There is a Presidential Office of Faith-Funded Initiatives requiring no public or congregational knowledge of receipts, and USA Roman Catholic Churches and groups do solicit other or further funds from the public at-large without much disclosure or donor votes/input. This seems minimally general jurisdiction of the IRS in re protecting against embezzlement, misuse, or other deception with public money, whether or not any Church or organization appears “political”; these seems alternatively or conjunctively cause to propose ALL religious organizations be non-exempt from State Attorney General reporting requirements, to create Federal reporting open to the public’s inspection, or both.

I agree with the IRS that “hey, we do sacerdotals and services, nuff said?” is insufficient to trigger religious exemptions, where no particular ontological metaphysics exists or is “effectuated” by little more than perhaps an office/Church, website art, and print ephemera. As Pew Institute recently pointed out, the high percentage of “Gnostic soup makers” leaves many chance-takers…not sure of what another traditional group’s actual ephemera should be…at risk of being seen as little more than “money, pretty money!” amid a hard economy and dwindling number of seminaries and Churches. 

For the past few years now, I’ve had opportunity to observe Roman Catholic and Protestant Church affairs in northeastern Illinois and the central Oregon valley area (Salem area to Eugene area); they haven’t dissuaded my relevant pro-IRS opinion.

In Illinois, re Roman Catholicism there were Pope pictures somewhere on each property, and clergy talked that EWTN/Vatican talk from the pulpit; but anyone could come in at any Mass point, be as boisterous as they wanted, in fact unruly, with those complaining warned they or the Church might be “of interest” for violating “religious expressions” of others or sounding in “fundamentalist/purist Christianity…like Laden does with Islam!”; in a few cases, Church bulletins and Pastors called for attendance at on-site Rosary recitals with Knights of Columbus in attendance…when held, NO clergy appeared, and often police cars with cameras scanned attendance as if Rosary services self-identified “fundamentalists” (clergy allowed Eucharist and general absolutions with expression Confession and Rosaries are ‘medieval’); while clergy begged at Masses for volunteers for a litany of programs, whenever one inquired they were “full” even as potential receivers of program purposes were told “not enough help to get to you”. As for Illinois Protestants observed, it was simple in-your-face quietism being preached from the perspective you’ll be spared hardship in life if you keep your eyes and mouth shut no matter what goes on around you…maybe IRS cause if faith lucre is given them, but anybody just donating should be told “caveat emptor” like when Mike Murdock says he got into preaching to get houses and suits (dubious, but lawfully transparent).

After six months observation in Oregon, exactly ditto Roman Catholics and most Protestants (especially ELCA Lutheran)…there are a few more mono-site “no-name” establishments here than in most States.

Where the Protestants preach obvious quietism, the Roman Catholic clergy here conduct themselves in what I would call “Robert the Bruce-ism”: condemn something here, applaud it there. 

But one example: last evening in Salem, for the umpteenth time at a Catholic service, a bunch of screaming babies constantly drowned out a trained-voice female cantor with microphone; a number of attendees sat chatting on cell phones; some children romped the aisles; a full fifteen minutes into the Mass, an able-bodied Caucasian couple in 30’s whisked in, walked past empty or non-crowded pews, and without (for RC’s) stoup holy water, respect to the Crucifix, or delay at pre-Mass Confession actually tried to PUSH me down a pew as they wanted MY spot! This has become typical and you guessed it: I was informed by staff it was ME who would stifle another’s “expressions” and “God’s love” for even saying “pardon?”

Now, how hard would it be to post (in as many languages as one likes) a simple notice such as: “Welcome to St. Blowhard’s! Your beliefs are your own and all are welcome at God’s house, but to preserve fair civility we require all attendees to abide by Robert’s Rules of Order (see display)…variation from which will result in ejectment”? But no, all entrants with green in pockets are allowed to freestyle as they deem fit…despite the uber-Vatican surface appearances of the premises; why the heck are they charging immigrants and others for RCIA “discernments” and catechism before they dare have a Eucharist, if clergy otherwise hold just a cracker and “Jesus Juice” alone fixes you with God, nothing else really needed in your life? Either the Gnostic attendees or the RCIA catechumens are being ripped off in such example.

Lastly, these USA Roman Catholic websites and handout slicks are all boffo about it seeming unemployment resolution, job growing, this and that secular concern, and faith service volunteer programs exist to be participated in…as funds for same are constantly solicited and accepted…yet very little fruit seems produced, very little fleshing out of program operation is evident, and when one calls for help it’s “not enough help to go around”; call to volunteer, or work for any wage, and everything is “full”…in permanent vicious circle fashion. What are any general public funds benefitting?

I am one of the most tenacious defenders of religious expression and freedom; I have also been a Roman Catholic in the faith expression nature of Bing Crosby, William F. Buckley Jr., and William P. Clark; I have admired people such as Billy Graham, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Fulton J. Sheen. I constructively criticize any officials where warranted, and lucidly support/participate in many Amnesty International, Christians United for Israel, and similar human rights organizations. If calls to have the IRS audit USA Catholic groups had the slightest whiff of political expediency, I would speak against it.

However, I am personally aware of the within aforesaid circumstances within the USA Roman Catholic edifice, know they can easily be tested by anyone for plausibility, and perceive such circumstances as having large gaps between what clergy claim and relevant realities…wherefore, I would not oppose auditing Roman Catholic units via the IRS or competently otherwise, nor would I oppose Federal or State requirements that ALL religious units simply permanently be required to submit reports as charitable organizations with such reports available for public inspection.