Closing Arguments: Scientology’s Tax-Exempt Status

I do not think Scientology should get exempt status. It more of cult than anything else regardless of its celebrity status.

Scientology is not a church. It is a cult. They should be paying taxes just like the rest of us who can’t go and manipulate a celebrity and steal their money. Hopefully Scientology will end in my life time and we can all stop debating whether a cult should be allowed to exist.

What the man said: TAX THE CULT!

Absolutely NOT. The Scientology Organization is dangerous and a threat to the public. Their tax exempt status should be removed ASAP, the organization dismantled and all responsible parties should be apprehended and properly brought to justice.

Its sad to think that any church let alone the church of scientology has tax exempt status when such large profits are brought in by the church. Scientology is a total fraud. They even got in huge trouble for breaking in IRS headquarters to steal tax information. Calling them legitimate is a joke

No, no religious organization should have tax exemption. They have grown well past the need for this exemption. With all the property that different churches own local governments would have more, needed, revenue. The feds would have more revenue also.
So no church/religious organization should have the tax exempt status.

It does not take much googling to uncover the many crimes of the cult of Scientology, their human rights abuses, fraud, corruption and the way that they control and manipulate their followers.
Scientology should NOT be tax exempt, and the corporation of Scientology should be immediately investigated by the FBI.
Why David Miscavige has not already been arrested is beyond me.

No, they should definitely not be tax exempt. The fact that they do not disclose their faith or teachings is the main reason. Any other religious organization that discloses their faith, and has a certain number of followers, has been established for a certain period of time, and does not practice sacrifices or bizarre and obscene/unusual rituals, THEN they should be tax-exempt. I am sure the courts would have no trouble interpreting such conditions.

The IRS should permanently revoke organized scientology’s 501(c)3 status as that organization does NOT have a benevolent public purpose. Rather, it is a crime syndicate predicated entirely on fraud. Scientology should be shut down by civil and criminal application of RICO laws and fraud statutes.
Thank you ABC News for this excellent, professional expose’ of organized scientology. Thank you Martin Bashir for your rational and persistent interview of Tommy Davis. Davis’s walk-out from the interview indicates that he cannot answer up to the nonsense system of fraudulent dogma that is scientology.

Tax exempt status? To cause mental hardship, exacerbate illness, and create financial exploitation? Why was it ever approved in the first place?!?! Put me down for NO

Absolutely NOT! Scientology should NEVER receive a tax exemption!

The U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. While we may not agree with the principles and teachings of scientology, they are treated by many as an organized religion and are therefore entitled to all of the benefits of tax-exempt status that any other organized religious organization receives.

WWHY SHOULD THE US BE THE ONLY COUNTRY TO ALLOW IT? DOSE THIS NOT TELL YOU ANYTHING?

Tax exempt status should be taken away. This exemption is meant for not-for-profit organizations. This cult makes so much profit and doesn’t even bother to pay their staff a decent wage. They fail.

No I don’t think they should get any exempts at all but where do you drawl the line?
I understand coming out of a cult myself that it takes years of healing and not sure I ever will. I cried last night watching this leaders talk about what they went through.. I believe them and understand..To spiritually disconnect yourself from something that has been your life for so many years.. is a terrible hurt. I hope you find your peace and your healing.

It’s a tough question. I believe this organization cultivates bizarre delusions and I object to its deceptive use of Christian terminologies (“church”) and symbols (the cross). On the other hand, on what basis can it be forbidden while Christianity (the religion I confess), Islam, or Buddhism would continue to enjoy charitable status.
It’s a tough call. Or not?
May be there are 2 objective criteria:
1) is it based on secret scriptures or is it proclaiming its “truth” openly. All religions which I respect proclaim their message in the open and in full. No secret teachings.
2) is it doing charitable work? For tax exempt status, pretending to be a “church” should bot be the standard. Instead, only the actual doing of charitable work in a proportion to wealth accumulated, those should be the criteria that the IRS should evaluate and challenge all religious organizations.

This organization does not even resemble an institution that should be tax exempt. It is an insult that they describe themselves as a church, which by default implies that God is involved.

No church, in a country that purports separation of church and state, should enjoy tax exempt status. It is all “science” fiction-just some, more than others.

NO TAX exempt for any church. There only in it for the money. Taking it from people who need it for them selfs. Take’em down.

The cult also uses FRAUD in the purification rundown by using iodine soap and starching the towels so when people dry themselves the iodine turns the starch purple and they believe they are getting toxins out of their body. But what toxins are purple? I thought most were colorless or white.

I think this series is an incredible piece of investigative journalism. Questions were “right on” and to the point and really made the Scientology spokesman squirm. You do not jerk the mic off and storm off the set unless you have something to hide. Why exactly are they tax exempt? I am a little confused by that. Saunas as religious practice? I pay dearly for that kind of “relaxation” but it’s tax exempt? Or maybe it’s because 5 hours in a sauna is not really relaxing, but a punichment? But it’s still tax exempt. I’m sorry. I don’t get it.

No, Scientology is a CULT, not a church. The definition of a church is a building for public CHRISTIAN worship; any Christian denomination. But I also strongly feel that all churches, synagogues and mosques should be taxed on their personal property. Imagine if they only had to pay even 1% tax on their holdings, just how much it would benefit our communities/country.

No tax exempt status for the “church” of scientology. Wake up people, they are getting tax breaks that no one else in the US is getting. Is scientology the de facto religion of the United States? The IRS says yes – tell them no!!!!

No, as others have said this is not a non-profit organization and should not receive tax-exempt status. It is a cult and ill informed. It’s really scary how some seemingly intelligent people can believe in this.

I think the Church of Scientology should keep their status. They are using tremendous amount of funds to run and maintain anti-drug campaigns and human rights initiatives (as shown on their website scientology.org and others).

No, Scientology is NOT a religion. Therefore it should not be tax exempt. It saddens me to see so many people caught up in this.

No, no and No. Besides the fact that it is not a relgion, it is also a money making machine and riddled with gestap and mafia like extortion, crimes and abuses. Also, no other religion gets free passes from IRS like this one does.
IRS: It’s tight to make up for the damage created by your error by revoking status immediately, if not sooner

Scientology is a business. It should be taxed accordingly. How the IRS ever gave this group tax exemption is beyond me. The IRS needs to rethink it postion on this issue. Revoke scientolgy’s tax exemption.

SCIENTOLOGY IS THE ACORN OF FAKE RELIGIONS. CONGRESS INVESTIGATE SCIENTOLOGY.

The IRS refused to give the cult tax-exemption for 25 years, and was supported in the US Supreme Court. Why did the IRS reverse its stance AND give them more benefits than other religions (which defies the 1st Amendment)?
Scientology should be taxed.

They should not be tax excempt. This is a business and not a religion.

What kind of question is this? Their tax-exemption status is non-for-profit! They’re a worldwide million dollar corporation. They should pay taxes like all money making businesses, religious or not.

I do not feel Scientology qualifies as a religion (except in their mind) and should not have a tax exempt status. What do they believe about Jesus Christ?

Why should any church receive tax exempt status? They utilize federal services (police/military protection, etc) just like any other entity in this country. The fact that they are wacky is all relative. They use pseudo-scientific crap to rid demons from them, Christians ceremonially wash invisible sins away. Neither entitles them to not pay taxes like the rest of the country.

The Narconon program either fails or turns drug addicts into scientology addicts. Craig Jensen in one such example. There is nothing constructive about scientology. It is a criminal enterprise that uses brainwashing.

I would deny tax exempt status to the Scientologists.
I would deny tax exemption to mainline religions for their business enterprises: radio and TV production; publishing houses; real estate acquisition, speculation,etc.
Meeting houses, church assembly buildings in regular active use might be justifiably exempted.

Scientology is not a religion by any means and does not deserve tax exemption. Anyone involved with it seriously needs to see a psychiatrist.

No, Scientology should not have tax exemption. They are not even a religion. Its scares me of what they do. They harass people by hiring PI’s to follow them. They have work camps in which the PR Tommy Davis guy couldnt even recollect how many times a week someone would get to see their families, he just went along with Bashir. Remember Project 22 in North Korea. Scientology reminds me of the evils of Communism. Scientology is nothing but a Cold War Paranoid Ideology created by L. Ron Hubbard that is out dated for our time. Communism ended when the Wall Fell and that was 20 years ago. Scientology is like a dead fish in water.

Given the dubious nature of how the “Church” secured tax exempt status to begin with, I say it’s time that the IRS make up for all those lost years. It’s a business scheme to sell merchandise and courses without having to pay their taxes. Tax the Cult!

No. A religion doesn’t charge for its services.
Don’t give tax exempt status to a profitable cult.

Tax the cult.

Scientology is a business cloaked as a religion. It should not be tax-exempt.

I don’t see any rational basis for the Church of Scientology to continue to get tax exemptions that no real church is entitled to. The secret agreement published in the Wall Street Journal is an unconstitutional agreement.
Goldwater did it only because the COS and its members filed 2500 lawsuits and because he was too weak to fight them. Now Scientology is the US government’s chosen religion. But it’s really a pyramid scheme/cult. google “the truth rundown”

The IRS looks upon scientology more favorably than other religions.
If you study scientology you get to deduct what ever you spend on study materials not so if happen to belong to any-other religion. Don’t believe me? Look it up.

NO,the cult should not have the tax exempt status it has. It’s possible Marty Rathbun, due to his position in scientology at the time, may have information about how David Miscavige made that arrangement with the IRS. Why is that scientology/IRS agreement secret anyway?

Affinity you are mistaken about bing here to stay. The church has had mass defections and is shrinking. Chanology will outlast you. Hubbard will be remembered for what he was; a mentally ill sociopath who built up his own private navy and intelligence service to infiltrate the US government. No other religion give out medals of valour and salutes people (and dogs) and wears military style uniforms and uses military style indoctrination. Wake up and get out. The real world awaits you.

Scientology should absolutely NOT have tax-exempt status. It should also be thoroughly investigated for possible fraud, corruption, and abuse, to say the least.

No, I do not believe that the “church” of Scientology should be tax exempt.
I personally beleive that the organization is a cult, not a church.
I think that any religion, with valid beliefs, should be able to state those beliefs without embarassment and without getting up and walking out of an interview, because they know they’re going to appear silly by saying they believe in Zenu and aliens living in volcanos! Give me a break!

Scientology is a giant joke and celebrities are usually idiots. Just because someone can act, we worship the ground he/she walks on. Actors get millions for a movie but teachers get $30K a year. We obviously already decided as a nation what is important. I disagree with tax exempt status obviously.

I think that the Scientology religion has just as outlandish beliefs as any other religion. Like all religions, it is a support structure for those too weak to live without it. As long as they play by the rules (No political mantra, no profit), why shouldn’t they. Remember Christians, your beliefs were once called into question as well. You too Muslims.

Gwen in answer to your question as to what they believe about Jesus Christ, they believe that as part of Incident 2 (the Xenu story) after the souls were taken out, they were put in front of 3d movies which made them believe in false realities. In short Hubbard said there was no Christ and that psychiatry brainwashed the alien bodies which cover us into believing a false reality. This is the history of psychiatry which Tom Cruise knows about and Matt Lauer doesn’t. This is why Tommy Davis walked out.

It seems to me that Scientology has nothing to do with traditional religion.It should be considered a cult or a non-religious organization. Therefore it should not be tax exempt.

As others have said, this is not a religion and should not have tax exempt status. I’d really like to know how they got it in the first place. It makes no sense.

A religion that sells religious services at a fixed donation rate does not deserve to be called a religion and to be granted tax-exempt status.

Either TAX SCIENTOLOGY or give every weird belief system tax exemption as well.
I’m sure the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster would like to be tax exempt as well. Seems like Scientology used unethical and possibly criminal tactics to get tax exemption in the first place.

Yes, Scientology should maintain its religious tax-exemption, as should all religions. Scientology is a religion recognized by numerous countries and religious scholars and theologians. It has a long-standing record of providing aid to all who need help, regardless of race, color or creed. As an ordained minister, I see the need for more religious and spiritual guidance in today’s world and support all faiths in their endeavors in this task.

Excellent series.
I say YES, tax that greedy scam posing as a religion!

I WILL YELL AT MY SUBORDINATES AND ORDER A BARRAGE OF LAWSUITS IN EVERY CARDINAL DIRECTION THAT MY DOG BARKS IN *SALUTE* TO RETAIN MY BOOK PUBLISHING BUSINESS’ TAX EXEMPT STATUS *RAISES FIST THREATENINGLY AND CLOSES THE DOOR ON A ROOM FILLED WITH SCIENTOLOGY EXECUTIVES*

Scientology is by far the my dubious and greediest of cults. Its pathetic how easily they get away with so many heinous crimes. Has anyone ever heard of Lisa McPherson? google her. You might want to also put just a little, and by little I mean it doesn’t take much, effort into looking up countless other people who have committed suicide due to Scientology, or who have been retained against their wills and ended up dead because of it. Its absolutely pathetic that they are exempt from taxes. “Higher-ups” tried to infiltrate the IRS in the 70s and luckily we’re caught and found guilty.. WHY would we grant them tax exempt status? This would be similar to just opening up our borders to any other terrorist orginization

This group should not be exempt. They abuse their followers and do not operate on donations. It’s a very business and makes an incredible amount of money.
They do not give to charity but have a habit of sending their vultures to disaster areas, only to hand out things donated by others.

