Heather Clark, Christian News Network — (Madison, Wisconsin) An atheist activist group from Wisconsin has filed a third lawsuit against the IRS, this time alleging that the federal tax organization is wrongfully engaging in a practice of “preferential treatment of churches.”The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) states that its main concern is that the organization has had to pay hundreds of dollars to apply for tax-exempt status, while the IRS waives the fee for churches. It also asserts that the IRS unfairly exempts churches from completing Form 990 every year, while FFRF must still file the “onerous” document.
In its complaint, FFRF bemoaned that the organization is required to submit “detailed, intrusive, and expensive annual reports to maintain tax-exempt status, but such reports are not required for churches and certain other affiliated religious organizations.”
“The unfairness of this is so overwhelming,” stated FFRF President Emerita Anne Nicol Gaylor. “Churches are allowed to play by different rules.”
FFRF said that churches should have to submit the form in order to maintain the same financial accountability as other non-profit entities.
“Why should churches be exempt from basic financial reporting requirements? Equally important, why would churches not wish to be accountable?” co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor remarked. “Having tax-exempt status is a great privilege, and in exchange for that privilege, all other groups must file a detailed report annually to the IRS and the public on how we spend donations.”
The organization, along with the Triangle Freethought Society, a chapter of FFRF, is asking the court to declare the exemptions as being a violation of the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution.
According to the documentary A Defense of God’s Law, the nation’s decision to allow tax exemption for churches was grounded in Scripture.
It cites Ezra 7:24, which outlines:
“Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.”While many churches choose to file for tax exemption, others decline to do so because they would rather pay taxes than forfeit their freedom of speech. » Read More
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