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Auditing Scientology: Reexamining Tax Exemption Eligibility

February 17, 2021 By Mike Rinder 46 Comments

IRS exemption scientology

One of our commenters (ISNOINews) forward me a link to a wonderful piece by Taylor Holley, a Juris Doctorate candidate at Texas Tech University Law School written for the Law Review. It is titled for the Auditing Scientology: Reexamining the Church's 501(c)3 Tax Exemption Eligibility. If you click on the link above, you can download the full paper -- it is 27 pages long and summarizes all the facts and legal arguments as to why scientology should NOT enjoy tax exempt status. Below I include her abstract summarizing the paper: Abstract The Church of Scientology is one of the most … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Special Feature Tagged With: 501(c)3, irs, Law Review, Scientology, scientology tax exemption, Tax exempt status, Tax Exemption, Taylor Holley, Texas Tech

Is Scientology an Investment?

January 16, 2021 By Mike Rinder 32 Comments

Old Wil Seabrook is at it again. These STAND flunkies are entirely predictable. Anything that is a touchy subject for scientology (in this case, their merciless money-grubbing) is taken up and presented as if it's a GOOD thing. Let's just dissect a few of Wil's statements. One thing that people ask me is why Scientologists make donations for their services. I think there’s an idea that help, especially of a religious nature, should be free. But once you start to examine that concept, it’s easy to see that nothing in life is ever actually free and that resources are required to do … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fundraising Tagged With: David Miscavige, fundraising, IAS, irs, STAND League, Tax exempt status, Wil Seabrook

Uncle Sam Wants to Help Scientology

November 15, 2020 By Mike Rinder 48 Comments

Every year, scientology rolls out the posters about how the US Government is making it especially easy to give more money to scientology. Unfortunately, this is one of the only true things they ever say. And one of the most galling. The entire US Government is certainly not on the side of scientology. There are many government agencies that do not agree with scientology even being recognized as a tax exempt religious organization, but unfortunately, the most important one, the IRS, seems to be in the minority. Though truth be told, I suspect there are plenty of people in the IRS who … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fundraising, Tax Exemption Tagged With: fundraising, irs, Scientology, Tax exempt status

Kanye, the IRS and Scientology

December 8, 2019 By Mike Rinder 22 Comments

  This is an interesting recent Forbes magazine article. The author covers how Kanye West, who has changed his name to Christian Genius Billionaire Kanye West and conducts "Sunday Services,” could actually file for tax exemption and reap mighty benefits. He describes what the IRS criteria are for granting such a religious exemption: Distinct legal existence; Recognized creed and form of worship; Definite and distinct ecclesiastical government; Formal code of doctrine and discipline; Distinct religious history; Membership not associated with any other church … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tax Exemption Tagged With: Church of Scientology, Forbes magazine, irs, Kanye West, Tax exempt status, Tax Exemption

Scientology is NOT a Business… Wink, Wink

July 9, 2019 By Mike Rinder 82 Comments

Scientology repeatedly claims: "We are a religion engaged in matters of the spiritual plane, not the worldly." They managed to convince strong arm the IRS into granting them tax exempt status as an exempt "religious" organization on this basis. Their words AND actions (believe what you hear AND what you see) prove that is just a facade. Normally this promotional piece would be another one of the Thursday Funnies -- there are literally HUNDREDS of similar items from scientology organizations all over the world claiming that scientology can make you "flourish and prosper" and give you the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scientology, Tax Exemption Tagged With: Internal Revenue Service, irs, pasadena, Tax exempt status, Tax Exemption

A Message from Leah Remini to Scientology Operatives

June 28, 2018 By Mike Rinder 175 Comments

Dear OSA, OSA operatives, paid off sleazy PI’s and lawyers who are bought off by Scientology, I know you are reading this because you scour our instagrams, FB Pages and twitter feeds all day and night. I also understand you are bound to follow the writings of L. Ron Hubbard which require you to discover what someone considers valuable and attack it, to "fight on the basis of total attrition of the enemy" and treat those who speak the truth about you as "Fair Game." But you should also know that what you are doing, including: -- the legal threats -- paying off family members with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Harrassment, Leah Remini, Scientology Tagged With: attorneys, Harrassment, irs, Lawyers, Leah Remini, PI's, Scientology, Scientology The Aftermath, Tax exempt status, The Aftermath