They should have never been give their illegal tax exemption. The supreme court had already told the cult NO to tax exemption and the cult blackmailed the IRS for their special tax exemption.
They should be taxed now.

No. They have special tax exempt status that no actual religion enjoys. They should not have this special tax exempt status nor should they have they same tax exempt status that religions and other non-profits have. They are a for-profit cult that is harmful to society.

Since when the media has the right to decide about religion?
Leave religion alone, thanks

I, for one, welcome a Federal investigation of Scientology’s business and labor practices

There is such a thing as the first amendment which is pretty clear that Scientology has to be treated like every other religion.

the church, in its current status is undeserving of a tax exempt status. Unnecessary high charges and non delivery of the application of the original philosophy resulting in less results and even negative results, means that people are not getting what they paid for.

We do not think Scientology should get tax exempt status because they are nothing more than a cult — they cannot even affirm their religious beliefs when asked — like what happened tonight during the Nightline interview when Mr. Bashir asked the question to the son of the actress that played in the movie “Fatal attraction” — I think his name is Tommy Davis, not sure.

Tax the cult!

The Church of Scientology is nothing kin to a Church or a true Religion of any kind! It is a science fiction organization, established to make money under the name of a church. I agree that our government should revoke all tax exempt status that they may now enjoy. Other countries who do not recognize them as a church or religious organization, seam to have more sense than we in the USA do!

THE GOVERMENT IS SO NAIVE TO GIVE TAX EXEMPT STATUS TO A CULT. SCIENTOLOGY IS NOT A RELIGION THE MEMBERS ARE A BUNCHOF NUTS,JUST LOOK AT THE BEHAVIOR OF TOM AND OTHER PROMINENT MEMBERS.

I can’t believe what I’ve just watched these past two nights on Nightline. I just never knew that Scientology was this bad. If their leader is beating people in Scientology then he should be investigated. Why isn’t someone investigating this man?
And Scientology should be taxed. They don’t sound like what a church at all. Sounds more like a slave plantation.
Tax them now.

Regarding the ‘eternal battery’ that apparently holds Xenu in his mountain prison, I defy any Scientologist to show me a single perpetual motion device that works. Also many of the volcanoes that Xenu allegedly placed the aliens in did not exist 75,000,000 years ago. They formed later.

They should definitely loose there tax exempt status. Scientologists in the early 60′s decided they should declare they were a religion so they wouldn’t have to pay taxes. At that time they determined that the only requirement was to have one scheduled service a week to be tax exempt. Considering what they charged for counceling they are obviously NOT a religion
T

If you ask a priest, a rabbi or a cleric about an ecumenical question concerning their faith, they will answer openly and honestly and to the best of their abilities.
If you ask a Scientologist a similar question, they rip off their microphone and walk out of the room?
And to think that Tommy Davis is the PR SPOKESPERSON of the cult!!!
SCIENTOLOGY NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY BY THE FBI & IRS!

I personally believe Scientology is a cult, and should not be exempt anymore than any other cult; HOWEVER, I don’t think this is the REASON the media is coming against Scientology – but coming against them for the Pharmaceutical Companies and/or the stock holders in them. I have to say that the Scientolgist’s have exposed some good information(in my opinion) about the drug industry. BUT, I do not like the fact they HIDE (cult teaching) BEHIND this good information. Pfizer just got sued for LOTS (knowingly giving out medication for women going thru menopause that caused CANCER, allegedly) according to the news tonight. So I wish this group could separate (Scientolgist’s) from the cult and stick to making people aware of the harm of some drugs.

Look, I don’t care what people believe in this (USA) country. Scientology should be tax exempted. In my view ABC just joined the Fourth Reich with your unconstitutional “poll”. The interesting thing that you even used a British national to raise that type of fascistic question.

The interesting thing to remember here is Scientologists’ belief in making decisions based upon what they call “the greatest good for the greatest number of dynamics” as defined by LRH. Conveniently, they have also defined Scientology itself as the absolute greatest good in any and every circumstance and, in fact, humanity’s only hope for survival. This is part of the mindset that allows Scientologists to stand by and watch while other Scientologists get yelled at, abused, humiliated, etc. It’s also what allows them to tell “acceptable truths” or what the rest of us would call blatant lies, even in sworn affidavits. To me, to you, to Mr. Bashir, to the IRS – a Scientologist will lie if it benefits Sceintology.
They can’t lie about Xenu anymore, so now they claim it’s too offensive to talk about.
To the Scientologists posting here, why is your Church asking you to lie about your beliefs? Is it really in the best interest of your religion or is it to keep them from accepting responsibility for all the times they couldn’t “make it go right?” Or is it really just all about the money?

Mazy, I have been studying up on Scientologys activities seriously for about a year. Not a week goes by that I don’t discover something that surprises and horrifies me. Mark Headley (who was audited by Tom Cruise and who spent years on the Int base yesterday confirmed that the saluting the dogs is for real. He is soon going to be releasing a new book
My only concern is that the entire truth about Scientology is so shocking that it may appear incredible to people who have not seen evidence of it before.

There is too much hate in these comments.
Do not tax scientology nor any other religion.

No they shouldn’t have tax exempt status!!! A cult contrived by a science fiction writer! WOW

Wake up people! The same Constitution that gives you the right to free speech gives Scientologists the right to practice their religion. If need to get your hate on, go elsewhere.

RIDICULOUS. ABC has no idea what they are talking about.
Scientology should abso-fricking-lutely keep their tax exemption. DUH.

As a religion proven over and over again it should totally have tax exemption

KEEP KEEP KEEP.
KEEP their tax exemption.
Okay.

TAX your face. Scientology is totally religion and anything else is just really old news.

Revoke Scientology’s tax exempt status.
Scientology is a dangerous, criminal cult.
The thought of my taxes paying for their endless real estate and, their brainwashing, dangerous practices is maddening and horrifying to me.
Kids are their victims as well as adults.
Thank you Martin Bashir, this was a masterful piece of journalism, sir.

This is not a religion. What kind of religion has it spokesperson walk out of an interview when asked about the tenants of it’s belief system?
It’s a freak space-alieb cult, tax them accordingly.

Free speech, freedom of religion, no one is to decide who does what other than the individual themselves so yes tax exempt for the church seems a valid point

Scientology is a religion. They should have all rights of all religions.

Without goals, hopes, ambitions or dreams, the attainment of pleasure is nearly impossible.” L.Ron Hubbard

OKAY, here’s the deal, Scientology is a Church and should keep it’s tax status. Why do you all care anyway? You peep obviously aren’t Scientologists cause you’re posting freak hate comments and taking the time to rail against something good. Good luck.

The absolutely need to keep their tax exempt status.

Dianetics saved my life. I support Scientology.

ABC is definitely deleting positive comments. Wow talk about UN-freedom of speech. In fact it looks like ABC is only Pro-Anonymous. Thanks for the info!!!!

YES

We are now seeing an influx of Scientologists (though probably only a handful of OSA operatives pretending to be different people) commenting on this article.
It is always amusing to see the Scientologists never address any of the issues actually put to them, and they all spew the same diatribe without actually explaining anything. I bet that David Miscavige has ordered all hands on deck to try and save his sinking ship from these articles.
Thank you ABC for a FANTASTIC expose on an evil, mind-controlling and ABUSIVE cult which preys on good people.

For those whom are saying “Yes” to the tax exemption have NOT gave any information or reasoning on why they should have it.
For the people whom are saying “No” however, have been very precise on their information.
Tax Scientology!

Scientology has rights and they have done a lot in the community. You should respect Scientology.

I’d love to see the IP’s of all these pro scientology posts. Who wants to bet they are all coming from the same few IP addresses?
Tax this scam now. This isn’t religion, it is organized crime. The RPF is indentured servitude and in violation of the 13th amendment. The entire leadership current and former, who are still alive, need to be tried for this. This should not happen in America or anywhere else in the world.

Yes, does Bashir think he is god almighty?

The whole concept of tax exempt status for religion is a bit unsettling in the first place. Why should a religion be allowed to own large pieces of property, use municipal services, and keep all their donations, with little third party oversight? Americans are working hard for their money; religion should share the load.

TAX THE ChINO (Church In Name Only)

The tax exempt status of the Church of Scientology was granted after an extensive IRS examination of records proving the the Church’s non profit activities. It is 100% clear that the tax exemption is valid.

Having worked with Scientologists for years, I am amazed at what they do to help others. I don’t know what they all do, but they are great people.

Gentlemen have been fighting to stop Scientology for many years. Although Scientology fought back, they have proven that the word of the old brotherhood still stands. Glory to the internetz, and god bless every gentleman who worked hard, and protested these churches when nobody else would.

If you are interested in Scientology, there is an unauthorized biography of Hubbard called Bare Faced Messiah. It is freely available on the internet and is very well researched. You can find out the truth about Hubbard’s life and also see the lies that are perpetrated. Hubbard died a fugitive, with tranquilizers in his blood in hiding in the United States. He attempted to take over a few countries and was kicked out of Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe), The United Kingdom and Greece. He was a wanted criminal in the United states.

Scientology should definitely have tax exemption. No question about it

David Miscaviage forced the IRS to give them the Tax Exemption. FORCED, not voluntarily. Therefore Scientology should get their tax exemption revoked. Its time to get this cancer out of our society. They are not a religion, if they were then Tommy Davis would have had no problem talking about XENU and OT level materials.

Scientology should definitely have tax exempt status. No question about it.

Scientology should definitely have tax exemption.

Hey, Scientology must have something going for them. Bashir never did find out from any of the celebrities why they like Scientology. That would have been more interesting in my opinion. On the tax issue. They’ve already been through all that business with the IRS. Time to move on…

Yes indeed, I think the Church of Scientology should be treated as a religion and keep their exception.

The Church of Scientology is a bonafide religion and should be treated as such.

Bashir, you are very rude.

Hello. Of course Scientology should have tax exemption

If all recognized religions are tax exempt, why should Scientology be an exception. They help people in their own way, just as Christianity, Buddhism, and Judaism, helps their followers. There are bad apples in every religion… If we always believed the few people who complain about a religion that helps thousands of others, Christianity and Judaism would have been shut down long ago.

Scientology needs to lose its tax exemption, they have organize online campiagns to sway the tide of voting even though there are a few people voting. I was in Scientology for years and they treated me special at the beginning but later on they kept demanding thousands of dollars for fundraiser for buildings. I didnt sign up for them use my money to be a real estate agency

Totes agree with Affinity. We aren’t going anywhere.

Scientology’s tax exemption should be revoked as soon as possible. This is not a religion, it is a cult with a known criminal record and highly anti social behaviors. THE CRIMINAL CULT’S TAX FREE ENTERPRISE SHOULD BE REVOKED AND THEY SHOULD BE TAXED. Just Google “Scientology abuses” to see why.

Scientology obtained their tax exempt status uner HIGHLY questionable circumstances. The head of the IRS at the time, Fred Goldman, was supposedly BLACKMAILED with info from DM private hired PI’s who investigated Goldman with info that shows him in acts of infidelity with either another woman or an underage boy. Shortly after, they were granted their tax exempt status.
DOes THIS sould like a credible, trustworthy ‘religion’ to anyone here???

Seem like ABC is deleting comments and leaving the anti-Scientology ones on the site. Rigged, no surprise, considering the bias and prejudice that ruled the show.
To answer your question: yes, they should keep the tax exempt status.

Look at the humanitarian programs of the Church of Scientology and their results. Clearly it deserves to be tax exempt.

This show was so transparent. Such an agenda. Of COURSE Scientology should be tax exempt.

ABC should see what the cult has done to downtown clearwater. Look at all the huge buildings they own and yet sit empty. Look at their constant demands for “donations” from their members. They own huge buildings while normal Americans are being evicted from their homes and forclosed on in record numbers. They can afford to pay taxes. They paid them from 1950->1991. They can certainly afford to pay them now.

DA DA DA

Clearly the Scientology haters have shown up for such an argument. I’ve worked with them, and they do a great deal of good work in the communities around them. More than any other Churches I’ve known, including Catholics and Lutherans, etc.
Lighten up.

Scientology owns huge buildings and throws lavish parties while 10% of taxpaying Americans cannot find work and many are winding up on the streets. I just watched an eviction a few days ago down the street and a family was put out with their things, losing everything. Yet Scientology, with all it’s billions has the GALL to demand they keep tax exception? Sickening!

Agree that you need to consider a bit more than a half-our show. Of course, Scientology should be tax exempt.

They should be taxed! Churches of other religious beliefs do not make their parishoners pay for vital information about their beliefs as Scientology does. How much money does it cost to learn about Xenu? conservatively, around $100,000 How much money does it cost to learn about Jesus? None.

David Miscavige and Scientology are a fraud. He obtained tax exemption by blackmailing IRS Officials. They should not have tax exemption, since it is a business dressed as religion to be tax exempted. Scientology destroys families, foments abortions, steals money from people, has weapons in their compound in San Jacinto. David Miscavige must be in jail for his crimes against humanity.

To join Scientology and to learn about the philosophy of Scientology one must buy books, tapes and pay for hours of aduiting. Scientology profit from their sales of materials and services.
Normally money a church receives from donations of members and from financial investments are treated as tax-exempt. On the other hand, money which a church receives from the sale of goods and services — even including goods like religious books and magazines — will normally have sales tax applied, so why should Scientology receive a tax break?

