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Close loopholes that allow groups like Focus on the Family and Christian nationalist legal foundations to avoid public accountability by reclassifying themselves as an Association of Churches. By misleadingly reorganizing themselves as churches, these nonprofit evangelical associations are able to avoid having to fill out the Form 990 that all nonprofits — other than churches — …
by scottk@ffrf.org
The proposed Nonprofit Transparency Act treats churches and church-related entities the same as other charities and requires the same public financial disclosure. Congress insists on financial disclosures for charities because tax exemption is a significant public trust and public trust requires transparency. Transparency both ensures and proves the charities are honoring that trust, not abusing or …
by scottk@ffrf.org
FFRF Action Fund seeks to build on the success from previous years where the Prayer Breakfast has been separated from the opaque Christian nationalist Fellowship Foundation. The change occurred because of the pressure placed upon Congress by FFRF and a broad coalition of civil rights, religious and secular organizations — along with superlative investigative reporting …
by scottk@ffrf.org
Under 36 U.S.C. § 119, the first Thursday in May is designated by Congress as the “National Day of Prayer. The statute directs the president to issue a proclamation to commemorate the day. “The President shall issue each year a proclamation designating the first Thursday in May as a National Day of Prayer on which …
by scottk@ffrf.org
The federal statute creating the parish exemption, as administered by the IRS and the Treasury Department, violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by providing preferential tax benefits to ministers of the gospel. The allowance or grant of tax benefits exclusively for ministers of the gospel under 28 U.S.C. § 2201 that 26 U.S.C. …
by scottk@ffrf.org
The Pledge of Allegiance, written by Francis Bellamy in 1892 for a national public school celebration of Columbus Day, was tampered with in 1954 by Congress. House Joint Resolution 243, approved by President Dwight Eisenhower, (Public Law 396, 83rd Congress, 2nd Session) belatedly amended the language by adding the words “under God.” It has spawned …
by scottk@ffrf.org
Congress adopted “In God We Trust” as a belated motto in 1956. The original motto, “E Pluribus Unum” (From many [come] one), chosen by Franklin, Adams and Jefferson, celebrates the state-federal form of government and pluralism. It is still a national motto. Congress in 1955 ordered that the motto “In God We Trust” appear on …
by scottk@ffrf.org