Texas official says Unitarian church not a tax-exempt religion

[Snellius]

AUSTIN, Texas - (KRT) - Unitarian Universalists have for decades presided over births, marriages and memorials. The church operates in every state, with more than 5,000 members in Texas alone.

But according to the office of Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, a Texas Unitarian church isn't really a religious organization - at least for tax purposes. Its reasoning: The organization "does not have one system of belief."

Never before - not in this state nor any other - has a government agency denied Unitarians tax-exempt status because of the group's religious philosophy, church officials say. Strayhorn's ruling clearly infringes upon religious liberties, said Dan Althoff, board president for the Denison, Texas, congregation that was rejected for tax exemption by the comptroller's office.

"I was surprised - surprised and shocked - because the Unitarian church in the United States has a very long history," said Althoff, who notes that father-and-son presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams were both Unitarians.

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/nation/8689409.htm

[librechik]

1. in Texas, unless you're rolling on the ground, glossolaliating and kissing

snakes, you're not really religious enough to get a tax break.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. That's BS

Hope UU takes this to the courts-and fast. If this is so, then any group that espousses the philosophy that more than one path leads to God is not going to be 'religious'--are they trying to make it so that only intolerant bigots can get religious exemptions?

[Wickerman]

3. If the church of John Hagee is tax exempt

then the damn Unitariam church is.


Someone in TX who fought and I believe won tax exemption, even though its all about John and his riches.




http://www.sacornerstone.com/

Hard to believe he went to the same undergrad as Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers.

[BadGimp]

9. "What is a Cell?" - sounds like a god dammed Terraist group ma!

"What is a Cell?

A cell is where two or more people meet together to pray, to study the Word of God and to disciple new converts. Cornerstone Church is a spiritual body consisting of hundreds of cells...cells consisting of compassionate, loving people with a passionate desire to have a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and a richer relationship with each other. Every cell functions within the infrastructure of the Government of Twelve!"

boing...

[leftistagitator]

11. That man has done more than any other

to teach me to despise Christianity. To listen to him is to realise that many Christians have no intention of ever living in peace with others. I remember one of his sermons, entitled "Tolerance is Treason". I don't think I have to tell you what it's about, it's a hateful screed from a wicked man. I've met many other Christian groups along the way that have made me rethink my hatred of Christianity, as they were basically good people trying to help others through this sometimes harsh world. But one thing I know for a fact is, if Christianity is real, John Hagee is in league with Satan.

[Wickerman]

14. I watched that bastard about 15 years ago

preach a sermon on the role of women. And they had all these pretty plants in the audience mindlessly bobbing their heads. Yes, Hagee HAS to be a 1st cousin to satan himself.

[progressivebydesign]

18. Oddly enuff, the word "butthole" came to mind when I saw the photo. N/T

[2cents]

23. C'mon, Hagee is entertaining to watch...

...in a butterball standup kinda way.

But for comedic content, you can't beat Jack van Impe.

[Wickerman]

25. I miss ol' Robert Tilton (?) the dude who would send you prayer cloth

outta Dallas. They trounced him on 60 minutes, I believe.

[2cents]

26. Oh that dude - hilarious

He was straight-up, no bones about it----If you want to be blessed, send me some cash!

Reminded me of a white Reverend Ike.

[bhairava]

33. He was still on about a years ago

Flipping through the channels at 4 or 5AM, I've stumbed upon him on BET. Still speaking in tongues and on wife number three (I think?). Personally, the best freak show is Paul and Jan Crouch's. That gaudy set, her pink hair(!), and washed up celebs who have been born again. What's not to love.

[2cents]

38. LOL, what's up with that lady...

..somebody get her a mirror.

[gauguin57]

40. I just saw Tilton

on TV the other night. The same week, both his "ministry" and Richard Roberts's "ministry" told people who were deep in debt to "sow a seed" by sending some money to these "ministries." They GUARANTEED that the in-debt person would be prayed for and that God would get the person out of debt because of the seed they'd sown. Like people deep in debt have extra money to send to a televangelist.

Criminals. Why doesn't Michael Powell go after THESE jokers? They're way more obscene than Janet Jackson's breast or Howard Stern's mouth.

[progressivebydesign]

32. van Impe scares me to death! He and vampira, his cohort! N/T

[2cents]

39. Nah, the Impster is funny...

...he's overjoyed at the thought of the world coming to an end, and Rexella looks like she's starving.

They believe the EU is the anti-Christ.

SNL couldn't do better.

[barbaraann]

4. Some famous UU's

Who were some famous
Unitarian Universalists?
In American politics:
Abigail Adams*
John Adams*
John Quincy Adams
Ethan Allen
Chester Bliss Bowles
Harold Hitz Burton
John C. Calhoun
Joseph S. Clark
William S. Cohen
Paul H. Douglas
Emily Taft Douglas
Thomas H. Eliot
Edward Everett
Millard Fillmore*
Benjamin Franklin*
Horace Greeley*
Hannibal Hamlin
Thomas Jefferson*
Edward S. Mason
Wade McCree
Maurine Neuberger
Lucius Paige (1802-1896)
Thomas Paine
William J. Perry
Paul Revere*
Josiah Quincy (1722-1864)
Elliot L. Richardson
Leverett Saltonstall
Francis George Shaw
Col. Robert Gould Shaw
Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965)*
William Howard Taft*
Daniel Webster*

And that's just a start!

http://www.famousuus.com/

[ixion]

10. and Kurt Vonnegut

he likes the humanitarian aspects of the Unitarian chruch...