Thanks Leo. The voice of reason. You are right.

Wow – There are millions of Scientologists around the world. Scientology has helped them live better lives. Is that wrong? Are we so jaded a society now that we don’t think that people can get a personal, non-material benefit from something? For some people, it’s golf. Others it is football. Other people its Christianity. Some its Scientology. Factually, people can be helped, so as long as it doesn’t hurt you, why do you give a *$&?
And do you honestly think that the IRS grants tax exempt status so easily? Scientology had to prove itself to the IRS – you know, the IRS we have to deal with – the same people who were threatening to take away my worldly goods over a $80 tax bill.

Any ‘charity work’ the Scientology organization has done is merely self-serving and for PR purposes. It’s done in the name of legitimatize themselves to the unaware and uninformed public and to garner favors from local officials.
Where are their soup kitchens, their shelters for the homeless or food pantries?

Hubbard said it isn’t a religion!
From History of Man LRH 1952
Chapter 8 wrote:
Scientology has opened the gates to a better world. It is not a psycho-therapy nor a religion. It is a body of knowledge which, when properly used, gives freedom and truth to the individual.”

Let them keep the tax exemption.
Now move along, nothing to see.

Scientology owns huge buildings and throws lavish parties while 10% of taxpaying Americans cannot find work and many are winding up on the streets. Just a couple of days ago they threw a party in which Tom Cruise and John Travolta went to.
I just watched an eviction a few days ago down the street and a family was put out with their things, losing everything. Yet Scientology, with all it’s billions has the audacity to demand they keep tax exception? Sickening!

Seriously, I need to understand this. Why does Scientology NEED tax exemption? I mean people are just giving them free money. They are charging for the books, DVD’s and courses far more than the cost to produce them. Just why does Scientology NEED this? No other religion gets this. Why Scientology?

Pat: Scientology does not raise people’s IQ. The only independant test of Scientology ever done, the Fisher study, which is available online for free, said that Scientology had no effect on intelligence, or anything else they were objectively able to test. As Tommy Davis himself said in the interview, Scientology should not have to pass clinical tests. The reason it that they make claims that are ridiculous. Hubbard claimed to be able to cure blindness by shifting attention units.

Tax the cult!!

There are many people who have learned a lot through Scientology and its religious teachings. This question is disdainful to those that like Scientology. Even Germany of all places has taken the stand in courts that Scientology is a religion.

I do not think that this organization which is using Public relations, lobbying, psycho-political operatives should be allowed to retain their tax exempt status to further assist them in their mission to take over governments by thought control and education in the scientology beliefs. Thousand upon thousands of individuals over decades have a reluctance, even fear, even terror, of this organization who,do perpetrate this via snake oil salesmen to mafia like style techniques. Ted Topple got it so right. I say Cease all assets and distribute them to those who have undergone this assault. NO GROUP regardless of it’s religious or other status has the right to harrass and terrorize any citizens! It is payback time!

YOU KNOW IT!

The United States was founded on such principles as freedom of religion and freedom of speech. From direct experience and research, Scientology is a Totalitarian and Mind-Controlling Cult. Scientology opposes our basic freedoms, even the freedom of thought. It is appalling that such a Nazi-like organization is suppressing people, on American soil. Make ‘em pay taxes.

Do not tax scientology

Yes, this church (like any church) should retain it’s tax exempt status. Undoubtedly, GlaxoSmithKline or Eli Lilly are trying to offset the billions they have lost and stave off the billions they are going to lose in civil settlements and verdicts from suits over damages from their psychiatric poisons (Paxil, Zyprexa, etc.). And of course, ABC wants to protect future pharma company ad revenue, so they run this crapola “news,” to vilify an entire church that they think is responsible? No, the drugs are poison and don’t help and Lilly and Glaxo are now being sued by their own stockholders for marketing these poisons, resulting in great losses. Some church is not at fault for pharma’s dishonesty. They marketed poison, lied about it and worse and now it’s time to pay the price. If we’re lucky, maybe they’ll go out of business.

Not in the same way that the Church of Scientology does. One of the special parts of the tax-exempt status that Scientology enjoys has to do with their exemption for “religious education”. This means that any Scientologist can deduct their expenses for Scientology courses, auditing, and even all of the Hubbard books they buy. They are the only church that has been granted this status.
In 2004, a suit was filed on behalf of Michael and Marla Sklar, a Jewish couple who attempted to claim $15,000, which was the cost associated with the religious component of their childrens’ education. The foundation of the case was the Church of Scientology’s religious education tax exemption, which served as precedent for the Sklar’s deduction. Inevitably, the court’s decision hinged on an investigation into the religious education exemption that allows each individual Scientologist to deduct very large sums of money spent on auditing and religious education. At the heart of this case was a discussion regarding Scientology’s tax exemption in relation to the Constitution’s Establishment Clause.

I don’t believe I made myself clear. Scientology is a religion and should keep its tax exempt status.

Still deleting comments, ABC?
A poor show followed by a poor show.
Yes, they should keep their tax exempt status.

Yes, they should retain their tax exempt status. (Stupid question.)

TAX THE CULT

racecar, where on earth did you get the idea that “Help for Orphans” is a Scientology charity? Looks like a decent charity and it is certainly a worthy cause, but it’s not Scientology. But be that as it may, the Church of Scientology is a religion and the IRS did the right thing in granting it tax exemption.

Come ON scientologists, don’t you want to go to sleep? It’s late! You don’t have to flood the comments sections with what your superiors are telling you to say. Go look at both sides of this issue.
http://www.xenu.net
http://whyaretheydead.info

Hey, respect please! Treat Scientology like you would treat any other church.

It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart
You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes
You’re paralyzed
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night
And no one’s gonna save you from the beast about strike
You know it’s thriller, thriller night
You’re fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
You hear the door slam and realize there’s nowhere left to run
You feel the cold hand and wonder if you’ll ever see the sun
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination, girl!
But all the while you hear the creature creeping up behind
You’re out of time
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night
There ain’t no second chance against the thing with forty eyes, girl
Thriller, thriller night
You’re fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight
Night creatures calling, the dead start to walk in their masquerade
There’s no escaping the jaws of the alien this time
(They’re open wide)
This is the end of your life
They’re out to get you, there’s demons closing in on every side
They will possess you unless you change that number on your dial
Now is the time for you and I to cuddle close together, yeah
All through the night I’ll save you from the terror on the screen
I’ll make you see
That this is thriller, thriller night
‘Cause I can thrill you more than any ghost would ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a
Killer, diller, chiller, thriller here tonight
‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night
Girl, I can thrill you more than any ghost would ever dare try
Thriller, thriller night
So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller, ow!
(I’m gonna thrill ya tonight)
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y’alls neighborhood
I’m gonna thrill ya tonight, ooh baby
I’m gonna thrill ya tonight, oh darlin’
Thriller night, baby, ooh!
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller

Please Tax the cult. ABC is doing a fantastic job on this reporting. This is the next thing that rivals fox news ACORN stories. They are corrupt. All corrupt organizations that does harm to people should get their tax exemptions denied. Scientology got theirs under false pretenses. Please tax them

I support Scientology, and any other religions, tax exemption.

Scientology isn’t a religion.
Scientology is not even a cult.
It is Amway without soap. They should be stripped of their tax exempt status.

I still think Scientology has a lot of good and should actually keeps its status as tax-free. Despite everything.

Sure count me in in support of Scientology tax exemption.

This is a bs poll but give them tax exemption.

I was once a Scientology Volunteer minister. Here is how it worked. We were sent to other countries to help out. We brought no aid other than ourselves. We offered to help unload aid brought by other agencies only. We offered massages called “Touch assists” to victims of whatever catastrophe occured. This may have brought them some comfort, but the fact we were sent with no other forms of aid bothered me. While in Scientology, I saw lavish parties being thrown for David Miscavige and for his celebrity friends. The buildings are all expensively decorated, no cost is spared for any buildings that David Miscavige will be going into. The truth is, the VM program is just a sham, just a show to make Scientology look like a real religion. It does not deserve tax exemption! There is a river of dirty money flowing through Scientology. David Miscavige claims to make only about 35,000 a year. But in reality he is insanely rich from this. This has been going on for a long time. ABC, you should talk to Mike Rinder and Marty Rathburn and the other former execs about the money laundering that went on in there. I bet they get quiet real quick. Statute of limitations has not run out on that yet.

Revoke thy face

Silly show. Silly little peeps answering dumb questions. Silly little bigots who should get a life speaking their so-called minds. This show is a throw back. Neanderthal. Yes, Virginia–Scientology should be tax exempt.

After this poll on tax, can we please have a poll on whether or not we think Tommy Davis is going to get beaten by David Miscaviage for doing such a terrible job in the interview? I have a few actors who could do an artistic representation of this if necessary.

Scientology rocks and youre just gonna keep getting jailed and more effed up the better they do cause when they do well you go DOOOOOWWWWNNNNN. MUAH HA HA HA.

Remember Lisa McPherson… My point has been made. Revoke Their Tax Exemption

The discussion points up one thing particularly – You do any good, someone’s bound to protest. Just try it out and you’ll see what I mean.
Anyway, back to the subject, here is another thought: this is America and in America, churches are tax exempt. If you have a problem with the rules and laws here, well, I’m sure you get the point. In fact it should be like that everywhere. And it doesn’t say, SOME churches are exempt and others (with which I personally disagree or whatever) are not. What do you think happens if you tell your neighbor, who, let’s say may be Catholic, that his church should not be tax exempt because you don’t think it’s a church? Do you think he’ll just smile or do you think there may be some other reaction?

Of course they should be exempted. Now do you have more intelligent questions to ask, since all you managed to do with your show is to give credit to a bunch of lunatics that were obviously lying.

Remove the tax exemption. Scientology can afford to pay taxes. If it’s good enough for a single woman trying to feed her children, it’s good enough for a cult rich enough to have it’s own cruise ship.

Uh, excuse me folks. ALL religions believe in things that don’t exist and get tax-exempt status. Why are you pointing out only one?

Scientology shouldn’t have a tax exempt status after the shameful things I’ve seen these last two nights. Why can’t this spokesman answer Mr. Bashir’s question? Why can’t he talk about this Xenu? What’s the story on that?

Scientology needs to their tax exemption revoked. They have widespread violence in their organization. There are widespread financial extortion, mental manipulation in their ranks. I dont see Scientology condoning such actions. There needs to be an inquest in their secretive nature. Scientology if you are a religion you would have no problem opening up the books for anybody to see.

it really is. lol

I think the maskies are losing. heh hehhh

“Mark” and “Barb” and the rest of the so readily organized Internet Freak Show trying to dictate what Scientology is to the rest of us? – I don’t think so. Only a fool would refuse to recognize or admit how inconceivable and silly these allegations are, but it does come across as interesting mindless TV programming with celebrity names attached… Grab some ratings… way to go Nightline… but you missed the story. Scientology is a religion, it is a church, and millions love it, apply it and live by it… just like parishioners of any church or religion. Leave Scientology and its exemption alone.

I really don’t know what ABC is attacking Scientology. What for? Scientology of course is a religion and should keeps its tax-exempt status. The IRS is the one who granted it after long research and investigation, didn’t find anything wrong.

So this is how you react to critics Poller? I agree that Angie was annoying, but it is rather mature of you to turn around and do the exact same thing.

Much of the discussion here is missing the point a bit. This is America. ALL churches are tax exempt here. Not just the ones YOU can understand. ALL of them. And sorry if life is diverse and it may take a little studying-up to do. Trust me – it does. You may have to look past the fence of your yard here. Maybe you need to get a latter to see, metaphorically. Maybe it’ll take a little effort. Maybe, there’s other opinions out there. Maybe the universe is big and maybe there is something valid in the other guy’s yard. Trust me – ALL churches should be tax exempt. It’s designed that way for a purpose.

Wonder how much they spent producing the show? Wonder who fit the bill? How do you spell b-i-g—-p-h-a-r-m-a. Oooh-ee someone’s runnin’ scared!

Yes. This is a business started by a hack science fiction writer. Tax the cult.

Do not touch Scientology tax exempt status, please. Thank you.

“A long term propaganda technique used by socialists (Communists and Nazis alike} is of interest to PR practitioners. I know of no place it is mentioned in PR literature. But the data had verbal circulation in intelligence circles and is in constant current use. The trick is — WORDS ARE REDEFINED TO MEAN SOMETHING ELSE TO THE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROPAGANDIST. Many instances of planned and campaigned in order to obtain a public opinion advantage for the group doing the propaganda. Given enough repetition of the redefinition public opinion can be altered by altering the meaning of a word. The technique is good or bad depending on the ultimate objective of the propagandist.
“‘Psychiatry’ and ‘psychiatrist’ are easily redefined to mean ‘an anti-social enemy of the people’. This takes the kill crazy psychiatrist off the preferred list of Professions… The redefinition of words is done by associating different emotions and symbols with the word than were intended…Scientologists are redefining ‘doctor’, ‘Psychiatry’ and ‘psychology’ to mean ‘undesirable antisocial elements’…The way to redefine a word is to get the new definition repeated as often as possible. Thus it is necessary to redefine medicine, psychiatry and psychology downward and define Dianetics and Scientology upwards. This, so far as words are concerned, is the public opinion battle for belief in your definitions, and not those of the opposition. A consistent, repeated effort is the key to any success with this technique of propaganda.” – L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 5 October 1971, PR Series 12, “Propaganda by Redefinition of Words”

I am not sure why Nightline would put on people who blatantly admit to lying and who obviously have an agenda.

google Lisa McPherson and tell me if you think they should be tax exempt!

