About 501 (c)
3 Government approved Churches, Organizations and the coming Federal Mandates
If you are a 501 (c) 3 Government
approved IRS Tax Exempt non-profit Church or Religious entity,
the agent representing your church becomes “by your approved application” a new
Government agent and your church becomes a Government Church Corporation. As
such you will be required to be in compliance with all corporate
requirements that the Federal or Local Government may place upon you, now
or in the future.
It is our strong belief that Churches and all Religious type Societies or Organizations should NEVER be formed as a Government approved 501 (C) 3 corporate entity. Many
Churches are formed this way because they have been told there is a tax benefit
for doing so. Some may have been formed this way to hide themselves under the
State Approved Corporate veil to reduce some of their liability. The sad thing
is, that most of the members that formed such churches or Organizations are
just plain ignorant of their 1st Amendment Religious rights. The fact is:
Churches and Religious Organizations are already Tax Exempt if they
claim their rights under the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution. 1st
Amendment Churches DO NOT require Government approval to exist or to form, or
to be Tax Exempt. The 1st Amendment of the US Constitution provides an
automatic “exempt status" for all religious organizations or societies
such as Churches. This exemption is fully recognized by the IRS, See IRS
Publication 557 (3/2005), Tax-Exempt Status for Your Organization, provided
that such entities meet the requirements for a Church or a Religious entity and
then acts and performs accordingly.
Religious Societies like Churches
(claimed under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution) are already tax exempt,
they also become immune from laws infringing on their right to assemble as a
Religious Society, and are able to teach their religious doctrinal fundamentals
even if not politically acceptable. They may marry only lawful Biblically qualifying
couples, and can even do so without anyone obtaining a Government issued
license. The “Establishment Clause” prevents the State or Government from
forcing belief or disbelief on any religious organization. The Clause protects
the right to worship according to the dictates of one’s conscience, and the
right to do, or forbear to do, any act, for conscience sake, the doing or
forbearing of which is not inimical to the peace, good order, and morals of
society. The right to believe and act is absolute, but the “to act” part is
still subject to some regulation for “protection of Society.” 1st
Amendment Churches therefore can reject LGBTQ+ individuals for membership or
attendance for any reason that the ruling authority of the body may determine,
and reject anyone that does not qualify or submit to their religious or
doctrinal standards. However, by accepting such responsibilities the leaders
and individuals of 1st Amendment Churches are also liable for unlawful acts
perpetrated by them or by their leaders (as it should be). Leaders of 1st
Amendment Churches cannot hide behind a corporate veil that may separate the
actions of the corporation from the actions of you or your church members. You
cannot have your cake and eat it too……! This is why many Churches become
Corporate Churches. So, what is the cost for being a Government Church?
Well, if you are a Government Approved 501 (c) 3 Corporation, you must also
obey all laws and any existing LGBTQ+ rights (like gay marriage laws) and any
other new “rights” that may in the future affect your Church’s moral views,
standards, or doctrine, or to assemble. Tax exempt Corporations are also
prevented from speaking out on political issues, or from actively supporting
candidates or issues.
If your
Church is a 501 (c) 3 entity it cannot just change its Government stripes over
night since the Government does not like to lose control of its 501 Churches.
Care and proper documentation must be made in order for a 501 (c) 3 Church to
move out from under the control banner of the IRS, the State and Federal
Government. Basically, the 501 entity must legally cease to exist, all assets
liquidated and a completely new unrelated Religious Society/Organization must
be established and properly recorded (For Public Notification Only); to exist
(but NOT by seeking any Government approval). Once a 501 Corporate Church
always a 501 (c) 3 Corporate Church, you cannot just replace the same
organization with a qualifying 1st Amendment Religious Society unless the old
Corporation legally ceases and “dies.” If your Corporation has not yet been
challenged by LGBTQ+ rights you have been spared, but “The Equality Act” is
coming, or something like it is coming, and your Corporation must comply.
Summary – Corporations
are by design controlled by Government. A corporation provides some cover
for individual liability as a benefit, but it is at the severe cost of
Government control and forced regulation. A Corporation has Government as its
head, not the Almighty Sovereign Creator, and come with a loss of religious
Freedom. If you are now a Government Church, it is unlikely that your current
accountant or consulting attorney is capable of correcting your current status
since he or she has not provided you with information to be a 1st Amendment
Religious entity in the first place. Accountants and Attorneys are all
Government regulated agents and they require approval by Government, so do not
even think about asking them for help. They may however be able to help you
untangle your Church from being a 501 (c) 3 Corporation should you and your
Biblical Society Religious Organization or (Church) be willing to do so. Your
Religious Society could then become religiously free from Government
mandates such as providing rights for LGBTQ+ (if this violates your Biblical
standards) and again become religiously free under your rightful Almighty
Creator (God) as your headmaster.
Yahweh
bless, Assembly of Yahweh, Cascade