Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint Nov. 28 with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service against James Dobson’s Focus on the Family.
Although barred from electioneering, Mr. Dobson has endorsed candidates for political office several times. In early April, 2004, Mr. Dobson endorsed Republican Representative Patrick J. Toomey in his race for Senate in Pennsylvania. In addition, it was reported that Mr. Dobson actively campaigned during a rally for Rep. Toomey. Other candidates that Mr. Dobson reportedly endorsed in 2004 include North Carolina Republican candidate Pat Ballentine for Govenor and Oklahoma Republican candidate Tom Coburn for Senate.
“Mr. Dobson’s egregious violations of IRS code demand an investigation into his improper activities that break both the spirit and the letter of IRS law,” Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said today.
Recently, the IRS has actively pursued investigations against several perceived liberal groups. The IRS targeted the NAACP’s chairman Julian Bond for a July 2004 speech in which he criticized the Bush administration’s policies on civil rights and the war in Iraq. Additionally, the IRS has threatened to revoke the tax-exempt status of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California because of an antiwar sermon there during the 2004 presidential election. In his sermon “If Jesus Debated Sen. Kerry and President Bush,” the Rector Emeritus of the church, George Regas, never encouraged parishoners to vote for one candidate over another, but only to vote their deepest values.
Sloan continued, “The IRS has established a track record of scrutinizing organizations, in particular liberal ones, that have purportedly violated electioneering regulations. We hope that the IRS will fully investigate Focus on the Family activities as vigorously as it has targeted those of progressive organizations.”
Soulforce is collecting signatures for a related petition:
“I ____________ support calling upon the IRS to thoroughly investigate Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family for continued violations of their 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status; specifically that although they are barred from electioneering, Dr. Dobson has endorsed candidates for political office several times. Such abuse of their status as a tax-exempt, faith-based, nonprofit organization can no longer be tolerated.”
Supporters may sign the petition form here.
I have signed this petition and circulated to everyone in my address book and asked them to do the same. This investigation is long overdue, but unfortunately, when the Bush Administration gets wind of it, I’m sure the “instruction” will come to the IRS to be lenient or throw the case out. After all, Focus has become accustomed to setting public policy and are even intruding on UN matters now as Dobson is “in consultation” with Bolton. For the irreparable harm that the evil homophobe Dobson has inflicted on gays and lesbian, it is payback time and I hope it eventually bankrupts Focus on the Family.
I have no doubt that FOTF would qualify as a taxable entity if the regulations are applied fairly. Let’s see if that happens.
David
Come on folks, let’s get this petition rolling. We need to hear some voices on this issue, it is very important. Get the word out now!.
James Dobson is a blight on the future of tolerance and understanding in this nation. His pharisaical hypocrisy is also a blight on Christianity. Obviously the Prince of Peace never taught the kind of legalistic, bigoted rhetoric that James Dobson teaches. The dispicable tyrant has far too much power. Obviously the Repubs are giving him that power too. I took part in the SoulForce rally against James Dobson in Colorado Springs last May. Dobson shut down the Focus on the Family headquarters during the time we were there. He also covered the FOTF sign with a tarpe so the cameras could not catch the name of the facility where we were protesting. That was a dumb move considering the fact that the main building has the name of their organization on a lighted sign across the top. Dobson will pretty much stop at nothing to push his agenda. He is a bully in sheeps clothing.
Not only is it important that we get as many as possible to sign this soulforce petition; it is imperative that we support as many candidates (next year) for Congress who are opposed to Dobson as possible. It is crucial that the Dems get back the Congressional majority. I really believe that we have yet to see the worsed of this administration and the republican congress. Even if we were to have a majority of Dems in congress (a tremendous victory for us) we still will have to live with Bush’s cronies in our Supreme Court for decades to come. It is terrifying when you think about it.
Fortunately the Supreme Court does not make the laws no matter how much the Repubs whine about them “legislating from the bench” (a bunch of political hogwash). Were the laws to change regarding same sex marriage and Congress were to make changes to these laws the Supreme Court will have to support it. Even the most extremely conservative of the justices will have to swallow their pride and deal with it.
I have another comment regarding James Dobson that could also help. If anyone hears the Focus On the Family radio program in their home town and it is not a Christian radio station (they practically worship Dobson) I would admonish you to call that radio station. Tell them you will no longer listen to their radio station unless they stop supporting the FOTF program. Find out what companies endorse Dobson and boycott them.
I have a great success story with a radio station that reaches all of Southeasten Idaho, most of Western Wyoming and part of Southwestern Montana. The radio station is called KBYI which is the radio station of Brigham Young University Idaho. My approach was simple. I e-mailed the station and asked them why they were supporting a radio spot for Dobsons Focus On The Family when the Evangelical Christians (which Dobson is one) are typically so vehemently Anti-Mormon? I also said that his common political approach is not a very wise thing for a typically Latter-day Saint/Christian radio station to support considering the policy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to steer clear of endorsing politicians or sponsoring programs who do. The radio manager wrote me back and thanked me. He said he had his own concerns about that as well and had heard other comments from other individuals. After only one week the program was completely off the air on KBYI. The station replaced Dobson with a wonderful classical music program. 🙂
There are creative ways to get this man’s venomous rhetoric off of the air. I think that if we are to make a real difference we are going to have to take a grass roots effort. Every person counts and definitely can make a change for the better.