Dianetics was written as a pop-psychology self-help book. Why should a scientifically discredited self-help book and its related services be tax exempt.
Not to mention Hubbard didn’t do the scientific research he claimed in the book, thus making it also fraudulent.

The day the media tries to change tax status on a religion is a sad, sad day.
What’s next, ABC?
Scientology and any other religion should be tax exempt.

Angie and Poller – STOP it. If you have a disease in your finger, go down to the ER and get yourself treated.
Yes, Scientology, as any other religion should be tax exempt. How would you like it if your church wasn’t? You’d protest, wouldn’t you?

The Office of Special affairs has a special tactic for polls like this. They get pre written comments from regular Scientologists. They have to submit this as part of their “Stats” count. The OSA people who are allowed to use the internet then post these under those people’s names to make it look like there is a ton of support for the cult. For their own stats, they have to make up a bunch of fake ones to pad the lack of numbers on their side. This way Scientologists can post to the poll without actually using the internet. Want to know more? Ask Tory Magoo out in Calfornia. She helped set up accounts just for this purpose. She used to do this for a living, posting to the net on behalf of other people so they wouldn’t see the article being commented on.

CULTS are not covered under the Constitution. They don’t have first amendment rights. USA go right ahead.

This group should loose their tax deduction status. I don’t believe that just because a group of people who gather together and share a common belief in science fiction should benefit, if they do qualify then I suppose that Barnes and Noble is also a religion!

Scientology should keep their tax exempt status.

Let Scientology be.
Allow them to keep their tax status.

Let’s tax dumb TV shows :)

Scientology is not a religion. L. Ron Hubbard himself said its not a religion.
“Scientology 1970 is being planned on a religious organization basis throughout the world. This will not upset in any way the usual activities of any organization. It is entirely a matter for accountants and solicitors.”
- L Ron Hubbard
Scientology is not a religious community but an “extremist grouping” that needs to be banned, said Udo Nagel, the interior minister of the northern German state of Hamburg.
Scientology is the equivalent of Al Quada and Hamas

It’s not just that the COS gets tax-exempt status the same as other religions; they get a tax deduction for religious training/education that no other religion enjoys. Do a search for IRS Sklar Supreme Court case for more info.
Ask your elected officials why the Church of Scientology gets a tax break that no other church gets.

Lets tax this Gang. Scientology is a ruthless gang that wants to take over territory and wants to have money at all costs, they dont care who they screw over – like the Crips and Bloods

No, If you give tax exempt status to Scientology you might as well give it to the mafia as well. Tax this terrible cult!

Scientology should keep their tax exemption as it is

I’ve seen the kids who protest this cult. I’m proud thatthey have challenged this ‘church’.

This cult has done horrible things such as using the first amendment to silence dissent and criticism. Tax this cult

Whew! Lots of bigoted comments here!
Of course, Scientology should be tax exempt. Just like Catholics, etc (oh yeah – yellow stars anyone? Sorry, but some of that discussion really reminds one. Makes me wonder, I’m I the only one that smells a rat or whatever lower species?)

And to the Scientologists posting here: you do NOT help your case by continuously spamming the comments. Doing so you make yourselves look foolish and petty by making personal attacks on Bashir when he was asking genuine, probing questions that TD should have had NO problem answering.
But TD didn’t. Now people are left scratching their heads and wondering if Scientology is hiding something. Which they ARE.

“I have high hopes of smashing my name so violently into history that it will take a legendary form, even if all the books are destroyed. That goal is the real goal as far as I am concerned.” -L.Ron Hubbard to his first wife.
Hubbard said numerous times that Scientology and Dianetics are not religions. It should never have been given a religious tax exemption.
The IRS needs to revoke their status now.

Tax exemption for this tot? I should write a bunch of science fiction, call it a religion and demand tax exemption too.

They should not have tax exemption.
Their services and products are sold at
high prices. Tax them. We all know how much the country needs everybody’s contribution in the form of taxes (Health Care anyone?).

I have to agree with eric. Some may not like the site. But remember, it’s freedom of speech. Any Americans here? Whatever happened to values guaranteed by the constitution? Anyway, just as there is freedom of speech, churches are tax exempt around here. Even if you don’t like the hue they painted their church with. (in which case and if it’s against local regulation, you’d tell them and if necessary, ask the proper agency in your community for help, but don’t go off attacking their tax exempt status). Point is, that includes Scientology.

I’m not just down on Martin Bashir. He has to put out a show and believes that he has to make everything controversial, have opposing sides and use big names. You could have just been proclaimed a saint and accepted into heaven and shows like this would have to find something controversial. So they would go to the devil for “the real story from an insider” in order to get a “balanced” show.

Both L. Ron Hubbard and his son, Ron Hubbard, Jr., are quoted as saying that they emphasized to their prospects that Scientology was a science and not a religion.
Hubbard wanted to provide scientific advice so tax it as such. And investigate it as such.

Nowhere in the constitution does it say that religion is tax exempt. In fact it says quite the opposite. Government should not be supporting religion or oppressing it. But they should look into crimes by individuals within any organization religious or not. This includes David Miscavage.

Where in the Constitution says anyone should be taxed?

Scientology is a racket. They use their non-profit status to suck up grant money, then they buy real estate or form further front organizations. Tax the cult

the church of scientology should keep their tax status as is.
so the other churches

Scientology’s tax exempt status should be revoked. Pronto. How do we make this happen?

They are tax exempt now so let it be as it is

Look guys, really, I really have to repeat what others have said. Churches are tax exempt. Let’s the other guy have his believes. Maybe Bashir or Rathbun or Amy or whatever her name was don’t like this. So what? Do you really think that matters?
Even if all reporters, anchors and editors in ABC didn’t like your church, what do you thing that would matter? You guessed it – it wouldn’t. The freedoms this country was built on was not based on whether Joe Smith down the road likes your nose.
Scientology, just as Christianity, should have tax exemption.

They have tax exemption from the IRS, right?. They should keep it.

Having been a member of the Church of Scientology for a long time I have had direct experience with its benefits for myself and others. Its influence is continually expanding because the truth of it is unmistakable. Of course it should be tax exempt.

Look at the countries that are denying religious status, are we to mirror them and not allow religious freedom. Might as well take away all human rights. Tax exempt YES YES YES

Religion survives just fine in countries without tax exemption. Why should it be any different here? Scientology above all the others deserve to have it removed simply because of their criminal acts and shady practices. Forced labor as a “religious practice”. What are you guys, North Korea?

Scientology is only pretending to be a religion in order to steal away benefits like tax exemption and legal protections that it does not deserve.
Hubbard was a liar, a con man and a huckster.
Scientologists should pay taxes on all the phony scientific services they receive and disingenuously call religious.

The Church of Scientology tax status should not be touched.

Leave the church alone, dont mess with thier tax status
leave religion alone

These comments are full of “Anonymous” infiltrators trying to make the poll look like everyone is against something.
It is not working gais.
Scientology IS tax exempt and it will continue to be it.

They are not a religion? Keep on telling yourself that.
They should keep their religious tax exemption.

Funny enough, if this comment section were a democratic election, next president of the US would be David Miscavige. Luckily though, it isn’t, and outside the internet realm, every other Scientologist has only ONE vote to cast. Plus, their numbers are rapidly decreasing due to the growing exposure of their brain-grinding machinations – good to know, right? So just let them rage in here, because on the outside world, they can’t do much anymore and they bloody well know it.
Oh, and I almost forgot: tax the cult.

I would estimate that about 95% of the people on this site answering dumb questions about a stupid show don’t have jobs and have nothing else to do.

I have a better idea. Tax Nightline.

The problem is they are not tax exempt like every other religion. They have a greater tax exemption than any other religion in the US. Take away the tax exempt status because they are abusing the spirit of the law when it comes to being exempt. The whole purpose of allowing religions to be tax exempt is because normal churches do many good things for free or bare minimum cost such as off counseling, homeless shelters, or soup kitchens. This eases the burden on the government to preform these tasks hence the tax exempt status. Scientology on the other hand does none of these things. They do show up at disaster sites mind you, but the only charity they offer is a small amount of manpower to hand out supplies that other people have donated while getting a nice photo op picture of it.
Reference Sklar vs IRS opinion for information about how Scientology enjoys a greater tax break than every other religion:
http://www.cosvm.org/sklar.htm

I suggest checking out the website scientology.org which is an excellent source of information showing evidence of what the Scientology religion is all about. Yes, it obviously should be tax exempt.

A true religion will openly discuss what they beleive, unlike Scientology.

The Church of Scientology should be tax free.

You can’t claim to be a religion and ask get tax exempt status and then refuse to discuss your beliefs. If Xenu and the volcanoes was wrong and offensive, the “church” had a great opportunity to correct it and get the word out about what they believe. They never say what the religion is about, they just claim to be offended when asked… so no, no Tax Exempt Status.

What a sham to allow Scientology to remain tax free. Let them keep their little secrets but tax them like the rest of us. When Tom Cruise turned everyone’s attention to salute LRH I thought I’d gag. Talk about a cult – that’s what it is and a cult should pay taxes.

I don’t see any differences between the inherent flaws, accusations of misconduct and far-fetched mystical explanations of human history in Scientology than that of the Catholic Church. How many Priests have molested choir boys?.. No one took away their tax exempt status. If Scientology is a cult then so is any organized religion with bizzare doctrine. No religion should have tax-exempt status, especially by subjective review; it’s unconstitutional.

I’m quoting the original reasons to deny this cult tax exemption:
1) conspiracy to obstruct the IRS,
2) abuse of religious confidence,
3) infliction of psychic harm,
4) blackmail and “fair game”,
5) disconnection policy,
6) false imprisonment,
7) false statements to immigration officials,
8) removal of large amounts of money from US,
9) false registration of yachts,
10) drastic punishment of staff and members.
And now because of the physical abuse coming from David Miscavige. Tom Cruise and John Travolta, including other celebrities, are no longer part of my viewing genre. I have no respect for these actors and actresses — they’ve been extremely brainwashed.
They need to go back into their volcano.

scientology acts more like a business then any kind of religion, and no business should be tax-exempt

A guy who writes science fiction novels gets up one morning and decides to invent a religion and goes out and finds a bunch of Kool-Aid drinkers to go along with him fortunately he didn’t live long enough to drag his so called congregation down to British Guiana and 86 all of them and bury them in volcanoes with the other spacemen he’s conjured up. The only exemption I’d give that lunatic organization would be to be exempt from practicing fraud.

Who cares about the opinions of individuals when the highest court in the country (and the highest courts in many other countries) has examined in great detail and ruled totally and completely that Scientology is absolutely a valid religion. Therefore this action by ABC of finding a few sour individuals and ignoring the millions of happy successful members of the Church of Scientology is religious discrimination. Why this religious discrimination ABC????

racecar – what did I just say about freedoms? Or does your steering need fixing? Let me spell it out: There are certain freedoms that guarantee freedom of religion. Even if that doesn’t penetrate your windshield. Then there’s laws that say that religions are tax exempt. May have to pull over and find a hot spot so you can wikipedia “law”. Just a hint. Sum total: Scientology, just like Christians, etc. are tax exempt. Even if that concept does not penetrate your sound barrier.

Go ahead, guys, continue making fun of their religious beliefs.
You are making a bad point.
They are THEIR beliefs, whether we think they are cooky or not.
Therefore, they should be tax exempt.

From my observations Scientology is nothing more that a pyramid scheme disguised as a religion. I can see through your facade Scientology. You aren’t fooling me. I beleive you should be taxed.

No. Any organisation, wether its a religious organisation or not, should not be tax exemptive if they are making an income on its followers.

All major religions solicit donations, small and large, from its members. ALL of them. And ALL major religions award certain status and recognition to those who give the most. At least on this planet. Maybe you people aren’t from Earth after all! Lol!!!

L. Ron Hubbard was a compulsive liar who started a huge money making machine to milk the public from as much money as he could. This is no religion it is a moneymaking cult, tax it!

This has not now, nor EVER BEEN, about ‘religious beliefs’.
This is about violation of basic human rights and the law. Scientology has done ALL OF THIS AND MORE under the guise of religion. The abuses and crimes they’ve committed while under this veil easily rivals the sex abuse scandal that happened in the Catholic Church. If you don’t believe me, go to exscientologykids.com and sexual.taxexemptchildabuse.net
Be prepared.

Funny I didn’t even see anything that talked about Scientology’s tax exemption on this show.
Bashir should be fired.

Scientology should definitely NOT have tax exemption, and neither should any other religion– especially those that involve themselves in politics or proselytizing. Religions inserting themselves into politics and telling parishioners how to vote or what causes to which they must donate money violate the separation of church and state. Proselytizers should not get tax exemption just because they harass people and annoy us all.

