In order to maintain that separation the churches should be operating within the private domain however our church leaders are being taught that they need to become corporations and operate as a 501 (c) (3) or similar organization. The courts have clearly identified that a corporation is “a creature of the State”. A person, or group of people, cannot ask the State for permission to become one of their corporations, operating under their authority, then try to claim they are independent of the State. They are only exempted from regulation as far as the State allows.
It’s very common to hear people complain about the infringement of religious freedoms. Stop putting your churches under the authority of the State and you’ll be in a position to start enjoying those freedoms and exercising the rights you think you have instead of the rights allowed by the States. This is something our church leaders need to begin understanding.
Every church that would like to practice the rights that they have, secured by the U.S. Constitution, should be established as a 508 (c)(1)(a). The advantages of being 508(c)(1)(a) FBO include rights guaranteed under Federal Law 26 U.S.C. Sec. 6033(a).(3(a)
1) Tax Exempt, and can give tax deductible receipts for donations.
2) Freedom of Speech, including, but not limited to, politics, referendums, initiatives, and candidates.
3) Mandatory Excepted from reporting (does not file a tax return),
4) Mandatory Excepted from “rendering under oath such statements, make such other returns, and comply with such rules and regulations as the Secretary (IRS) may from time to time prescribe”.
A church is an ecclesiastical body with an exclusively religious function. Churches in the United States have an exceptional and unique tax status. This has been true since the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1791. The First Amendment includes language that protects the free exercise of religion.