Charles, thank you, also Vernon, both of you are right. The only thing I can think of to pursue this blatant violation of the IRS tax code is to perhaps approach Lambda Legal Defense, one of the very few gay organizations that is effective when it comes to legislation. I think we need to get the message out across the entire nation and hopefully garner some straight allies (there are many straights who don’t agree with religious cults interfering in the political process let alone violating tax codes at our expense). Whenever I mention the word “cult”, I’m referring to all religions, not just the Mormons. If any organization could get a response from the IRS on this, it is Lambda with the help of congressional leaders who support us. Congressional leaders can in fact intercede and get a direct response. We need to put pressure on this issue. The cults have clearly overstepped the boundaries between not only separation of “cult” and state but have flagrantly violated the federal tax laws governing their tax-exempt status. The 501c3 status they enjoy is quite clear about that. They’re not even allowed to advocate for any candidate or influence the way their followers vote. If you or I failed to pay our taxes because we didn’t believe that marriage is only between one man and one woman, we’d be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Its about time this “hands off” religious cults mentality is abolished when they resort to deliberately violate the law that applies to ALL of us in order to advance their religious agenda to discriminate against us and deny us our full citizenship as taxpayers. Most of them don’t even want us to have civil unions, domestic partnerships let alone marriage. This is nothing more than bigotry and hate in the extreme. They can skew it all they want, but that’s what its about based on a cultist belief system, the origin of much of the evil in this world if you look at history.

If you missed the live feed:

http://www.calchannel.com/images/sc_030509.html

Coincidentally, I found the link as I was lurking at Free Republic.

Thank you for your thoughtful and informed commentary. You are right on every single point you raised.

It’s very clear that the Mormon cult, and probably the Christian Church as well, have violated IRS tax code 501c3.

As a concerned taxpayer who filed a formal, written protest with the IRS about this sometime back, to which I have never received a reply incidentally, I am wondering why the IRS is not moving to do anything about this glaring violation?

When we, as private taxpayers, fail to meet our tax obligations to the the IRS, they are on our back faster than a fly on shit.

Ken Star and his crowd are arguing strict adherence to their standards and laws. Why aren’t they being held to the same strict standards of our laws?

My question is, what can we do to force the IRS do it’s job and how would be go about doing that, as I am not versed on legalities of these sort of issues.

Any ideas or suggestions?

MadProfessah, I enjoin Charles on this. Nobody is talking about suppressing free speech. Nonprofit religious organizations or cults are not permitted under the IRS tax code 501c3 to interfere or influence any legislation whatosever.

Take the Mormon cult for instance, among others. It mobilized its members and donated more than $20 million to make Prop. H8 succeed. Why should our tax dollars support their right or any other religious cult for that matter to singularly discriminate against one group of people who happen to be taxpayers and at the same time influence the outcome of equality legislation when they pay no taxes and lie about us in the process? Religious belief is learned behavior and our orientation is not. Nobody is born religious. I’ve no objection to what anyone believes in, but keep it where it belongs, out of the public arena and political process and in the home where it belongs. Religious cultists choose to believe and live their lives that way, we don’t. The sooner they learn that the better and while I’m at it, civil marriage has absolutely NOTHING to do with religious marriage, there is a clear distinction between the two.

No one is talking about suppressing anyone’s right to free speech.

We are talking about taking away the right to use tax-free money, which is essentially taxpayers money because we take up the slack for the taxes they do not pay, to finance their campaigns to take away our civil-rights.

My contribution to Equality California was not tax-deductible.

I have to pay tax on every single cent I earn, plus capital gains. I can only use the money I left over to fight church. And the money that I do use to fight the church with I am not allowed a deduction for.

Is this fair?

What has taking away their tax exemption got to do with suppressing free speech?

I really don’t understand this urge to SUPPRESS the speech of our opponents.

The First Amendment is about letting all speech flourish (without Governmental infringement *O* support)and battling it out in the marketplace of ideas.

The notion of going after the non-profit status of the Churches is COMPLETELY wrongheaded, in my view.

Vernon, thank you. I’m beyond galvanized and uber-angry at what’s happening and annoyed like hell at the apathy of some of our people in the LGBT community. Its time to light a fire under them. If we don’t fight back, we’ll lose everything we’ve gained, as little as that is. We’ve got to keep the momentum going 365, 24/7 without letup until we get our full rights without exception. If that means civil unrest, so be it.