Sure are a lot of OSA here. Nevertheless, tax the cult. :)

This blog is becoming a religious argument.
See where religious wars have brought us.
Nothing good.
Everyone should be more understanding of each other. Love is the key. Don’t hate.
And let religions be tax exempt.

Christianity committed HORRENDOUS crimes in its history. Let’s revoke their tax exempt status as well. They are EBBIIILLLL!!!!
Grow up. Let religion be. Don’t tax.

Scientology is no religion, therefore it should be taxed.

Anonynouse – Don’t muddle the facts. Sklar was not situated like Scientology. The Sklars gambled to gain a court-sanctioned advantage. They may try that. It may be disingenuous, but They are entitled to give it a try – the constitution and the laws of this country guarantee the right to have any perceived wrong reviewed by the court. But they gambled and lost. They lost because their argument was faulty and the courts so found. Whether we like the Scientology tax exemption or not, matters nothing. It is a fact and it should be a as it is based on the laws of the land. Your faulty understanding of the law matters nothing.

No, it should not enjoy tax exempt status.

Christians committed these acts hundreds of years ago. Certainly not in the 1980′s like Scientology did. There is a difference. Tax Scientology!

A religion does not force it’s members to pay thousands of dollars in donations in order to get spiritual salvation. That is enough. Tax the cult!

It passed the most extensive scrutiny imaginable by the IRS who came to the clear conclusion that it is tax exempt. So it should remain.

EVERY religion “forces” their believers to pay thousands for salvation. LOL

When staff members leave scientology they are presented with a going away present. It is called a freeloader debt. They are supposed to pay back their “church” for any services they receive…
It is a money making scam people. Open your eyes….

No not forces, you are wrong. A religion asks for donations not and will receive any amount. Scientology asks for a fixed amount no matter the person. Or slave labor.

Church of Scientology tax status, leave it the way it is.

Scientology should be taxed!

I know many Scientologists and none of them are how some of you guys portray them.
At least, all of the ones I know are very honest, helpful, amiable individuals. I work at a company where I am one of the few non-scientologist, and I can tell you, these guys are awesome.
They should keep their tax exemption. They are really religious oriented people and truly believe in thier religion.

Yes, I think they should pay taxes… starting from when they first formed as a so called church!

The Scientologist should have tax exemption on their donations to their church

Linda, no one’s saying your friends aren’t nice or anything…
We’re saying that the Scientology organization is dangerous and is bleeding your friends DRY of their assets, free thought and will!
Research!

“The government is satisfied that Scientology is socially harmful. It alienates members of families from each other and attributes squalid and disgraceful motives to all who oppose it; its authoritarian principles and practice are a potential menace to the personality and well being of those so deluded as to become followers; above all, its methods can be a serious danger to the health of those who submit to them… There is no power under existing law to prohibit the practice of Scientology; but the government has concluded that it is so objectionable that it would be right to take all steps within its power to curb its growth.”
–Kenneth Robinson, British Minister of Health

Scientology doesn’t deserve tax exempt status. Above all not when other religions don’t get the same treatment (see Sklars’ case) and when it’s based on a secret deal which came about under massive pressure being put on the IRS. Besides, Scientology is more of a dubious corporation than a religion.

Of course they should keep their tax exempt status. What they failed to mention in the report is how the books of the church have been audited before in more detail than any other church in history and it was found they were a non-profit organization.
Definition of Religion: A set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. Whether you like what is believed by the church or not doesn’t mean it’s not a religion. Someone said the church doesn’t believe in god which is false. It’s just not preached to you what god is.
Someone said you have to pay to do Scientology which is false. You can always go into the library at the churches for free and read any book you want or listen to any lecture you want. I know because I’ve done it. I’ve heard the money thing over and over before. Has anyone who has run a building complex the size of the one in Hollywood ever looked at the costs involved in running something that size along with feeding and housing hundreds of Sea Org members? Basic math says it costs a fortune to keep the doors open. Money doesn’t just fall out of the sky on the churches doorstep. I’d gladly donate more than what is asked because the church has saved my life in the past and I’m not the only one. This will fall on deaf ears for some I’m sure but for those who really want to know the truth Scientology.org is the site to look at. Read a book and decide for youself.

Elna, it doens’t matter what you think.
It matter what the LAW and the Constitution of this country says.
Scientology is a religion, therefore should not be taxed.

“[The court record is] replete with evidence [that Scientology] is nothing in reality but a vast enterprise to extract the maximum amount of money from its adepts by pseudo scientific theories… and to exercise a kind of blackmail against persons who do not wish to continue with their sect…. The organization clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder, L.Ron Hubbard.”
–Judge Breckenridge, Los Angeles Superior Court

I think he felt it was insulting as a christian would have found it insulting abour someone asking them if they reallllyyy think the virgin mary was realllllyy a virgin and started pointing out sex scenes with joseph.
Any Crhistinan would aheb found it insulting
when some interviewrs aske abour xenu to the scilons they are asking in a mocking way, and that is uncool

OSA, PLEASE come up with better arguments. It’s just SAD that you use the same ‘arguments’ over and over and over… I keep seeing the same thing at other websites and articles that criticize the COS and it only shows you can’t think for yourselves.
So please, try something new. It’s pretty pathetic.

Uhm, I was looking over this discussion and it’s really boiling down to this: Do you really think tax exemption is based on your personal dislikes? Or Bashir’s dislike? So c’mon let’s grow up. There’s laws and so on. And if Marty has a problem and a personal ax to grind – that’s his problem and it has nothing to do with the tax exemption of Scientology. That has been decided by law and on the books and as like all religions, Scientology should be tax exempt. You got to grow up and look beyond the rim of your own glasses to see that. But it’s worth it. Let’s grow up and give it a try.

@a-watcher, he wasn’t asking anything of the sort. And how was Bashir’s question mocking?
It was sincere and curious. He wasn’t looking to insult Davis, he was looking for ANSWERS from Davis. And he chooses to walk out.
And I’m sure there are Christians who question whether Mary was really a virgin. And there are those who ask them and they can give their view. Nothing wrong with that and by NO means is that insulting.

NO TAX EXEMPT STATUS

@Linda, this isn’t JUST Rathburn who ‘has an ax to grind’. If you saw the interview, then you would know that there are others, MANY, in fact, who are speaking out against the COS and their abuses. Go to exscinetologykids.com and sexual.taxexemptchildabuse.net to hear some of the stories of those who were inside and managed to escape.
Please stop ignoring what’s right in front of you.

I think Scientology should be tax exempt

They should loose exemption, be taxed for every penny since receiving exemption and sued for every penny they extorted from their parishioners.

Looks like the OSA gave up. Thank you Nightline for this excellent story. I’m not a normal viewer of your show, but I sure as heck am now.
TAX THE CULT!

Scientology is evil! Scientology is hate!
Why should a hategroup be tax free!
I think Scientology should be taxed.

Incredible. Nice work, Anonymous.
Not working out as it did on the France poll, eh?
Carry on with your antics.
/sigh

Tommy Davis can’t even answer about core beliefs in Scientology. He has nothing to do but avoid the question altogether by leaving. Bashir was not being offensive. It is not offensive to ask someone about their religious beliefs. Davis acted like he had something to hide. Scientology is criminal and deserves to be taxed.

you should listen to marty rathbun interviews at the tampabay website.
he explains a totally different story.
there were MANY MANY interviews and visits and tons of paperwork etc before they got the tax exemption.
this was just a davey story, not like ti really happened that way.

Scientology should not be considered a religion at all. If anything it is a false religion no disrespect to those that practice it. It was obvious that this organization is more about the fame and not at all about any thing spritual. Not once did the man being interviewd talk about anything spritual, but did not even want to talk about the beliefs which made it seemed like something very strange is going on behind closed doors. He was offended when asked about the beliefs but what scientology is really doing is offending our creator God. They should definitley not be tax exempt. Their teachings are false.

Why are Scientologist so afraid to talk about their beliefs? You don’t see Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews or any faith hiding anything, in fact they openly talk about it.
TAX THE CULT

You lose OSA!

Funny how ABC/Nightline worded that second question. It truly shows their ignorance, bias or desire to stir the fires of intolerance and sow the seeds of hatred among us. It shows contempt and insensitivity to all minority religions as well. It also shows a disrespect for our founding Constitution.
Their question…”Should the U.S. follow those nations which do not recognize Scientology as a religion?”
First, the question suggests that oodles of other countries don’t recognize Scientology as a religion. This is not the case at all, especially in any progressive culture that allows religious freedom. MANY countries recognize Scientology as a bona fide religion. So, the question would more aptly be stated “Should the U.S. continue to follow the many nations that recognize Scientology as a religion?” The real question, if there is one, is “Is Scientology a religion?”
Second, the question suggests we should follow other countries’ leads as a moral rule instead of judging the issue on its own merits. Americans pride ourselves in our religious freedoms and religious protections. For instance, this is not the Jewish State of Israel where everyone that is not a Jew is a second class citizen.
If organized religions get tax-exempt status, then why not Scientology… or any other smaller religion? Major religions tend to view any other religion with suspicion and their followers as heathens. Our Founding Fathers recognized that issue and provided Constitutional protection.
We have a beautiful diversity of religions in the U.S. Buddhism (no God), Hinduism (many Gods), Islam, Judaism, Mormonism and Christianity. They all can be critiqued and faults found. They all can be taken out of context and appear strange. According to our Christian Bible, our troubles all started with Eve talking to a snake in a tree.
It seems to be human nature for many to gravitate to a religious ideology of some type. It brings a certain sense of solace. Some even consider atheism to be akin to a religion in certain aspects.
I say just be true to yourself, and set an example with your life.
I have always been skeptical of Bashir’s reporting. Ever since he pulled the Michael Jackson stunt several years ago where he mis-represented his findings on his Neverland Ranch stay. The reporting just wasn’t trustworthy and balanced. Bashir ran a scathing hour-long special on Michael. Fortunately, Michael’s crew was filming alongside Bashir’s and they released a follow-up special that showed how Bashir twisted, turned and edited the events to distill Bashir’s yellow journalistic bent. Bashir could have put out a balanced report, but he didn’t. It is either Bashir’s desire to shock people or possibly his holy adherence to the one and only true religion, his possibly deeply felt racial prejudices or deep seated paranoias. We’ll leave that matter for a psychologist to figure out.

For Pete’s sake, Scientology is a religion and religions are tax exempt.

Scientology is a business!

Stay the path, do not let Satan cloud your minds! Acknowledge Jesus Christ as your lord and savior!
May this unholy organization of sinners burn in the fiery depths of hell!

Scientology originally was conceived and sold as a ‘science’, a new kind of psychotherapy. It masqueraded itself as a religion to avoid taxes and incrimination for practicing psychotherapy without licence. I’ve been in Scientology for 30 years and I believe it should be taxed.

I know there are some polarized views about Scientology. I happen to know Scientologists and Anons. There are good and bad in both. Millions of Anons around the world entertain themselves for the lulz. I’ve met many Scientologists help people around the world. Chanology as a movement to destroy/reform Scientology sounds and acts as brainwashed and tunnel-visioned as they say Scientology is. I know some Scientologists who have gone to jail. Whatever. There are pluses and negatives to everything. Scientology’s going nowhere and neither is Anonymous.
In the end, Bashir’s one-sided news story is only meant to stir the pot and generate ratings and money for ABC.

Scientology sells for a fixed price (including discounts and special offers) the ragaining of native Mind Supernatural Powers with the use of a kind of psichotherapy developed by Hubbard. Yet no one gained any superpower, and they don’t return money. Most leave disguntled and some may keep believing Scientology psichotherapy have merits in helping people, but also reocgnize the Church does not work for the benefit of its members but for their exploitment. No service is delivered by the Curch if not for money of for promotion. No free service exist without a price tag or a promotional end. It is a business and should be taxed.

C’mon Tom, we’ve heard that one before from the other OSA people…all the numerous and countless bailouts have “personal axes to grind” and are “no Scientologists”, even though they’ve spend, like, 30 years inside the cult. Consequently, their infos and knowledge is “distorted”, “perverted” or “a lie”, designed to “stirring each other up” at the completely innocent and truth-loving true believers.
Is that all you have to offer? And seriously, after so many years and tons of actual information out there, who still believes that crap. Do you?
If so, I’m sorry to say you surely gotta educate yourself and learn more – for real.

There is huge difference between a cult and a church. Scientology=cult. Cults should be taxed. Tax scientology.

Scientology is a business, and a profitable one at that.
Their sweetheart deal, negotiotiated in secret with the IRS, gives them terms far more favorable than any other religious organization.
It’s time to end it.

Of course they should retain their tax exampt status. It is a very slippery slope when we start to consider one religion “different” than another. Let’s remember that it was only 150 years ago that Mormans were being prosecuted (and killed) in this country for their beliefs.

Yes, absolutely it should.

NO of course Scientology should NOT be tax exempt! It is a cult and a business. It was started to make money. Can we put this to a vote? Isn’t this supposed to be democracy?

Scientology is the most decent movement on earth today, with a pure purpose and capability to help people. Of course like any religion it is due tax exempt status, and if it were any mainstream religion (without the incredible amount of lies spread by a VERY few about it), an absurd question like this would never come up.

The “Church” of Scientology is obviously a for-profit business entity. They tell you news types that they are a religion because they are afraid of losing tax-exempt status BUT if you walk into one of their centers as someone who has never heard of Dianetics before they flat out deny that they are a religion. They will claim they just teach self-help courses.