Scientology Tax Exemption — Muffins Strikes Back

February 5, 2018 By Mike Rinder 106 Comments

Clearly, David Miscavige is feeling the mounting pressure on his most cherished treasure: tax exempt status bestowed on scientology by the IRS in 1993. It takes considerable effort to get a letter published about a relatively obscure subject in a major paper like the LA Times. It is apparently a response to an op-ed piece that ran last November. 3 months of work to get this miserable piece of misleading propaganda to run... Monique "Muffins" Yingling makes a rare appearance to argue on behalf of Miscavige.  She has been as out of sight as the COB himself since her fateful appearance on 20/20 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tax Exemption Tagged With: David Miscavige, Hernandez, irs, LA Times, monique yingling, public relations, Scientology, Tax exempt status, The Aftermath

It’s Time to “Secure Your Eternity” — Again

October 3, 2016 By Mike Rinder 66 Comments

I How many times can they keep telling people they need to "secure their eternity"? And how sad is it to see this annual promotion that relies on a tax deduction as a gimmick to get people to "buy immortality." Sad for two reasons: If you really COULD buy immortality and "secure your eternity" people would pay 100X what is currently being charged and would need no "incentive." That the IRS is complicit in this scam. I am sure plenty of commenters are going to cover this well. I am a little short on time, so I really just throw this out there as a topic for discussion. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tax Exemption Tagged With: Tax exempt status

Scientology: The Motel 6 of 501(c)3s

October 13, 2015 By Mike Rinder 148 Comments

Part of the real estate empire being amassed by the tax exempt church of scientology is a rash of "public accommodations." The latest two are in Los Angeles. This one, right alongside CC Int. And of course "The Fountain" opened last week alongside AOLA.     Obviously, there has been a push to open empty buildings so they can be shown at the IAS event. Though one would imagine that ORGS would be better than one-star "hotels." What happened to Harlem? Missed the deadline I suppose. Valley going nowhere really rapidly. Not even a "ribbon cutting" on KCET? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tax Exemption Tagged With: Church of Scientology, Golden Crest, PAC, Tax exempt status, The Fountain

Wake Up The Government

May 24, 2015 By Mike Rinder 57 Comments

This was posted on ESMB and then Karen De La Carriere reposted it to Twitter and Facebook. It is worth taking note. Letters from CONSTITUENTS are treated seriously by elected officials. The more US Congressmen there are who have been made aware of the issue, the greater the chance of something being done. The IRS is answerable to Congress. Sooner or later this is going to become an issue that one or more politicians will feel they can gain popularity with. When that day happens, the more there are to jump on the bandwagon the better. Writing to your Congressman IS an effective means of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scientology, Tax Exemption Tagged With: Church of Scientology, Corporate Scientology, irs, Tax exempt status

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Troublemaker - Leah Remini
Ruthless - Ron Miscavige
Going Clear - Lawrence Wright
Bare Faced Messiah - Russell Miller
Counterfeit Dreams - Jeff Hawkins
Blown For Good - Marc Headley
Abuse at the Top - Amy Scobee
Unbreakable Miss Lovely - Tony Ortega
The Church of Fear - John Sweeney
Fair Game - Steve Cannane
Inside Scientology - Janet Reitman
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Beyond Belief - Jenna Miscavige
My Billion Year Contract
Escaping Scientology - Karen Schless
Commodore's Messenger - Janis Grady
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Excellent article by @tarpleyhitt in @thedailybeast about #scientology in the workplace and this company that is an avenue to politicians for scientology "safepointing" (see my recent blog post about this subject with Hubbard quotes).
https://www.thedailybeast.com/scientologist-execs-at-media-company-erepublic-with-ties-to-democrats-made-workers-lives-a-living-hell

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Yes, its an excellent article.

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I want to tell you about a story-based movement that aims to help people heal from undue influence & religious abuse #igotout. Let's heal together!
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Thanks for having me John. I enjoyed it. https://twitter.com/mormonstories/status/1365409072800006145

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