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The tax status of the Church of Scientology in the United States has been the subject of decades of controversy and litigation. Although the Church of Scientology was initially partially exempted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from paying federal income tax, its two principal entities in the United States lost this exemption in 1957 and 1968.
After being recognized as a tax-exempt religious organization in 1957, Scientology's tax-exempt status was lost in a 1967 IRS audit. [5] As part of the effort to regain tax exemption during the late 1970s, Scientologists repeatedly infiltrated the IRS, copying large numbers of documents and at one point placing an electronic bugging device in an IRS conference room. [5]
Although a number of critics and former members have described the church as a cult and accused the church of abuse, [14] these accusations are disputed by current members and church officials who claim that through "strong prayer", church fellowship, Biblical teaching, and encouraging community, lives ultimately change. [15]
The Church of Scientology's interest is to be recognized as a religion as well as a charitable organization. Max Halupka observes "While a tax-exempt status is not a legal declaration of religious authenticity, the significance afforded the status by the public serves to color its true purpose.
Beili Wang (被立王; bèi lì wáng), founded by Wu Yangming (a former member of the Shouters), defined by the Ministry of Public Security as a cult organization in 1995. Unification Church (统一教; tǒngyī jiào), known as "The Moonies" in the US, founded by Korean-American Sun Myung Moon in Busan in 1954, defined by the ministry as a ...
On October 15, 1981, [1] Moon was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with three counts of willfully filing false federal income tax returns (for the years 1973, 1974, and 1975) under 26 U.S.C. § 7206, and one count of conspiracy—under 18 U.S.C. § 371—to file false income tax returns, to obstruct justice, to make false statements to government officials, and to make false ...
But the church, she says, was actually a cult. Walker spent her formative years, since age 8, in the group. She says it was a place where members were unable to question leaders "without facing ...
The anti-cult movement, abbreviated ACM and also known as the countercult movement, [1] consists of various governmental and non-governmental organizations and individuals that seek to raise awareness of religious groups that they consider to be "cults", uncover coercive practices used to attract and retain members, and help those who have become involved with harmful cult practices.