Some of these pro-tax exemption comments are too rich. “Proven itself a religion time and again?”
The only reason they have exemption in the US is because of the previously mentioned FOIA siege on the IRS.
The only reason they have exemption in Australia is due to the fact that they didn’t even APPLY under Scientology! They came into Australia under “Church of the new faith” and lobbied for the right to practice Dianetics as a religion. (After Scientology was lambasted by an independant inquiry – Google: Anderson Report)Once that was approved they simply changed their name back to Church of Scientology.
The only reason they have exemptions in the UK is due to the UK’s courts allowing the Australian ruling as precedence.
Scientology is not a charitable organization. In fact, “Charity” as we in the wider world know it, is actually a ‘sin’ according to Hubbard. Giving away something without recieving something in return is known in Scientology as being ‘Out-Exchange’ and is an action considered to be low on their moral ‘tone scale’. Ex-Scientologist John Duignan, in his book “The Complex”, examines this concept in detail.

Organized Scientology is organized crime. Discussing its special tax-exempt status is interesting and perhaps useful, but ultimately beside the point. It is a criminal organization and should be investigated as such. Its leaders belong in jail, and its property should be sold off to pay back its victims.

It’s not a religion. Why couldn’t they just get 501c3 as a school?
Martin missed an opportunity: when Tommy said [the Xenu thing] was a perversion, the logical followup should have been “What was the truth which got perverted?”

How did they ever get approved as a tax free religion ? Stop it now !

Scientology’s tax exempt status should be revoked hands down. Any organization that has been involved in any illegal activity is not suppossed to have tax exempt status. They have been involved in MANY.
Starting with Operation Snow White when they infiltrated the IRS. People went to jail, including L. Ron Hubbard’s wife!
Besides the fact that they are a BUSINESS. Scientology members are the ONLY orgainzation in which members can deduct schooling and courses off their tax returns.
They are a criminal and abusive organization and my vote is TAKE THEIR EXEMPTION AWAY!
Our government needs to step in and have them investigated fully!

Also I would like to thank Martin Bashir and ABC. Please report more!
There is SO much that needs to be heard about this cult!
I hope this is not the end of Martin’s research into this cult. There is a LOT more that needs to be covered on the Sea Org. Especially child labor, human trafficking, sexual abuse, what the Sea Orgers are paid, and many more issues.
Many Scientology related deaths need to be mentioned and more ex members and families who experienced disconnection need to be interviewed.
There should be a report done on Gold Base out in Ca and also at Flag in Clearwater. A report on Scientolgy’s Super Power Building would also be great.
Scientology has a LOT of front groups. The CCHR’s Psychiatry Industry of Death Exhibit is not only outrageous, but needs to be reported on.
How Scientology strong armed the IRS into giving them their tax exmeption should also be covered.
Their FAIR GAME tactics need to be known.
There is so much that the US and other countries need to know about this cult.

How can intelligent people say they have “researched” Scientology based on mere “google searches”, which are overrun by false negative propaganda, in lieu of reading for themselves actual Scientology scriptures in the form of books and recorded lectures, which are freely available at most public libraries, which are themselves full of profound practical knowledge which could benefit anyone if only applied?
It’s actually not too surprising to witness these vehement rebukes in light of the probable fact these very protesters give tacit credit to Scientology for actually being able to find out the truth–about themselves and the crimes they know they have committed and are committing on a daily basis. Perhaps this is why they’d just as soon be rid of ALL religion–so that they can be “safe” from this discovery. As much as they’ve tried to punish others in committing their crimes, they’re sadly convinced that everyone is like them. So they’re convinced that “punishment” is imminent.
Ironically, Scientology is not interested in such punishment. By the very definition of the name itself, it is the science of knowing. Knowing–not for the sake of dominance, control, and punishment, the hallmarks of the current “civilization”–but knowing on the part of the individual for the sake of enhanced personal ability, for the rehabilitation of the innate goodness of the person, and for the establishment of true happiness in the individual’s life.
Scientology is not perfect by any means. Its members do not attain “super being” status merely by receiving counseling or by taking a course. True salvation and freedom have to be earned with honest and sincere effort. But it is at least a practical, followable route towards this priceless knowledge which is the only way out the of veritable hell of ignorance in which this society is so thoroughly mired.

A definete no, they should rather be looked into in a criminal investigation.

Tax the cult!

This church should most definitely have tax exempt status, of course. I guess if this were the days when Jesus walked the earth, we’d be deciding something on him. It’s so easy for us to throw stones when remaining anonymous; probably even fun for some. But we can’t simply attack churches because of allegations and hearsay from a disgruntled few.

No No NO
Nieyt
Nein
NO
LO
Shut the place down – it’s a fraud and the “leaders of this “church” are the real persons profiting from this scam!!
Ponzi anyone??

Think for yourself.
Research more than one “source.”
Tax the cult.

Jeez Georgia, you’re right. Scientology isn’t just a cult, it’s an ABUSIVE cult. See, look:
~ Elite members or commanders.
~ Secret doctrines – certain “secret” (esoteric) teachings that must not ever be revealed to the outside world.
~Promised Ones – members of the cult are encouraged to believe they were chosen, or made their choice to join the cult, because they are special or superior.
~ Leaving the cult, or failing at one’s endeavor to complete the requirements to achieve its panacea, will result in consequences greater than if one had never joined the cult in the first place. This may include financial ruin.
~ Shunning/Disconnection – members who leave may not contact members (including family members) who remain.
INVESTIGATE THE ABUSIVE CULT OF SCIENTOLOGY AND REVOKE IT’S TAX EXEMPT STATUS SO PEOPLE WILL NOT FALL VICTIM TO IT ANYMORE. THE IGNORANCE AND ABUSE MUST STOP.

Scientology is a self-help scheme designed by a drug-addled madman hopped up on “pinks and greys.” He did it to “make money, make more money.”
Anyone who thinks this is a legitimate religion has been duped.
Take away tax exempt status and open a thorough investigation of this criminal empire.

Tax the cult.

Write your representatives and senators immediately! REMOVE THE TAX EXEMPT STATUS OF THE CULT OF SCIENTOLOGY!

It’s abundantly clear that there’s a lot of stuff going on within Scientology that isn’t supposed to see daylight. I personally think that they only present themselves as a religion to have tax exemption.

Actually, Scientology is a religion in the fullest sense of the word. I’m shocked there’s even a debate about this in the land whose Bill Of Rights guarantees religious freedom as indeed it does for Freedom of Speech, no matter how offensive. I’m offended by the idea of the debate on my right to freely practice my religion, but I allow that you have the right to your freedom of speech. Similarly, and at law, you must perforce extend the same kind consideration to me. The idea of man as a spiritual being is not new – that he’s a one life automaton is the more recent, radical and flawed idea. Absent any PERSONAL inspection and simply taking the “internet” or media word for it, it’s kind of difficult to do anything other than operate without prejudice. Speak to a Scientologist. Read a book. Go to the Scientology site. Get some real data. Otherwise, it’s advertising driven media chaos mongering, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

[cont.1 - sorry, mixed up order but I couldn't figure out what word(s) get filtered here. Now I think I know it.]
These tactics are, of course, just diversions from the fact that Scientology is merely a sinister business enterprise, selling an expensive luxury product called “OT” (read: super-human with psychic powers, the so called “hom0 novis”… master race, anyone?), which – funny enough – they never posessed in the first place and now fail to deliver to their customers for more than 50 years.

Again, this time the full monty:
In this comment section, two main tactics are being used, presumably by Scientology’s own intelligence division OSA (“Office of Special Affairs”), to cloud the view of the reader. I’d like to dissect ‘em a bit, but basically, it’s one and the same lame sales tactics (generalization, known to some as “black semantics”) they use frequently on their customers as well as the general public. It’s pretty sad that these self appointed “authorities on the mind” can’t come up with anything better, but however, let’s have a look at what they want you to perceive:
1. Attacking Scientology = attacking all religions or religious freedom
2. Attacking Scientology = attacking the constitution or freedom of speech.
It’s a bit like going to a used car dealer. You say “this car sucks” and the salesman acts as if you have insulted the whole industry and starts lecturing you about how it is one of the backbones of Americas wealth and employment rates, when all you wanted to say was “this car sucks”. These tactics are, of course, just diversions from the fact that Scientology is merely a sinister business enterprise, selling an expensive luxury product called “OT” (read: super-human with psychic powers, the so called “hom0 novis”… master race, anyone?), which – funny enough – they never posessed in the first place and now fail to deliver to their customers for more than 50 years. To cover up this betrayal is the main reason for Scientologys aggressive secrecy, their touchiness when it comes to their “faith” and for countless lawsuits. Naturally, nothing of this has anything to do with “religion” or “free speech” except when you generally confuse those two with “freedom of betrayal” and “freedom of scamming”. To make it absolutely clear: no one here wants to abolish the constitution, freedom of speech or freedom of religion… they just try to manipulate you into thinking just that. The only thing that really needs to be abolished here (or, to say the least, thoroughly reformed) is the neofascist enlightment racket which calls itself “Church” of Scientology and their false promises of total freedom through total submission to the cult.
In short, tax the hell out of ‘em.

I really think most of you who’ve commented (although I can see it’s mainly a few people just with different user names, new trick?) have missed the point. Since you don’t know anything about Scientology at all maybe you should risk it for a biscuit and find out by reading a book. It actually works.

The Churches of Scientology aren’t going anywhere. We’re here to stay. Deal with it. The sooner you learn to accept this, the sooner you can get on with your lives and do something more than attack other people’s religions in battles you can never ever win.
Yes ABC is bigoted and anti-religious.

I hope after seeing this the white house takes another look at their Citizen’s Briefing Book, where the subject of removing Scientology’s tax exemption beat out thousands of other issues to reach President Obama’s desk based on user votes. The IRS seems to be the only organization left that hasn’t figured out that Scientology needs to be taxed already.

Full House was the best. My daughters loved that show.
It is sad that ABC has taken such an odd tabloidal turn.

I have read all of Scientology’s books by L Ron Hubbard.
My favorite is “Science of Survival” wherein it says that genocide of anyone “low on the tone scale” should be killed. That includes all the mentally handicapped because they’re not “able” enough to comprehend the tech.
Ask your local librarian for a copy – they keep them out back in the recycling pile or sometimes they use them as doorstops!

The Church of Scientology should not be taxed

Good comments Alfred. YOU DA MAN!

I think that Scientology doesn’t deserve the tax exempt status

That sounds like a thread of violence to me, Mr. Joe Smith.

agree.

Tax the cult

Tax the cult

Scientology was created by a science fiction writer with delusions of grandeur. All they want is more money and more power. They will walk over anyone that gets in there way. It is one of the saddest cults I’ve ever seen and should pay taxes.

Scientology should not be taxes. Like any religion.

Uh, sorry Martin, I just noticed you posted the same quote with more context. It’s remarkable, isn’t it?
Here’s one more:
“Somebody some day will say ‘this is illegal.’ By then be sure the orgs [Scientology organizations] say what is legal or not.” – L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 4 January 1966, “LRH Relationship to Orgs”

stop the anti-religious comments.
freddom of speech is one thing, and includes freedom of religion.
scientology should be tax exempt

Wikipedia, anyone?
R2-45
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
R2-45 is a Scientology auditing process created by L. Ron Hubbard. The process of R2-45 specifically pertains to shooting the target with a Colt .45 pistol, causing the victim’s “thetan” to leave the body (exteriorization). In 1952 during a meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, Hubbard demonstrated the process of R2-45 by firing a shot at the floor. In a lecture of 1958, Hubbard comments that “Death is not the same as clearing but there is, remember, R2-45. It’s a very valid technique. A lot of people have used it before now.”
“R2-45: AN ENORMOUSLY EFFECTIVE PROCESS FOR EXTERIORIZATION BUT ITS USE IS FROWNED UPON BY THIS SOCIETY AT THIS TIME.” —L. Ron Hubbard, The Creation of Human Ability
(all caps as per the original)
While representatives of the Church of Scientology have publicly acknowledged that “Auditing Process R2-45″ refers to “someone being killed and [their spirit] leaving the body”, they insist that it was presented as a “jest” or “joke” by Hubbard.” In the transcript for the lecture “Exteriorization”, in which Hubbard refers in passing to R2-45, a footnote refers to the process as being “used humorously”.
However, critics of Scientology have pointed out that Hubbard also used it in apparently non-humorous contexts. On March 6, 1968, Hubbard issued an internal memo titled “RACKET EXPOSED,” in which he denounced twelve people (Peter Goodwin, Jim Stathis, Peter Knight, Mrs. Knight, Nora Goodwin, Ron Frost, Margaret Frost, Nina Collingwood, Freda Gaiman, Frank Manley, Mary Ann Taylor, and George Wateridge) as “Enemies of mankind, the planet and all life,” and ordered that “Any Sea Org member contacting any of them is to use Auditing Process R2-45.” Former Scientologist Bent Corydon wrote that in late 1967 at Saint Hill, he personally received a copy of an order naming four former Scientologists as enemies and “fair game” and ordering any Sea Org member who encountered them to use R2-45.

No, they should not receive a tax exempt status. They are a criminal organization and should be immediately disbanded to prevent further damage to global stability. I’ve been looking into Scientology for a long time and everything I’ve seen come out of it is worse and worse. They are a cancer and should be surgically removed for the good of our society.

