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Hmm. I think if I was on the council, I'd send the Diocese a memo with the following excerpt from the IRS website.

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"Exemption Requirements

To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates." {emphasis, mine}

Yes, its all the fault of the homeless. Punish them.

Maybe the RCC is trying to get accepted by the Radical Right? Maybe the Pope doesn't like being called the Anti-Christ?

The Catholic Church has caused so much pain and suffering through the centuries that nothing it does surprises me. Just a bunch of arrogant self-righteous old fools running the place. Can't really believe anyone pays attention to them, to say nothing about being willing to give them money so they dress up and act like they are stars in a theater production.

Macaroo, I' long wished the IRS would get off it's butt and go after a lot of the mega religious organizations that get too involved in controlling politics. Enough!

Good idea Macaroo. I'm sick and tired of religious groups politicking. They should lose their exemption and have to pay taxes as everyone else.

To threaten to not house the homeless is the lowest cut of all.

Religion has cut itself into the political fabric of America. Despite separation between church and state, which they maintain doesn't exist, religion continues its foray into politics.

I say, if they want to play politics and lobby legislators, tax the bastards! Those tax dollars could go a long way to paying down the deficit.

What do you want to bet that those religious entities start screaming "separation between church and state" then?

What a Christian position to take. Thank goodness I'm a recovering Christian an no longer subject to the whims of these cretins.

It's always been interesting to me how the Catholics wish to be seen as the only church and the arbiter of everything sacred and holy. They tell the poorest of the poor not to use birth control and so they contribute to their poverty and to child mortality. They dress their bishops, cardinals and popes in expensive finery, have world-class art collections but still expect the poor to give them money. They allow (or used to, until they got caught) pedophile priests to molest young boys and do nothing but move them from parish to parish, to avoid prosecution. They claim bankruptcy if a court ruling goes against them in one of these molestation cases. Now this threat in D.C. This is nothing but political extortion, pure and simple. As several have pointed out, they need to be reminded that political action of any sort is illegal for a church. I say take away their tax-free status and let's collect some of those millions they've gotten off the backs of their believers.

Ya know which organization is the wealthiest in the world in terms of real estate values? McDonalds. The RCC comes second. Nevertheless they've built their empire with smoke and mirrors like the Wizard of Oz, continually trumping with the 'guilt' card to get what they want. By setting themselves up as the 'intermediary' between Man and God (can they do that?) their history is a long one of extortion by guilt, threatening eternal damnation (or at least excommunication) anyone questioning the validity of their preposterous dogma. Their threat to close off community aid in retaliation for legislation is historically consistant with their methods of wealth accrual. The money they would save by helping the poor could be used to purchase works of art for the Vatican, that strange earthly defense for a world of secrets, power and mystery.