaign contributions to a group that supports Proposition 8,
has now made a substantial part of its activities attempting to
influence legislation.

You can help! Send the IRS an official complaint about the LDS
Church's activities, either by email, fax or US Mail.

   1. Prepare a copy of the Official LDS Prop. 8 Letter read in all
LDS churches in California on 29 June 2008.
   2. Prepare one or more other articles of your choice (you can use
these links, or do your own research) showing the LDS Church's
substantial activities attempting to influence this legislation.
   3. Prepare this Pre-Filled IRS Form 13909 and add your personal
information, or fill out a Blank IRS Form 13909 from scratch with the
information in the pre-filled form (these links and an alternative
filled form are copied below in RESOURCES.)
   4. Don't forget to date your referral at the top and include your
submitter information. If you are a member of the Church, you may wish
to check the box marked "I am concerned that I might face retaliation
or retribution if my identity is disclosed."
   5. Send it to the IRS, either by:
      * Email: Prepare your documents as PDF's or web links, and send
your complaint form with supporting documentation to eoclass at irs.gov.
      * Fax: fax your documents to (214) 413-5415
      * Mail: mail your documents to
      IRS EO Classification
      Mail Code 4910DAL
      1100 Commerce Street
      Dallas TX 75242-1198



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