“Mr. Rathbun, where you lying then or are you lying now?”
Either way, he lies.
ABC is being used to increase Mr. Rathbun’s profit making USING the technology that he bitches about.
Oh, Miscavige made me do it! Nice sweet responsibility, Mark.

Scientology needs to have it’s tax exempt status REVOKED. The Ways and Means Committee should be made aware of the Secret Agreements reached by Scientology and the IRS. The abuses perpetrated by this “church” in the name of religion is FRAUD.
When Scientology professes to support religious freedom ask how they feel about those practicing Scientology outside the church in the “Freezone”.
Why should it cost tens of thousands of dollars to learn the upper level secrets of scientology’s demented cosmology? It’s a scam and a confidence game. Wake up America before more innocent people are harmed by this dangerous mind control cult.

What other cults are there?
If you base it on their beliefs, then ALL religions are CULTS and per your logic, should ALL be BANNED.
Wow, man. Too much hate is not healthy.
Scientology shouldn’t be taxed

Scientology is not a religion, therefore, it is a cult. What we have here is one of the biggest cults of all time that even now is trying to flood this discussion with outright lies and misinformation. I cannot believe that they have become this gigantic and organized. We should not only tax them, but fear them.

The Church of Scientology should be tax exempt.
All religions should be tax exempt.
Not matter what the anonymous think, the law establishes Scientology as a religion, and therefore it is.
Not opinions, but facts.

So let’s make the law realize the truth and tax Scientology fair and square for being a money grubbing scam that even drives some of their practicioners clinically insane.
So I agree: don’t tax religion, but tax cults and criminal enterprises.

Why are they exempt from taxes? This is clearly not a church and should therefore pay taxes.

how is it “clearly not a church”?
lolwut?
they are, whether we want to or not.
don’t tax them

Ooops lag

The Scientology Religion should be tax free

church of scientology should be tax exempt, no matter what wacky things they believe

Has everyone forgotten that L Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer? A SCIENCE FICTION WRITER CREATED A PHONY RELIGION. This is not, nor will ever be, a true religion of faith and worship. All the members of scientology do is dish out money for e-meter tests that have been scientifically proven not to work. Don’t tax real religions, tax fake ones. Tax scientology!

clearwater florida tried to fight off this cult many many years ago, only to be swamped in law suits from them that ran our small city out of money to fight….hell ya charge this cult for every bit of tax they owe our city from the first year they got their hooks in us…..THEY ARE A CULT NOT A CHURCH…. their founder was a writer of science fiction novels… let them be a book club… and PAY TAXES

There is no such thing as a “Scientology Religion”. It’s a dangerous cult, a scam devised by a drug-addicted alcoholic who developed severe symptoms of paranoid shizophrenia later in life. That’s why he was hidden away from the publich for years before he died – he was neither containable nor presentable to anyone. Rumor has it that Miscavige might as well have killed him off, but there’s no proof to this out there. But I can’t help but wonder, what would he confess when he’s auditing himself?
Tax the cult, period.

Scientology strong-armed the IRS; now is the time for the IRS to investigate this fraudulent group.

Why are you picking on my religion?
So what if some people die? They were going to die anyway. At least this way we get their money to use to save the planet

No, they should not be tax free!! I believe they are some high class cult. Why would 20 year members finally drop away if there isn’t something wrong going on behind closed doors. The guy you were interviewing could not give a truthful and straight answer to any question, and walked away.. What is HE
hiding??

Exactly, Bea, you nailed it – how many high ranking catholics do you see leaving their church, especially after they’ve become Bishop?
And take the child molesters out of the equation…

i’d like to say that scientology is just a profit organisation for it’s leader and last time i checked all businesses were taxed so yes scientology should be taxed also they should be required to waive all future membership fee’s/”donations” to hear there creation story as i could buy a star trek book it’d have the same plot AND it makes more sense and is also cheaper :).

Like all such disputes, it seems like people only want to offer protection to their own beliefs.
Scientology is a religion or many millions, and the posters here do not get to decide whether it is “legitimate” or not. Nor does the government.

I can’t believe we are even debating whether government should decide if a religion is real. Grow up.

No cult deserves tax exempt status.

scientology needs to be taxed. it is a fringe group, the only reason it gets any attention is because certain celebrities are involved.

Scientology is under surveillance by the German Govt. An English high court judge said it was corrupt, sinister and dangerous.
No, it shouldn’t have tax exempt status. It’s a business. (More over it’s the cruel exploitation of extremely vulnerable people, who we should be protecting)

For all the pithy comments, this is a serious issue. Why would even people who don’t care for Scientology endorse more government involement in religion?

Requirements by an organization of any kind which dictate its members give monetarily SHOULD be taxed. The freedom of religion is a freedom to believe, not a right to profit. And my 2 cents – anyone that can put price tags on their belief system have never had a “religion” to begin with.

I support all Scientologists in their fight against government intererence in their religion.

why shouldn’t a “religion” that charges it’s members up to $350k each for it’s “services” not be taxed?
moreover, we are not talking about a traditional religion in any sense of the word here. this “religion” was conjured out of this air by it’s mentally disturbed founder back in the 1950′s. from what i have read, scientology is actually a very profitable and dangerous criminal organization, and in my opinion it should be put out of business by the fed’s, not simply taxed for the business that they do.

Any excuse those who can oppose all religions have they use to try to stigmatize it.
If any religion is denied their rights today, all may be tomorrow.

Scientology deserves tax exempt status like any other religion.

Scientology absolutely should have its tax exempt status revoked. It gained that status in the US under questionable circumstances, and operates much more like a business than a religion. Also, it has a substantial dark side (even more so than was covered in these reports) which should be taken into account and of which more of the general public should be aware (a wealth of info can be found through Google, including numerous personal accounts by former Scientologists).
What other religion charges copious amounts of money in exchange for knowledge of its belief system, actively attacks and harasses its critics (as a matter of policy, no less), and misleads potential new members by not disclosing connections to that particular religion upon initial contact? Scientology does the latter through the use of free “stress tests” and inconspicuous sounding front groups such as Narcanon, Youth for Human Rights, etc. People should be free to believe what they wish, but organizations which are in essence a business and which continuously mislead both the public and officials about certain activities, practices, and writings (as well as the stats on the number of current members) should not receive tax exemption here. Several other countries do not grant it to Scientology, and the US should follow suit.

I support the US Constitution, and believe in fairness. Scientology deserves the same rights as every other relgion.

For many years I was the main person who oversaw all legal matters that were outside of the courts for organized scientology. This included many actions to develop a religious cloaking for organized scientology and it also included overseeing and implementing their corporate and other basic legal planning for years.
I personally went over the corporate planning that began most of the current organized scientology corporate structures with David Miscavige and got his approval to implement them back in 1981.
I have since seen him lie constantly in courts and through organized scientology spokespersons saying that he was not the one who fully controls organized scientology.
I have also personally witnessed David Miscavige beat and spit on scientology staff members as far back as 1982 when he secretly took control of organized scientology while pretending that he only worked for a separate for-profit corporation.
As a very senior staff member in the past for organized scientology, I got many orders from L Ron Hubbard himself that had to do with the development of religious cloaking so as to get tax advantages and to avoid many labor and other laws that otherwise would have to be followed.
I have seen millions of dollars of organized scientology money secretly funneled to L Ron Hubbard by David Miscavige at a time when it was promoted that Hubbard got nothing financially from the church of scientology.
I was one of the authors of the original “What is Scientology” book in 1978 which we wrote to forward the religious cloaking of scientology after the FBI raids in 1977.
I can state without doubt or reservation that organized scientology developed a religious cloaking solely to get tax advantages, to avoid having to follow the laws that non churches would have to follow and to use it as a shield to hide abuses and to stop inquiries into its actions.
I can also state without doubt or reservation that their entire corporate structure was set up to hide the truth of who was really running organized scientology, to funnel money into the control of those secretly running it, to hide assets from governments and litigants and to protect those secretly running organized scientology from legal liability for same.
If called upon to testify with respect to these matters I would be willing to do so.
Larry

With all the other issues in the world today how is it that you could even consider wasting your time with a debate whether or not a religion that is not going anywhere and has been recognized as a religion over and over. As a religion they should have tax exempt status, I vote yes let them keep the status they have achieved.

I spent some time in Scientology and know for a fact that it is a FOR PROFIT cult pretending to be a religion purely for the tax exempt status. Also, Scientology was granted its tax exempt status because they dug up some dirt on the IRS during the tenure of commissioner Goldberg. It is outrageous that this evil cult receives a tax exemption for brainwashing people. Look at Tom Cruise before and after Scientology – from normal to lunatic in less than ten years

The “Church” of Scientology is a for-profit business. It should never have been granted tax-exempt status. L. Ron Hubbard devised a plan to pass his self-help business off as a church so it would be protected from criticism as bad therapy. He had higher-up members working hard at projecting a theological aura–wearing white collars, having Sunday services–but, as ex-members who participated in that effort have recounted, it was all a sham. It’s not a religion any more than est or primal therapy was.

A religion should be, by definition apolitical. But Scientology has shown over and over again its willingness to engage the political process to its own end.
A religion should also not use its religious nature to flaunt labor laws and laws meant to protect staff members, both of which Scientology does blatantly.
And what kind of “church” has secret doctrine subject to strict copyright regulation? What kind of religion requires you to buy your way to salvation at $350,000 a head?
These are clear signs that this is a CULT. It does NOT deserve religious protection.

Why is the IRS deciding what relgion is “legitimate?”
Unfair.

No way Scientology should still have tax exempt status…It never should have in the first place.

It’s ok to believe in body thetans.
Even body thetan clusters.
But it’s not ok to scam hardworking taxpayers out of money to pay for David Miscavige’s gambling habits, his multi-million dollar mansion at Gold Base or his high quality single malt scotch while there are people suffering (and yes, DYING) in the RPF living off rice and beans.
Maybe we should all start calling Miscavige the “Asthmatic Bhagwan.”
Revoke the cult’s tax exempt status and investigate Miscavige.

I don’t get it… why should any federal agency be telling others what constitutes a religion?

Not only should scientology lose it`s tax exemption, it should be investigated for human rights abuses and prosecuted for them. Then completely banned!

The fact that scientology committed the biggest infiltration of US government offices in history (google operation snow white) should be enough of a reason to revoke tax exemption.Scientologists went to jail for this, one being L Ron Hubbard`s wife!There are plenty more reasons, which are readily researched on the internet or the library.

I don’t want government deciding what is or isnt a religion. Keep them out.
Scientology is a religion, and deserves the same treatment as all others.

NO! They are a very DANGEROUS religion. I wish the segments also covered the other abuses Scientology has done to thousands of families, and the deaths associated with them

Why is it that everyone who dislikes Scientology is so willing to dispose of their own rights by trying to take away those of the people who practice it?
Scientology is my choice, and I deserve the same consideration other religions get from my government.

I second the comment that “Scientology should be shut down by civil and criminal application of RICO laws and fraud statutes.” Tax exempt? Let’s see their books. Revoke their tax exempt status, and while we’re at it, make them pay back wages plus interest on all “employee” wages that they have never paid over the years.

Good point, and keep pissed of runaways out of legal questions. Scientology is charitable and tax-exempt, says the IRS after fourty-something years of investigation. I tend to believe them more.

All we need is more government intrusion. The constitution is very clear, and the IRS shouldn’t be handicapping religions.
Scientology deserves the same status offered every other religion.

Tax them!!!They are not a relgion.

It’s a pyramid scheme, not a religion! Tax every last one of them…save for maybe the poor misguided worker bee’s I’ve heard of (via Tory Christman and Jason Beghe) who work 16 hour days and make $30!

They are more business than religion. They try to be what is most expedient for them at the moment. Tax them as a business.

No tax breaks for cults. RSE your next. Complete disfunction. Alien leaders? Church of Scientology, Ramtha (RSE), and similar followings are CULTS. Complete and utter destruction of the human mind. People that leave are in fear for there lives. This is not a joke. Let’s clean this up America.

Definitely not! They are a bunch of mentally weakened individuals.

EVERY other major religion is willing to face the tough questions behind their mythology and their beginnings. Those religions also offer their teachings FOR FREE!!! Considering the CoS won’t do either of those, they should absolutely be STRIPPED of their tax exempt status.

TAX the Cult of $cientology

Haha, I had a good laugh at the whole “What has the government to do with religion” argument, because…
Because it’s painfully obvious. I’ll tell you what the government has to do with religion: It makes the frickin rules, that’s what it does. It’s democratically elected to deal with such matters, just in case some loony bunch decides tomorrow it would be “religious practise” to eat children at their conventions, burn witches at stakes, stone people to death or scam them out of their minds for money. And guess what, in these cases, the government gets to decide what’s religion and what’s not, what’s criminal and/or insane and even if they’d rather send the local sheriff or the national guard after your sweet behinds.
Duh.
On a related note, if you quote the constitution in future, please don’t forget to include the part about the establishment of religion. I believe it was pretty damn important to the founding fathers, and sadly that is exactly what you Scientologists are up to when you say “clear the planet”… and while I’m at it, what is that elitist “h0mo novis” concept other than a spiritual aryan, a new ubermensch who gets to decide which one of the other players is the untermensch bound to lose the game?
Taxes, I say! And investigations, lots of them.

