{"id":64782,"date":"2018-02-21T10:26:28","date_gmt":"2018-02-21T15:26:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/anti-lgbt-group-focus-on-the-family-files-as-church-to-avoid-taxes\/"},"modified":"2018-02-21T10:26:28","modified_gmt":"2018-02-21T15:26:28","slug":"anti-lgbt-group-focus-on-the-family-files-as-church-to-avoid-taxes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/anti-lgbt-group-focus-on-the-family-files-as-church-to-avoid-taxes\/","title":{"rendered":"Anti-LGBT Group \u2018Focus on the Family\u2019 Files as Church to Avoid Taxes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anti-LGBT Group \u2018Focus on the Family\u2019 Files as Church to Avoid Taxes<\/b>
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James Dobson by Focus on the Family<\/a> (CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Anti-LGBT activist group Focus on the Family<\/a> (FotF) has declared itself a church in order to avoid paying taxes.<\/span><\/p>\n

In its application, FotF, which has previously argued that the legalization of same-sex<\/a> marriage <\/span>could lead to civil war<\/b><\/a>, indicates that it is a \u201cchurch, convention of churches or association of churches.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Right Wing Watch<\/b><\/a> reports:<\/span><\/p>\n

Focus on the Family filed as a non-church 501(c)(3) nonprofit as recently as<\/span> the 2014 fiscal year<\/b><\/a>, submitting to the IRS a publicly available Form 990 as most tax-exempt nonprofits are required to do. But when the group posted <\/span>a Form 990 for the 2015 fiscal year<\/b> <\/a>on its website\u2014dated October 26, 2017, and reporting a massive budget of $89 million\u2014it was emblazoned with the message \u201cNot required to file and not filed with the IRS. Not for public inspection.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On the part of the form on which it is required to identify the reason for its public charity status, the group indicates that it is a \u201cchurch, convention of churches or association of churches.\u201d In an \u201cexplanation of church status,\u201d the organization states that while it hasn\u2019t filed with the IRS because the IRS has told it that it\u2019s \u201cnot required\u201d to do so, it would \u201cpost a pro-forma 990 on our website and make copies available to donors.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The IRS master database of tax-exempt organizations also indicates that FotF is listed as a church that is not required to file a 990.<\/span><\/p>\n

Right Wing Watch continues:<\/span><\/p>\n

Focus on the Family declaring itself to be a church is puzzling. While the Colorado Springs-based organization has somewhat softened its image since it was led by the firebrand [James] Dobson [above], it remains active in political debates and advocacy (even in a nominally nonpartisan way). A \u201csocial issues\u201d section on the group\u2019s website currently features information on a supposed threat to bathroom safety posed by transgender people thanks to LGBTQ activists fighting in politics, churches and popular culture, and contains an update on \u201ccultural issues in the courts.\u201d In June, Focus invited Vice President Mike Pence to speak at an event celebrating its 40th anniversary, where he promised the group it had an \u201cunwavering ally\u201d in President Trump.<\/span><\/p>\n

Attorney Gail Harmon, who has advised nonprofits on tax law for more than 30 years, said that she had never before seen a nonprofit organization declare itself a church. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just found it shocking,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing about them that meets the traditional definition of what a church is. They don\u2019t have a congregation, they don\u2019t have the rites of various parts of a person\u2019s life. There\u2019s a whole system for what a church is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The post Anti-LGBT Group \u2018Focus on the Family\u2019 Files as Church to Avoid Taxes<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Anti-LGBT Group ‘Focus on the Family’ Files as Church to Avoid Taxes<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n