Robert, you are a breath of fresh air. It’s so uplifting to know that there are still some people around, like you, who are unwilling to take shit from anyone. These people succeed because many among us give them our tacit approval and in so doing, we empower them.

You are absolutely right. It is naive to think that agreeing with the enemy never works. Mr. Chamberlain found that out back in WWII when he and Hitler signed a non-agression pact….and came back crowing “Peace with Honor”.

It didn’t take Herr Hitler long to trash that piece of paper. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Cheers.

Charles, thanks. I don’t care if they trash us. At least you and I are honest about it. We do all the footwork while the politically correct ones sit back, do nothing and enjoy the fruits of our activism and they have the gall to criticize? Many of them don’t even donate to our advocacy groups who fight for much needed equality legislation. It seems its ok for right wing cultists to lambast us, denigrate our lives, our sexuality but its not ok to bash back. Since the media is on the bigots’ side, why should we have to take the religious cultists’ crap and do nothing? NOT! Appeasement never won WW2 or any war for that matter. This is a war we’re in with the right wing ideology so pervasive in our society, make no mistake about that. The only way to combat them is to disarm them by fighting back. Agreeing to disagree with them doesn’t work and it never will. Its naive to even think it.

Hear. Hear.

I’ve been saying the exact same thing for a long time on these blogs, but each time I do, I get trashed for saying so.

I am now regarded on these threads as a bully, a religious basher, a pederest and a racist, among other things.

I am sure they will find more things to call me.

That got the attention of a few people in charge.

Unfortunately, it did nothing to lengthen Dan White’s 5-year sentence, which had been reduced from murder to manslaughter on the infamous “Twinkie defense” and which was what sparked the riots.

In retaliation, San Francisco’s finest trashed the Elephant Walk, a gay bar in the Castro.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Night_riots

Open season on gays is today licensed by the equally infamous “Panic defense”.

It’s now 30 years later, but somethings just never change, it seems.

We owe it to the ones who came before us and to the ones who will come after us!

But for the love of GOD people, don’t just have another march in the Castro. It is time for the gays to bring the fight to the places that provide the backbone for the anti-gay industry.

COME TO FRESNO!!!!!!

Come to the Central Valley, where Proposition 8 was passed by 60-75%.

Bring the fight to the backyards of the people who are systematically stripping you of your rights. Check the link…meetinthemiddle4equality.com

My philosophy exactly.

Take best and leave the rest. ;-)

Werner Erhard was the creator of EST, later The Forum and now known as Landmark Education.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werner_Erhard

Contrary to inspiring apathy, the main thrust of the training, as it was called, was designed to have people take a look at what they had created in their own lives that was causing ‘blockades’ in achieving personal happiness and success.

I took the training and a couple of the seminars in New York City at the Pennsylvania Hotel back in the late 70s.

It turned my life around 180 degrees.

Of course, I still “fuck up” now and then. The main difference is, I now know that I am fucking up as I am doing, as opposed to not even knowing that I was doing it. ;-P

That give me choices, which after all, is what life is all about.

Perhaps you’re right.

As Werner Erhard said “Everything is happening just as it should.”

The passing of the civil unions bill is, indeed, encouraging.

step-by-step. HeeHee

So sorry, Vernon. :-(

I should have spoken up sooner. I spotted it over a week ago, but it slipped my mind until you jogged it with your comment.

I kind of thought you might not have received an email notification. You are always very prompt in responding to people’s posts.

Not looking good…Im so sad!!

Hi, Kev. How are you doing this evening? Well, I hope?

This is so true, Vernon.

Oh…and speaking of accepting the challenge, were you aware that you did get a reply from Mark?

http://www.queerty.com/former-...../#comments

LMFAO…

and they chose to keep my other comment there, I think.

No. 123 · Shelly

You really don’t know much about the Mormon church if you think it is “not growing” or “going away”.

Keep your philosophies and ideals that you can tamper with procreative powers and not be held responsible. Mormons will keep their philosophies and ideals that the family is central to God’s plan for us in this life.

There is a counter argument for every tidbit you want to throw at religious or “spiritual” (as you call them) people. You think you can destroy the messenger and the message will go away. Not so. You can call names, defame reputations, and scream hate all you want. That is your perception. Reality says people have been gentle towards you. You just refuse to listen.

This will go down as one of the greatest battles of good and evil fought on earth. God’s plan for families will win. You will still be loved and recognized as human, but you will be proven wrong. Nature discriminated against you first.