I’m fine with the tax exempt status that religious organizations receive – legitimate religious organizations, that is. But, the “church” of scientology should not enjoy these benefits. Just because I call my scheme the “Church of Sciencey Scienceness” and collect people’s money doesn’t make it a religion.

Dude I would so join the Church of Sciencey Scienceness.
Perchance you have a newsletter I might subscribe to? Do you take paypal?
Tax the cult! Woo!

In 1998, Henry Pontell, Chair of Social Ecology at UC Irvine, wrote in his book, “Profit Without Honor” referring to at least 100 law suits against Upjohn following prescribed use of Halcion (banned in Britain, Norway and the Netherlands): “In the face of such negative publicity, a memorandum written by Upjohn’s marketing department recommended a “containment” strategy to protect sales. The first suggested tactic was to attribute the mounting criticism to the controversial Church of Scientology—an easy target as a scapegoat because of its campaigns against certain prescription drugs.” I wish no one ever had to suffer the death of a loved one to prescription medication. Where would we be if no one stood up to the wealthy drug companies and their lobbies?

Any “religion” that is to ashamed to divulge what they “believe” in; what their “actual” believes are, should not be classified as a religion.. You don’t see Christians walking out when asked to explain about Jesus rising from the dead, or Mormons walking out when asked to explain about golden plates & translations, Muslim & virgins… you get the picture!
Still, they should all be paying taxes.. seperation of church & state and all, should mean they don’t get treated differently then any other “business”….

Scientology tax-exemption must be removed and the organization leaders must be investigated and charged with abuses. Evidence is abundant but this wealthy cult organization stomps out attempts to bring justice forth. Its cover-up is incredibly engineered by PR efforts.

No it should not have tax exempt status!
It achieved this by blackmail, endless litigation and pressure on members of the IRS who caved into them.
They use the same strong arm tactics on any of it’s critics whenever they can.
Scientology is not a religion- it is a cult.
It’s fundamental purpose is to control people for monetary gain. It treats it’s employees appallingly after brain washing them to believe they are serving the most important purpose on earth. Celebrity spokes people have no idea what really goes on.
You are doing a great public service by bringing this topic to public attention. But you have just scratched the surface! Keep digging – plenty more outrageous stories to be uncovered.

Scientology is less a religion than a litigious, greedy cult, and granting it tax exempt status has only enabled the damage it causes.
Take a look at the Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Frame and put Scientology to the test.

It’s a cult, not a religion, so it shouldn’t not be afforded the privileges of a genuine religion.
It should also be prosecuted for it’s pseudo-science that hurts people, and causes them to not seek appropriate medical treatment.

Yes, Helgi, by all means -
People should look at the factual history of Hubbard and the groups he founded. Take a look at the real-world actions, including especially the criminal activitities of the old Guardian’s Office and it’s ‘re-branded’ current incarnation, the Office of Special Affairs. Then consider why something that tells the world it is a ‘church’ needs its own secret police department.
Take a look at the fact that ‘spiritual’ advancement in Scientology is limited to those who can pay for its seemingly endless list of ‘religious’ services. What provision is made for the elderly and the poor?
We should all welcome an open and honest evaluation of Scientology on its own merits – and that means examining the actual behavior of this organization, not just taking in the boilerplate platitudes they put out to lure in ‘raw meat’ new recruits.

Heck no. How could anyone have ever granted this status?

Ten days after the highly critical New York Times report on the Church of Scientology’s dodgy tax exemption, the Church took out a full-page advertisement in the same newspaper to rebut the charges laid against it. The text of this advertisement can also be found on the Internet at one of the Church’s official Web sites. Here is the ad………………………..
“Imagine if you were part of an organization at war for decades with the Internal Revenue Service. Then one day you just happened to be walking by their national headquarters when you decided to walk in the front door, barge into the Commissioner’s office, without an appointment, only to have that Commissioner roll out the red carpet, cater to your every whim and give you the tax exemption you demand.
But that’s not all.
This meeting and its particulars are so mysterious, a newspaper reporter decides to file a Freedom of Information Act request and get the Commissioner’s appointment book. And when he does, it shows no such meeting!
This then is somehow taken by the reporter as that the meeting must have taken place, since there is no record of it anywhere.
Certainly, if true, this would be a sensational story. And if you were the prestigious New York Times, you would want to confirm the story was true – that the meeting actually took place – before printing such. Of course you would verify this with the concerned parities [sic].
Well, The New York Times did print the story – last week, about the Church of Scientology’s recognition as tax exempt – three years ago.
The only problem: the story is untrue. No such impromptu, unscheduled meeting ever did take place.”
Now, look what David Miscavige said to 10,000 Scientologists at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on 8 October 1993, in a speech to announce the granting of tax exemption to the Church of Scientology……………………….
“In October of 1991, while this war was raging at its apex, Marty Rathbun and I were in Washington DC. to attend one of these court hearings I mentioned. It was to be the next day. We had just finished a lunch meeting and our next appointment wasn’t for a couple of hours. In other words – we had some spare time on our hands. That’s not something we’re accustomed to, so – we thought at last we could create a bit of mischief. We told the lawyers we’d see them in an hour or so and that we would be down at the IRS building. Of course they had a good chuckle as we left the room. Off we proceeded to 1111 Constitution Avenue – which if you didn’t know is the address of the national headquarters of the IRS. We presented ourselves to security at the front door, signed the visitors log and informed them we were there to see Fred. They asked – Fred who? We answered, Fred Goldberg of course, the Commissioner of the IRS. “Is he expecting you?” they asked. “No”, was our response. “but if you phone him on the intercom and tell him we are from the Church of Scientology, I am sure he’d love to see us.” Have you ever wondered whether we were really impinging, when we have spoken of the IRS at previous events? Well – if so – shame on you.
We did meet with the commissioner, and, as the saying goes – the rest is history.”
David Miscavige is playing with American taxpayers money and laughing his head off all the way to the bank.
Get angry America – write your local congressman or write directly to the IRS and make your demands. This ends now.

I won’t be happy until everyone one of you angry, critical people take a big deep breath and ask yourselves why you are not helping anyone to improve an unwanted condition in a fellow human being’s life. What technology would you use? Surgery, drugs, electro-shock? Hold hands in a circle and pray? Or maybe ignore problems in the naive hope that they will go away? I’m not asking for people to ‘learn to live’ with their unwanted conditions, I mean CURED. I mean unwanted conditions healed and gone and never to re-occur. No ‘maintenance meds’ or any of that baloney. While you may howl and scream, Scientology directly addresses the spiritual difficulties that darkens your and your fellow man’s existence and quickly helps to improve people’s lives. Wouldn’t getting rid of something that has been messing you up forever be a welcome relief? I suggest you read a basic Scientology book available from almost any bookstore or library with the idea that there is information there that can be easily applied to help someone improve their life. If you can’t do that, do something to improve your environment-paint out some graffiti or clean up a stream or river in your town. You’ll feel much better for it.

‘Scientology’ the fraud organizations operating internationally which commit human rights abuses, financial fraud in the billions and abuse of nations and their justice systems, that masquerades itself as a cult in turn masquerading itself as a church, should never have been allowed tax exemption.
It seems to have gotten exemption by corrupting officials in the U.S. Treasury, specifically the office of the commissioner of the IRS. The process by which it was awarded was unusual and outside of normal regulations and procedures of the IRS.
Not only should this tax exemption be revoked, the IRS should go after everything they SHOULD have paid.
And in light of the abuses and long term damage to persons and the ongoing criminality engaged in by its leadership, congressional hearings should be started immediately. Law enforcement should immediately initiate seizure of its assets and arrest of its principals.
Congress should pass laws extending the statute of limitations for civil actions brought by former members against these organizations. And legal help should be made available to them so they can recover some of what was taken from them by fraud.
Congress should pass a law specifically recognizing that it is a fraudulent commercial organization, never to be given tax exempt status and setting the bar very high for any future incarnation of it to attain such exemption.
Ultimately the organizations formed by its founder and formed and continued by its current leader must be dismantled and outlawed, since they have consistently placed themselves above the law.
What is being reported now is only the barest tip of the iceberg.

Scientology should not only have tax exempt status but should also be rewarded with any benefits that may exist in society that really cares about truely helping others as I believe the CHURCH of Scientology is only religion that has the knowledge of the spiritual nature of man and the only one that proves it everyday and I didn’t say “believes it” huge difference

Scientology is a for-profit organization. It is at best a self-help scam and at worst; a destructive cult.
The government is cracking down on Madoff and others who have committed serious fraud. It is time for our lawmakers to get serious start cracking down on organizations that abuse our first amendment right to freedom of religion. Scientology is fleecing our government and our populace.

I do not think Scientology should get tax exempted. Because it is a cult, reason for that is because, if it is a religious organization and of higher power, then why isn’t that anyone is not welcome, I thought higher power was of all good and for giving than anything else regardless of is a celebrity with status. I thought all was welcome, from the high power to change ones life by closing doors says a lot if u are not rich, is that what they mean by higher power. For that reason, No they are not a Religious organization, but a cult, a group a club. Sounds like “Religious organization” Trying to cheap tax way out.

scientologists must pay fees disguised as donations in order to advance into their hierarchy. this aspect alone should be enough to remove their tax exemption status!!

THANK YOU! Finally a news show with gumption to expose Scientology. The US should never have approved the cult as a religion; especially after their conviction for breaking in the Tampa FBI office to steal files. Clearwater fought them but Scientology wore us down as they do everyone through intimidation, humiliation or physical and emotional abuse i.e. Lisa McPherson’s death and others. (In that case, they got to the lead pathologist.) Clearwater had hearings in the 70′s after they secretly moved in and purchased the Ft. Harrison Hotel (our oldest and most prominent hotel). They literally had ARMED guards in front of the hotel. The same hotel we all frequented throughout our lives for dinner, Sunday brunches, dances and functions. Lower-level Scientologists that had defected, SWORE UNDER OATH that by the mention of leaving, they were forced to serve humiliating punishment; smashing tons of garbage down with their feet in dumpsters for hours at Ft. Harrison Hotel (which is now the Scientology “Flag Headquarters”) so that City Officials could not tell the number of Scientologists residing there (as many as 8-12 housed per small room). They also made their SMALL CHILDREN practice “quiet drills” while crammed in locked storage closets, being silent for long periods of time in order to keep City Fire Inspectors from learning the number of children housed there & not enrolled in school. During inspections, they would claim the keys were lost for the closets so Inspectors would be forced to return another day (only to find a different closet locked with no key to be found). They should lose religious sanction and be banished from the US. Until that happens, those little ones in the 70′s who grew up being stuffed in closets (not given an education, have no profession or knowledge of any other life) will continue to defend the only life they’ve been CONDITIONED to know. They will continue to walk downtown Clearwater in uniforms from building to building, (day after day) not making eye contact with anyone unfamiliar, only to do their assigned chores and religious studies and then be bussed back to their housing to repeat it all the next day. (All in an effort to hopefully be “CLEARED” through e-meter audits). Only the Scientologists with money are shown at events on T.V. Most of them are slaves or “worker bees” to the cult . Scientology CHARGES for their religious education and beliefs but yet have all the government religious sanction tax breaks and benefits. I don’t know of any other religion that charges for their bible studies or beliefs. The number of Scientology “so-called religious education buildings”, apartment buildings, industrial buildings, hotels and condos they have in Clearwater is outrageous and their presence has ruined our municipal property tax base as well as many other great things in Clearwater. The celebs are not in denial. They are just turning a blind eye and death ear to the truth. Travolta is in Clearwater every day of the week. He’s probably divulged too much info in his auditing sessions and is afraid the information would be exposed if he left (that’s how they operate) .. or he doesn’t want to give up the tax write offs he and his wife report each year .. or he’s probably too close to Xenu level! PLEASE CONTINUE TO EXPOSE THIS CULT! SHAME ON THE CELEBRITY MEMBERS

A) Scientology is not a religion. B) Even if it were, it should not be tax exempt. C)NO church should be tax exempt. D) “Organized Religion” has been the source/cause of most of the world’s problems since the beginnings of civilization. Simply living by “The golden rule” would solve all of those problems.

I strongly disagree with the beliefs and practices of this cult, but that does not deny them the availability of tax credits. We cannot let the government define what a religion is, lest they start denying religious status to anyone they think opposes them. Additionally, the first amendment states that the government shall make NO LAW respecting the establishment of religion or the free exercize thereof. If we have a problem with their practices as being illegal, investigate these practices, not the cult. And prosecute these illegal practices.
Tax exemption has always been given since the earliest days of this country, since the people realized a non-tangible element that religion provides. It gives to the community in many good and decent forms including many services the government could not or would not provide to people. While the roll of churches today has decreased, their impact is nonetheless still very significant to society. Tax exemption for this cult? yes, until such time as it is shown to be a business instead of a religion.

Scientology is NOT a religion, it is a corporation and should be taxed as such.

The Church of Scientology is a business. It’s quite clear. You have to pay to worship and read the literature. Committing crimes is also encouraged and condoned by church officials. The fact that their exempt status has not been revoked after all of these facts have come to light shows just how irresponsible our government is.

Ignorant people please first you have to know what Scietology is.
you shall go to Scietology and take a curse on ethics.