The important aspect of any 501(c)(3) challenge is not whether the entity would be taxed. By the time FOTF records contributions and deducts expenses, the tax bill is not going to significantly impact their ability to do what they do. In general, (3)’s don’t have much “net income”. Besides, they could just become a 501(c)(4) and only that portion of money spent directly on polical activity would be taxed. (I believe they could make the change but I’d have to do more research to verify this if anyone disagrees).
Rather, the important thing is that the contributions sent to a 501(c)(3) would not be deductible on the donor’s tax return. This wouldn’t matter too much to Gertie Smith from Misoula; her tax break on her $20 contribution is irrelevant. But the big dollar contributors care greatly about tax deductibility. Granted, they would simply give to another ministry with the same goals and purposes, but it could hurt Dobson’s ability to be the political player that he is.
Additionally, being a tax deductible charity has status. People view (3)’s as a charity and (4)’s as an advocacy group. While you do your obligation to advocacy groups, you don’t feel charitable when you do.
Also, the publicity would be very damaging. If the IRS categorization were changed, Gertie might think “Well, now, I don’t know about that FOTF. Didn’t I hear on the TV that the IRS said they were bad?”
What I also think should be considered by the IRS is whether Dobson is recording perks received from FOTF as income.
For example, if a business provides a house for an exec, the value is taxed to the exec as non-monetary compensation. However, the IRS lets a pastor of a local church live in a parsonage without recording the free rent as income. This makes sense; it’s considered to be for the church’s advantage to have him there.
Besides most small churches can’t afford to pay their minister very much and to treat “free rent” as income to the minister would just mean the congregantw would have to pitch in more to cover the taxes which would hurt their food drives and food kitchens. And, contrary to what some believe, small churches are not at all about someone getting rich; the pay is low and the minister is on call literally 24/7 with no exception for holidays. Those type of ministers do their job as a vocation; unlike the mega-church religous politicians who seem to be more in it for what they can get out of it.
I don’t know Dobson’s personal empire or what FOTF “owns” for his personal use. But if the (3) status is challenged, there could possibly be a huge tax burden to Dobson personally.
Timothy, some good points there. The one that caught my attention was the aspect of bad publicity. Nothing can crumble a corrupt empire like FOF faster than a negative public image. Unfortunately, his public humiliation tactics have targeted gays and lesbians and he has cleverly painted us as an enemy or threat to the family, and people who don’t know any LBGT persons don’t really care. Some that do, are the delusional types who spout that they love their gay friends and family but do not want them to achieve societal status equal to them for bizarre reasons. Investigation for tax exempt status is a good start but we also need a good old fashioned scandal, to bring that hypocrite to the ground. He is the most dangerous man in the US next to Chimp and Cheney, and it is imperative that he be brought to his knees within the next few months before most of the damage FOF has done is irreversible.
No scandal is needed; the scandals of FOF are already in plain view.
The problem is that the United States has become so partisan that each half of the nation is blind to its own scandals.
Some conservative churches are proud of their growing memberships, mega-church pep rallies, and supposedly “literal” doctrines. The more partisan (“liberal” or “conservative”) they become, the more they abandon the Gospel values that conflict with their choice of partisan vices.
Instead of honoring the Golden Rule, partisans of the left and right exhibit self-righteousness; a “my-family-first” contempt for the freedoms and families of others; and a misplaced faith in antichristian idols such as the flag, unfettered usury, imperial power, and cultural and military warfare. Economic libertinism and usury are given the euphemism “free market”; unsafe sex is given the euphemism “liberation”; heavy-handed government meddling in the home is given the ironic euphemism “family values.” Both liberals and conservatives tax the poor in order to subsidize their own particular special interests.
The Gospels call for global fellowship, charity, modesty, compassion, voluntary sharing of one’s possessions, equal justice, and repentance of wrongdoing.
Anything less — among people who present themselves as benevolent Christian oligarghs — is a scandal.
Mike A says:Both liberals and conservatives tax the poor in order to subsidize their own particular special interests.
Really? How does this happen. I am not aware of any such thing.
Posted by: Mike A. at December 4, 2005 10:17 PM
I’m not quite with you 100% but close enough – I like the direction you are headed there.
The Gospels call for global fellowship, charity, modesty, compassion, voluntary sharing of one’s possessions, equal justice, and repentance of wrongdoing.
Absolutely true, and I wish there was a better understanding of the “voluntary” part. The more this sharing is done for us, by force, the more it robs us of a part of our national “soul”.
