Mormon Church Reports Spending $180,000 on Proposition 8

[_Jason Bourne]

I have no problem with any church getting involved with politics -- but I don't think such a church should retain its tax-exempt status. If churches want to get involved and help pass laws or constitutional amendments (in order to overturn court decisions), they should pay the price the rest of us do: TAXES!

Well that is nice but it does not matter what you think. What matters it what the law says. Of course one can argue that the LDS Church ran afoul of the law for tax exempts here and if so then their tax exempt status may be in jeopardy. Some how I doubt it will be for this thought.

Of course if you do not like the law you can attempt to change it through the legislative process.

[_JoetheClerk]

Church Leadership(SLC and down to the branch level) severely chastized the Relief Society Sisters at a friends small branch for having a bake sale. "Could have major tax consequences for the Church causing them to lose tax exempt status" was the reason given. All this for $23 worth of pies and cookies sold at a local farmers market.

Yes, they just might find someone who will go after the leadership for this amount of money and come up with simple reasoning not based on dollars but on Leadership involvement from the top down.

Organizing, funding and encouraging are much different than 'Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves'.

[_Jason Bourne]

Church Leadership(SLC and down to the branch level) severely chastized the Relief Society Sisters at a friends small branch for having a bake sale. "Could have major tax consequences for the Church causing them to lose tax exempt status" was the reason given. All this for $23 worth of pies and cookies sold at a local farmers market.

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Can you provide a source for this. I am skeptical.

[_Dr. Shades]

I like the idea that the LDS church was involved in politics over this issue.

Will you still like the idea when fundamentalist Muslims get involved in politics?

People may not agree with the issue but it was good to be involved. I have to take my hat off to the LDS church for taking a stand.

Will you take your hat off to fundamentalist Muslims when they contribute billions of oil dollars to pass legislation that your wife and daughters must wear a burqua at all times when outside the house?

[_harmony]

Church Leadership(SLC and down to the branch level) severely chastized the Relief Society Sisters at a friends small branch for having a bake sale. "Could have major tax consequences for the Church causing them to lose tax exempt status" was the reason given. All this for $23 worth of pies and cookies sold at a local farmers market.

.

Can you provide a source for this. I am skeptical.

My ward was told the same thing, Jason. Except it wasn't the Relief Society, it was the YW.

[_Jason Bourne]

My ward was told the same thing, Jason. Except it wasn't the Relief Society, it was the YW.

Let me clarify. The Church does not want us to do fund raisers for a number of reasons. Some are allowed by the youth for scout camp and girls camp and for high adventure outings. Other than that the Church wants activities funded from the budget. This is in order to avoid undue pressure to raise funds and to save time that is spent is such activities. There is no policy that you cannot do a bake sale or something like that because it will cause the church to lose its tax exemption if the funds are to be used for the purposes of the church. A Relief Society bake sales to raise funds to use for future Relief Society activities will not jeopardize tax exemption for the church. However, many local leaders misunderstand that reason and fall back to tax exemption. My call for a source was regarding the SLC getting involved claim.

[_Rollo Tomasi]

Well that is nice but it does not matter what you think.

Gee, thanks, Jason.

What matters it what the law says. Of course one can argue that the LDS Church ran afoul of the law for tax exempts here and if so then their tax exempt status may be in jeopardy.

I have never said the Church broke the law. I would just like to see that if the Church (or any other church) gets involved in politics (as is its right to do), then it pay the same price the rest of us do: taxes. I realize this would require a change in the law, but I would like to see the change.

Of course if you do not like the law you can attempt to change it through the legislative process.

True, and its episodes like this (i.e., the Church's heavy involvement in passing Prop. H8te) that could lead to such a change, which I would welcome.

[_harmony]

Are there any churches that are not tax exempt? I mean... how big of a change would this really be? Huge? Small?

[_Rollo Tomasi]

Church Leadership(SLC and down to the branch level) severely chastized the Relief Society Sisters at a friends small branch for having a bake sale. "Could have major tax consequences for the Church causing them to lose tax exempt status" was the reason given. All this for $23 worth of pies and cookies sold at a local farmers market.

Can you provide a source for this. I am skeptical.

This would seem consistent with the CHI that such leadership would have, which contains these statements about the Church's tax-exempt status (particularly the bolded portions):

The Church normally is exempt from paying sales, property, income, and other taxes because it is a religious organization. Church buildings and other property are to be used for the purposes of worship, religious instruction, and other Church-related activities. Facilities are not to be used or political, business, or investment purposes as outlined on page 181. To do so violates laws that permit tax exemption of Church property.

It is important that stake and ward leaders follow these guidelines to preserve the Church's tax-exempt status. If one ward misuses the Church's tax-exempt status, other Church units could be affected. (See 2006 CHI p. 162 (emphasis mine)).

The reference to page 181 states:

Ward and stake leaders should ensure that local Church activities do no jeopardize the Church's tax-exempt status. (See 2006 CHI p. 181 (emphasis mine)).

On that same page, it states that the following activity, among others, is prohibited on Church property:

Holding political meetings or campaigns. (See 2006 CHI p. 181).

It seems to me, based on these instructions to local leaders, that it should not be surprising that local leaders are sensitive to any Church auxilliary's bake sale or other fundraiser related to politics.

EDITED TO ADD: I think I misunderstood the initial post on this -- I thought the poster was referring to the bake sale as an effort to raise funds for a political issue (like Prop. H8te), but as Jason points out, it could be for some other RS-related reason. That said, on page 181 of the CHI, the list of prohibited activities on Church property includes "holding unauthorized fund-raising projects." Moreover, the list on which that prohibition appears is a subset of the instruction that "Church property should not be used for commercial or political purposes which would violate laws that permit [the Church's] tax exemption." On page 161 of the CHI, it states that fund-raising activities are not approved if they "would be taxable." Again, in light of this language, I would not be surprised if the leadership shut down this type of activity. It appears the Church's tax-exempt status is the 'Golden Calf' of today's Mormonism.

[_truth dancer]

I thought political campaigns are required by law to disclose all contributions received, and organization/religions/companies are required, by law, to disclose political contributions.

Am I mistaken?