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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
 Posted - 04/30/2005 : 13:10:31
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At the local university spring fair, I notice a booth advocating various secular/non-religious ideas. Later, I tried to find their website but (ironically) came to this one instead. Called "TheRealityCheck.Org" (complete with a little Jesus-cross drawn in place of the 't'), their site says that it is "is a Conservative issue advocacy and information group established to promote and defend conservative social, political and economic principles nationally." OK, so far, so good. But in the next sentence, we also find that it is "a non-partisan, nonprofit, tax-exempt educational foundation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Codes."
Huh? Can some one explain this to me? I'm sure that somehow, the tax code is written so that a group that expressly states that it promotes conservative political and economic pronciples can nonetheless be non-partisan. But that it can blows my mind.
Perhaps someone could explain how this is. Is this a good thing? Obviously (or at least, I hope!) a group that promotes, say, liberal politics can also be considered "non-partisan" and tax-exempt, but that still doesn't mean that it's OK. Or maybe it does. I dunno...
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Edited by - Cuneiformist on 04/30/2005 13:19:40
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
 Posted - 04/30/2005 : 13:14:16 [Permalink]
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As an little appendix, I thought I'd add that I find it extremely humorous that their campus intitiative, isquote:
designed to provide support services to college and university conservatives facing challenges resulting from the lack of intellectual diversity on campuses throughout the country . . . [and]ensuring that the term “diversity” also includes conservative thought and perspective in the public square, in our media AND on college campuses.
Brilliant! |
| Edited by - Cuneiformist on 04/30/2005 13:20:21 |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2005 : 13:18:54 [Permalink]
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Found out about Section 501(c)(3) (emphasis mine):quote:
The exempt purposes set forth in IRC Section 501(c)(3) are charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition, and the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. The term charitable is used in its generally accepted legal sense and includes relief of the poor, the distressed, or the underprivileged; advancement of religion; advancement of education or science; erection or maintenance of public buildings, monuments, or works; lessening the burdens of government; lessening of neighborhood tensions; elimination of prejudice and discrimination; defense of human and civil rights secured by law; and combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency.
Wow! Sorta leaves big-government atheists without a leg to stand on! Or a tax-exempt organization to get the word out. Oh well... |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2005 : 13:25:35 [Permalink]
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| Um, Cune, while increasing the size or scope of the government may not be on the table, there's plenty for athiests to get behind. I can't imagine the JREF having too many issues with the law (it is a 501(c)(3) organization). |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2005 : 13:32:26 [Permalink]
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Hah! In this day and age, if you are nonpartisan it means that you haven't been paying attention.
And if this bunch of is nonpartisan, I'm partisan enough to be a Communist. 
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2005 : 14:06:43 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
Um, Cune, while increasing the size or scope of the government may not be on the table, there's plenty for athiests to get behind. I can't imagine the JREF having too many issues with the law (it is a 501(c)(3) organization).
No, of course. And since JREF is about educating about science, then it easily fits one of the definitions. I just found it interesting that a group that's conservative, Christian, and against "big government" would be tax-exempt without a problem. But one that's atheist and in favor of more government/not cutting government would have to promote themselves in a different way to get the same status. |
| Edited by - Cuneiformist on 04/30/2005 14:12:08 |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2005 : 14:10:36 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
They're politically conservative, but not affiliated with any political party.
Right. And that works well with me if there were, say, 5 or 6 or 10 viable parties that their advocacy work would promote. (So no, Constitution Party, you don't count.) But in a country where there are two parties-- one of which is politically conservative-- you are doing work for that party and ONLY that party whether you "belong" to it or not. So I think it stinks! |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 05/01/2005 : 19:44:14 [Permalink]
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| For those interested, I finally found the site I was looking for: www.au.org. |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 05:01:35 [Permalink]
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I have to take their side on this, I would be labeled as Liberal by pretty much anybody, but that does not mean I endorse the Democrats or that they would endorse my ideals.
Conservative religious democrats do exist... their just goofballs though. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2005 : 15:43:53 [Permalink]
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quote:
The term charitable is used in its generally accepted legal sense and includes relief of the poor, the distressed, or the underprivileged; advancement of religion; advancement of education or science; erection or maintenance of public buildings, monuments, or works; lessening the burdens of government; lessening of neighborhood tensions; elimination of prejudice and discrimination; defense of human and civil rights secured by law; and combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency.
My emphasis.
What about religions that creates prejudice and discrimination (against homosexual people). What takes precidence? What about churches with activities that voilate civil rights? |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2005 : 13:56:41 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> The term charitable is used in its generally accepted legal sense and includes relief of the poor, the distressed, or the underprivileged; advancement of religion; advancement of education or science; erection or maintenance of public buildings, monuments, or works; lessening the burdens of government; lessening of neighborhood tensions; elimination of prejudice and discrimination; defense of human and civil rights secured by law; and combating community deterioration and juvenile delinquency.
My emphasis.
What about religions that creates prejudice and discrimination (against homosexual people). What takes precidence? What about churches with activities that voilate civil rights?
[/quote]
Since "advancement of religion" is farther up in the list, it would take precedence, right?  |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2005 : 14:24:26 [Permalink]
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| So where does the second(?) amendment fit into this "advancement of religion"? |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 05/04/2005 : 14:27:13 [Permalink]
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I think you mean the first admendment - "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
I don't think the first admendment applies since just making institutions that promote "advancement of religion" a "charity" that doesn't have to pay taxes doesn't establish one. Not that I agree with this per se, but that would be how it is interpreted. |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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| Edited by - pleco on 05/04/2005 14:29:35 |
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