[maddezmom]

5. this is most likely about gay marriage

Church Leads Call for Gay Marriage
The Associated Press

Boston, May 12—(AP) Its Beacon Hill headquarters are within earshot of the gay-marriage protests held on the Statehouse steps. But inside the Unitarian Universalist Association, the debate was settled a long time ago.

While other churches have fractured over gay marriage, the small denomination has been a leading religious voice in favor of same-sex unions

~snip~
more: http://www.beliefnet.com/story/145/story_14587_1.html

another site:
http://www.uua.org/

They are going to be a target of the fundies and the bush* misadministration.

[KamaAina]

8. *Going* to be a target of the fundies?

Our UU minister in Honolulu held the post in Tampa for many years. He tells of a 12-year-old boy who was caught vandalizing his church. "Why did you do that?" he asked. "Because our (fundie) pastor says you're going to hell," came the reply.

[maddezmom]

13. sorry, I'm sure they've been a target

but the current events in MA, have riled up "fundies".

[KamaAina]

6. Much, much more in GD

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1627217&mesg_id=1627217

<sarcasm> There's a typo in the original article: Its reasoning: The organization "does not have one system of belief." should read "does not have our system of belief". </sarcasm>

[happyending]

7. just nuts

What in the world is WRONG with these people?

The inmates have literally taken over the asylum.

[progressiveBadger]

12. I'm new to the UU church

but from what I know so far, they do have one system of belief. It is that everyone is welcome, and everyone is deserving of respect and dignity. It's sad that many today have forgotten this most basic teaching of the founders of modern religion such as Jesus, but instead they use the Bible as a shield to do whatever the hell they want.

[pop goes the weasel]

15. they need to contact Ethical Culture of Austin

The Ethical Society finally won their battle for status as a religion in Texas in March 2003.

I think this really has to do with atheism. UUs admit atheists into their fellowship, and Ethical Culture is largely atheist. North Texas Church of Freethought has also been denied tax-exempt status as a religious body.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

16. So based on US case law, Texas recognizes Scientology (since they

have no choice) but not UU's.

[progressivebydesign]

17. Those M.F.s!!!!!

:grr: So those fucking wingnuts of the apolyptic church we all read about last week, the ones meeting with Bush and his staff, the ones DRIVING our foreign policy ARE tax exempt????????????????????

THey mean that the Unitarians are performing marriages for gays and are anti-war.. that's what they mean!!!!!!!!!

Can we just have the election tomorrow?????????????

[pacifictiger]

19. this is absolutely unbelievable

particularly when you realize that Thomas Jefferson, although he never officially joined the church, also thought along unitarian/universalist lines.

[GOPBasher]

20. It's starting!!!!!

People think I'm just being an alarmist when I say things like, "Theocracy is coming," or "Soon I'll have to teach creationism in schools." I think this is proving my point. This Texas official is already trying to toss one religion out the window. It's a small step to go from that to throwing all the non-Christian religions out the window.

[AndyTiedye]

31. This Was Always How They Planned to End Freedom of Relgion

During the campaign at one point Bush was asked what he thought of Paganism,
he said he didn't consider it a religion.

The won't ever repeal the First Amendment, they'll just gradually declare everything
except their brand of fundamentalist xtianity to be "not a religion".

They figure that your religious freedom ends wherever the tax man say it does,
and they appoint the tax man.

It wont be long now.

[tibbir]

21. Carole Keeton Stayhorn is looking to run

for govener in the next election against Govenor Goodhair, who's down in the polls. Making the appeal to the fundamentalists I suppose. As a Texan and Unitarian I can't express how shocking this is to me.

[TexasBushwhacker]

22. She has got to be effin' kidding me!

This is incredible! It's not like this church just popped up in a trailer park last week. It's been in the US almost 200 years and its roots go back to early Christianity. The initial split from the "trinitarians" happened with "non-trinitarians" disagreeing with the Nicene Creed in 325 AD.

A nice summary of the Unitarian church can be found here:

http://www.westwoodunitarian.ca/history.htm

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

24. This is actually pretty radical, when you think of it.

The UUs have been around along time, and are pretty much accepted as a protestant denomination.

[Kat45]

30. But they are not always considered a Christian church any more

Because they accept people who don't believe in Christ. Perhaps "Christian" is the key word here?

[struggle4progress]

37. I'm pretty sure ...

that Texas cannot grant tax-exempt status only to "Christian" churches and not to other religions. On the other hand, you may be right that this is exactly what the comptroller is trying to do.

[DemoTex]

27. Fuck Texas

I so glad to be outta there I twitch. Twitch bad! Good twitch, though.

[crossroads]

36. AMEN!

:kick:

[leesa]

28. This is good, because it's long past time for true Christians & righteous

people to get really pissed at these hateful bigots.

[Arugula Latte]

29. I wish they'd tax all churches

but to single out this one is ludicrous. I doubt they'll get away with it.

Those fuckers sure want a culture war, don't they?

[struggle4progress]

34. This is politically motivated.

Unitarians tend to be liberal. That's all. Let's face it, folks: the conservatives are going to be completely unprincipled as they gird their loins to fight their "culture war."

[crossroads]

35. We're not talking Jim Jones or Jim Baker here!

These Unititarians are the most compassionate people I ever met! REAL, not counterfeit Christians like the Bushes seem to be.
:eyes:

[Mr.Green93]

41. Why should any Church be tax exempt?

[Citizen Daryl]

42. Religious persecution - it's not just for Saudis anymore n/t

[dusty64]

43. So now rightwingers get

to determine what is a real "church" and what is not. This bullshit has gone WAY past unbelievable.