David
For those of us who do not believe in god or live our lives according to scripture, Dobson’s efforts to destroy the gay community are all the more offensive. FOF attempts to impose their view of a set of belief systems on others who do not even believe in it let alone have their own interpretation. This is more than just tax fraud, it is an attempt to impose church/state integration that goes against any constitutional doctrine. If we look at the majority of Europe for example, religion is rightfully kept out of politics and groups like FOF do not wield political power over sectors of the population. This is a very dangerous trend in the US and I personally, cut them no slack.
Mike A. you mention the failure to follow the golden rule, those who have a “my family first” attitude. That is the epitome of James Dobson and those who profess to the anti-gay code phrase “family values”. Its not just my family first, its “me first as undisputed leader and judge of my family”. That Christian father arrested at his son’s school for protesting his child’s getting a book mentioning a same sex family is another prime example of “my family first”. He figures his right to prevent his family from hearing about gays always and completely trumps the right of gay headed families to a society that doesn’t prejudge us in the most negative way possible. The lack of balance is primarily with the so called “family values”(me first) crowd. Their adamant insistence that society speak of us negatively, if at all, is malicious, profoundly selfish, unbalanced and unfair. Religious people like Dobson are defending this as a right to religious free speech thereby defining their relgion as being primarily about suppressing same sex attraction, love and sex. I think it was you Mike that put it best by saying they’re putting family values ahead of community values – and all of humanity values, I might add.
This is primarily for those who consider themselves Christian. Bashing by others, though it may be tempting, isn’t really invited. 🙂
MikeA: “The Gospels call for global fellowship, charity, modesty, compassion, voluntary sharing of one’s possessions, equal justice, and repentance of wrongdoing.”
David: “Absolutely true, and I wish there was a better understanding of the “voluntary” part. The more this sharing is done for us, by force, the more it robs us of a part of our national “soul”.
Guys, you’re touching on something that has been percolating in the back of my mind for a while. There seems to be an unintentional attempt on the part of both the Christian left and the Christian right to supplant the role of God.
The principle behind Christianity is that it is a voluntary religion and that those who behave in a manner consistent with its teaching receive an eternal reward and those that veer from it’s teachings do not. The teachings of Christ focus on the internal reasons for doing “good”, not on the actual act itself. The rules are less relevant than the motivation.
However, there has been effort on the part of Liberal Christianity to force generosity in the form of taxation and redistribution of wealth. And there has been effort on the part of Conservative Christianity to force compliance with moral codes by the enactment of laws.
Any of these may be good things, but they collectively diminish the ability of a person to “do good” voluntarily out of the goodness of their heart. A charitable act done by enforced deduction from your paycheck is not charity. Nor is it a matter of consience to observe moral behavior to avoid jail.
Scripture tells us that God is pleased by the choices a person makes when faced with decisions. This requires decisions.
Certainly a civil government needs laws that protect its citizens from each other. Yet it seems that some Christians would like to construct a world in which no persons could do things that might displease God.
Yet, without choices, a person would have no opportunity to please God.
My thoughts are not fully gelled on this subject, but since it came up, I thought I’d mention them.
Timothy, regarding your last post, it has long been my (very personal) opinion that the concept of salvation as a motivation for virtue is inherently mercenary and superflous for those who seek true virtue. Without making any claims about any good in my own soul, I say that we should be good whether we are “damned” or “saved”. Therefore, whether Christians, their primary source document, or even their god suggest that I am to be disposed of in some eternal punishment, I must continue to follow the deeper promptings of my own heart which lead me to love.
Timothy, I’m not here to bash :). I respect the fact that you and several others here have strong religious beliefs. I ask the same of you to respect the fact that I don’t believe in god or the truth of the scriptures. I do feel a little “left out” on some of the discussions I must admit (I know, cry me a river). Our common thread is that we are part of a large gay community with similar goals in mind. Yours come from a religious point of view, mine come from a secularist/atheist point of view. We should be able to meet somewhere in between.
jay, thanks for the comments about your own beliefs. Interestingly, though they aren’t Christian in origin, the concept of following the deeper promptings of your own heart ties nicely with the point in my post about the true basis of ones actions as a Christian (as proposed by Christ) being heart based rather than list-of-rules based.
There’s more adherence to Christ in your atheism than there is in many people’s Christianity (don’t take that as an insult – just an observation.
tim w, sorry. I don’t mean to leave you out. I guess i was just being selfish by musing on something of interest to me that I thought would be of interest to a couple others (I did preface it by acknowledging it would not be relevant to everyone).
I suspect that since this site is primarily focused on items relating to the ex-gay ministries, probably a higher percentage of readers have a background in the type of religion that supports ex-gay ministries, whether or not they continue to observe any of it. That may be why it seems at times to have more Christian influence than a more generic gay site.
But you make a valid point and I’ll try to keep my exclusivity to a minimum. It will still surface from time to time, but I’ll try to keep it more on target.