So far right, anti-choice groups claiming religious tax deductions and credits to finance their lobbying are angry that the IRS is actually certifying whether those deductions and credits are legitimate:
Please. I am sure that women presenting for breast exams and pap smears feel far more harassed by these extremist groups than the groups feel by the IRS. And asking a question is not harassment - it's what regulatory agencies such as the IRS do. It's their job. I get pieces of paper from them every year asking questions about various returns, usually questions I can answer with a phone call or mailing them a photocopied document. Sure, it's not fun having someone asking if you really deserve that tax deduction or credit or there are plenty of tax dodgers out there, and frankly I have a bigger problem with subsidizing someone else's religion in effect with my tax dollars. But that is another issue. You can't ask for the tax exempt status then cry "religious persecution" when the agency in charge of making sure your claim is valid does its job. If you want to pray personally in your home or church or even in the middle of your algebra exam, no one will ever stop you or question you. But if you want me to pay for your to pray, well, expect a few raised eye brows and some pesky forms to fill out.
Please explain how all of your activities, including the prayer meetings held outside of Planned Parenthood, are considered educational as defined under 501(c)(3). Organizations exempt under 501(c)(3) may present opinions with scientific or medical facts. Please explain in detail the activities at these prayer meetings. Also, please provide the percentage of time your organizations spends on prayer groups as compared with the other activities of the organization.
Please. I am sure that women presenting for breast exams and pap smears feel far more harassed by these extremist groups than the groups feel by the IRS. And asking a question is not harassment - it's what regulatory agencies such as the IRS do. It's their job. I get pieces of paper from them every year asking questions about various returns, usually questions I can answer with a phone call or mailing them a photocopied document. Sure, it's not fun having someone asking if you really deserve that tax deduction or credit or there are plenty of tax dodgers out there, and frankly I have a bigger problem with subsidizing someone else's religion in effect with my tax dollars. But that is another issue. You can't ask for the tax exempt status then cry "religious persecution" when the agency in charge of making sure your claim is valid does its job. If you want to pray personally in your home or church or even in the middle of your algebra exam, no one will ever stop you or question you. But if you want me to pay for your to pray, well, expect a few raised eye brows and some pesky forms to fill out.
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