October 2008 - Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

PAGE 2Quimper UnitarianUniversalist Fellowship2333 San Juan AvenuePort Townsend, WashingtonOffice Administrator:Nancy MannOffice Phone: 379-0609Office Fax: 385-9510Office E-mail: quuf@olympus.netQUUF website: www.quuf.orgOffice Hours: Closed MondayNancy: Tues. & Thurs. 10-5; Fri. 9-3MinisterRev. Bruce BodeOffice hrs: Tues-Thurs 9 am - 1 pmWork: 379-0609Email: bruce@olympus.netReligious Education Director:Kathy Stevensonkstevenson@olympus.netChoir DirectorMarj Iuro379-6623, mniuro@yahoo.comQUUF Board of TrusteesBetty Oppenheimer, President360-683-3441, bettyo@olympus.netDave Ditzler, Vice-President360-437-0792,dditzler@aol.comJohn Collins, Treasurer379-3299, collinsj37@cablespeed.comJean Walat, Secretary385-1105, jmwalat@yahoo.comSheila Lauder379-6434, onisland@mac.comAl Thompson379-1696, auntjelly@q.comMarilyn Mitchell385-3277, mmitchell@cablespeed.comRob Roose360-385-2958,rroose35@hotmail.comDavid Hundausen379-2566, pdhundhausen@yahoo.comNewsletter Editor:Alice King, aking@olympus.netReligiousInstitutionsand IRSRulesSince we are nearing an important national election, I thought it might be of some interestand value to briefly review the rights of religious institutions in relation to political institutions.The principle of the separation of church and state, as I understand it, has primarilyto do with protecting the rights of religious organizations from government interferenceand not the separation of the religious life from the political realm. As Gandhi has written:… a man who aspires after that [Truth] cannot afford to keep out of any field of life. Thatis why my devotion to Truth has drawn me into the field of politics; and I can say withoutthe slightest hesitation, and yet in all humility, that those who say that religion hasnothing to do with politics do not know what religion means.Still, there are a couple of ways in which current tax laws do not allow religious institutionsto enter into partisan politics and retain their 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status: 1) Endorse oroppose a particular candidate. 2) Contribute to or raise money for a candidate.However, there are many ways in which religious institutions can relate to the political life:1) Register their members as voters. 2) Pass out voters’ guides. 3) Invite all candidates in arace to speak. 4) Speak directly about specific issues and legislation.The UUA has released an updated edition of “The Real Rules: Congregations and IRSGuidelines on Advocacy, Lobbying, and Elections” in which much of the text comesstraight from IRS publications. In this guide they say:There is no limit on the amount of time, effort, or expense congregations may devote toworking on general issues such as civil rights, civil liberties, economic justice, the environment,or peace. Some of the many acceptable activities include: advocating positionsin the media and to elected officials; educating and mobilizing congregants and the generalpublic, and working in local coalitions or partnerships on issues of social justice.And, as Rob Keithan, Director of our UUA’s Washington Office for Advocacy, says:Elections are a great opportunity for Unitarian Universalists to get out into the communityand make an impact, from registering and mobilizing voters to raising importantissues.You may read more about congregations and IRS tax rulings by logging on to: http://www.uua.org/socialjustice/resources/64711.shtml.And, please, remember to breathe in the coming month and a half.Bruce A. BodeSeptember 22, 2008Bob Logan