Thread: Churches and non profit status.

WaterStationPrez wrote:
"501(c)3s may, however, lobby for or against legislation or initiatives, either in general or specifically, so long as these activities do not amount to a "substantial part of their activities.". There are very specific guidelines that define "substantial." The activities and huge expenditures of money on behalf of California's Proposition 8 by the Catholic and Mormon churches constituted lobbying. So do all of the activities you have cited in opposition to SB-1070."

Since you specifically brought up "the activities and huge expenditures of money....by the Catholic and Mormon churches" (you cited "on behalf of Calif.'s Prop. 8"), the original questions here were: 1) at what point expenditures of time, money, and, I presume, other resources, by religious organizations which hold tax-exempt status under U.S. law and which work actively--through their congregations and/or their tax exempt charities-- to promote U.S. civil amnesty for illegal aliens (and here both the Catholic and Mormon churches are major players) becomes "political lobbying" which violates the separation of church and state? And, 2) how can ordinary individuals take effective personal action to have the U.S. tax exempt status of these huge international religious organizations questioned and, perhaps, even removed as a result of their political activism in this regard (i.e., active attempts to influence U.S. civil laws of immigration, labor, and border security)?

Thank you for your clarifications and assistance, and welcome to ALIPAC.

Since you specifically brought up "the activities and huge expenditures of money....by the Catholic and Mormon churches" (you cited "on behalf of Calif.'s Prop. 8"), the original questions here were: 1) at what point expenditures of time, money, and, I presume, other resources, by religious organizations which hold tax-exempt status under U.S. law and which actively--through their congregations and/or their tax exempt charities-- to promote U.S. civil amnesty for illegal aliens (and here both the Catholic and Mormon churches are major players) becomes "political lobbying" which violates the separation of church and state?

Thank you for the welcome. I have found that, with few exceptions, the writers on this forum are measured and respectful, even though most of them disagree strongly with the work that I do and the opinions that I express. That speaks well of them.

To answer your first question: “[T]o promote U.S. civil amnestyâ€

Waterstationpres,

Welcome! It's good to have you with us.

And thanks for the great info. I guess all that can be done if a church is lobbying for amnesty, is for the congregants to put pressure on the church brass to cut it out. A Zogby poll found that, by a large majority, in all major demoninations, the members do not agree with their church leaders on this subject.

It amazes me that these religious leaders will only protest when there is money involved. Why didn't they take to the streets and protest when prayer was taken out of the schools? Oh yeah...there was no $$$$$$ involved.

Related
Catholic 'Justic for Immigrants' -- fake constituents
http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1053622.html#1053622