Are Pastors Abusing The 501(C)(3) Status? Preacher Bureau of Investigations Is Asking Congress To Take Second Look At The Exemption.
A spokes person for the Church Folk Revolution says Preachers have manipulated the 501C3 status for their personal gain and it's time to put an end to the fleecing of religious organizations.
Online, October 4, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Are Pastors Abusing The 501(C) (3) Status? Preacher Bureau of Investigations Is Asking Congress To Take Second Look At The Exemption.
New Orleans La - Wealthy Pastors are once again in the spotlight for their lavish lifestyles acquired at the expense of the improvised members of their congregations. Recently the nation witnessed the arrest of eight current and former Bell, California city officials in connection with the city's salary scandal for misappropriating more than $5.5 Million in public funds. As many cheered the arrest of the public officials in Bell, others have begun to ask why Pastors are allowed to buy Private Jets and Multimillion Dollar Homes Tax Free.
In 2008, Congress was asked to review the 501C3 status of Prosperity Preachers such as Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copland, Bishop Eddie Long, TD Jakes and others just to name a few, in an attempt to see if the Non-Profit Status was being abused by Mega Church Conglomerates. Prosperity Pastors have come under fire because of luxury purchases like jets, expensive cars, real estate purchases valued in the millions, nonstop construction projects unrelated to the mission statement of their 501C3 proposal, and the funding of personal services like personal chiefs, chauffeurs, and the salaries of executive assistants.
Jamal Harris, former Personal Assistant to Bishop Eddie has provided followers of the Sex Scandal with insight into the over the top lifestyle of a Mega Church Pastor. Jamal Harris described in his allegations against Bishop Eddie Long how he would take him on International trips in his private jet, and how he spoiled him with expensive gifts. The enormity of the allegations has many people on the outside of the Sex Scandal asking where is all of that money coming from.
The 501(C) (3) Status that many pastors are using to adorn themselves in a life of luxury has attracted the attention of a Watch Dog group call the Church Folk Revolution (www.PimpPreacher.com).
The group is asking Congress to once again review the Tax Exempt status of wealthy pastors as way of curbing abuse of the current Internal Revenue Code. The group is asking Congress to remove the Tax Exemption from Pastors salaries but keep the exemption in place for the purchases and activities of the Church.
A spokes person for the Church Folk Revolution says Preachers have manipulated the 501C3 status for their personal gain and it's time to put an end to the fleecing of religious organizations.
"If a Pastor buys a private Jet then that Jet becomes his personal Jet. If you would like to test this fact then ask a member of one of these Mega Churches if they can request that jet in order to fly to a job interview, it's not going to happen. With the use of scriptures and the 501C3 many pastors have built a revenue source that most major corporations would be very envious of."
The Church Folk Revolution says that they would like to see Congress remove the tax free status from Pastors salaries and create a grant with the funds collected. They would also like to see the revenue generated from the tax on Preacher Salaries used to rehab foreclosed mortgages held by Fannie Mae.
If you would like to join the Church Folk Revolution then please visit their website www.PimpPreacher.com
