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Some Background
L Ron Hubbard is reputed to have remarked to fellow author Theodore Sturgeon . It would get even better. The thirty year war that his religion, Scientology, waged with the IRS ended in 1993 with Scientology organizations being recognized as churches.
Many years after Hubbards casual remark, not-for-profits in the United States were subjected to fairly strict financial transparency rules enforced by the IRS through a requirement of filing Form 990, which includes, among other things, disclosure of the salaries of the highest paid employees. 990s are easily accessed on guidestar.org. , though. Churches are exempt from filing Form 990.
Churches And Transparency
FFRF is an atheist organization and you could view this lawsuit as just one more attack on religion in the public square like the suit about prayers at the school board meeting in Chino Valley, Calif or the one about a ten commandments monument in front of Valley High School in Pennsylvania. I think that view is mistaken.
The standards of the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability require that member organizations provide audited financial statements on request. ECFA is concerned about the effect that financial shenanigans have on non-believers citing Pauls letter to the Corinthians which states For we are taking pains go do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.
The strongest voice I have noted for church financial transparency is that of Reverend Frank Benson Jones. In his book Stop The Prosperity Preachershe argues that
I have heard of some churches that require the members of the staff to sign Requiring churches and religious organizations to file an
Reverend Jones finds prosperity preachers forming something of a mutual admiration society to keep their con going.
Originally posted here:
Court Rules Churches Can Continue To Conceal Financial Information