Westboro Hate-Mongers Exempt from Paying Taxes
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By now, the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka is a religious organization that needs little, or no introduction. The Westboro folks have taken the theology of hate to a whole new level. They picket and protest funerals of fallen soldiers, and recently Elizabeth Edward’s funeral. As long as they can make some dubious connection between gay rights and the deceased, they show up with their “God Hates Fags” signs.
In the wake of the shooting in Tucson, Arizona, where congress woman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, a nine year old girl was killed, and others were murdered or injured, the Westboro Baptist Church went into full swing, promising protests in Tucson, and issued this statement:
Here’s something revolting to consider. If you pay your taxes to the federal government, then in a round about way, you support the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas. How’s that?
Like most religious organizations, the Westboro Baptist Church enjoys 501(c)(3) status under the federal tax code. Westboro is exempt from paying taxes on income collected in the course of its “religious” activities.
Whether right or left, conservative or liberal, PC or Apple, there is one thing we can all agree on. We hate the Westboro Baptist Church. So, why doesn’t Congress revoke Westboro’s exempt status?
Under the Constitution, Congress is prohibited from enacting laws that single out one entity–be it an individual or an organization. A law cannot be enacted that says, all religious organizations shall enjoy tax exempt status under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, except the Westboro Baptist Church.
Legend has it that Fred Phelps, Sr., the languidly eerie fountainhead of “God Hates [fill in the blank],” had an olympic size pool installed at the Westboro compound in Topeka. Westboro obtained tax exempt status for the funds used to build and maintain it, because it was to be used for baptisms. Later the pool was filled in allegedly because one of the Phelps grandchildren almost drowned in it. Another theory is that it was filled in because they almost lost their tax exempt status over it, because the pool was really being used for the personal pleasure of the Phelps.
They know what they are doing. A good portion of the Phelps clan are licensed attorneys. Phelps, Sr. is a disbarred lawyer.
Their theology, as odious as it is to seemingly everyone, and the way they publicize themselves is protected activity under the First Amendment. They simply know how not to break the law and maintain their exempt status.
Until 501(c)(3) is repealed, or revamped in a way that is not discriminatory to Westboro in particular, those of us who do pay our taxes are subsidizing their activities. In that sense, we are all members of that mistake in Topeka.
I’ve got a sign for the Westboro folks: God Hates Freeloaders.
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Folks, this is part of what we stand for, a idiotic, hate filled, old man and his followers to believe and speak their beliefs. As long as he is meeting the legal requirements for being a religion even in its broadest sense we must let them be. It is a slippery slope when we advocate the law to single them out for we may be next.
Of course, we can take the next step in the analogy of rights. Where do others rights begin and theirs end. I think that Arizona and other states have answered that by limiting their intrusion into the rights of others. The only reason people like this are relevant is because we make them so.
the nice thing about the Phelps publicizing their whereabouts, commmunities coming together and counter protesting them. There is some young guy had come up with a thing, as long as they are out there, commit to donating to a charity certain amounts for every minute they are there.
Well this makes it easier and easier, everyday for me to go to jail for not paying fed taxes. Hey someone has to do it right? I’m sick and tired of my money going to stupid abstinence programs, to wars, to the military industrial complex, to religious organizations that hate, to salaries of people that should be in petri dishes, as specimens being examined, instead of the halls of congress. I could go on and on but I am going to light up a bowl and relax my mind instead.
Ha, you crack me up, Jess. Relax and enjoy yourself. The world can drive a person nuts.
You’re just upset you’re not here sharing a bowl aren’t you? It’s ok, I’ll smoke more so you don’t have to ;). I got some new stuff called Sno Cap and this stuff is WOOOOOOOOO, this stuff is excellent smoking.
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There are some grumblings, again, about it being time to over-haul the tax code. However, my guess is that they would leave this provision — 501c3 — alone. Because, if it gets messed with, it’ll mess with everyone’s favorite religious organization.
That tax exemption for churches and cults is what gives them their power, they get to keep all the money they con out of people and use it to promote their agenda, instead of doing good works.