Churches and religious non-profit organizations receive unconstitutional preferential treatment from the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, according to a lawsuit filed in a Wisconsin federal court.
The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation filed the lawsuit in a Wisconsin federal court. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, or FFRF, believes secular non-profits and organizations do not receive the same treatment in maintaining 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
The lawsuit states,
All organizations recognized as tax-exempt under §501(c)(3), except churches and certain affiliated religious organizations, also are required to file an annual information return, Form 990, in order to maintain their tax-exempt status.
The preferential treatment of churches and certain other affiliated religious organizations by the IRS, under the direction and control of the defendant Miller, directly benefits churches and other religious organizations, while discriminating against other non-profit organizations, including the plaintiffs, solely on the basis of religious criteria.
The FFRF filed a lawsuit in November claiming the IRS has failed to enforce restrictions on electioneering by churches and religious organizations. The FFRF points to several instances during the 2011 and 2012 where church groups and leaders engaged in political speech and conduct. The IRS ended church audits in 2009.
The growing influence of religion and churches in politics has created populist movements and organizations. Groups such as TaxTheChurches.Org seek to remove preferential tax benefits and perks for religious groups and churches.
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