tab@ihuxl.UUCP (Thomas A. Burrows) (05/16/84)
. Rev. Moon is not the first to have his church's tax-exempt status investigated. I heard that a famous Protestant church (it might have been Schuller's) got its tax exempt status revoked because was it was using its building not only for services, but also as a large-scale profit-making restaurant. Apparently, restaurants in the vicinity complained that this competitor had an unfair advantage over them because of its tax-exempt status. While we're on the subject, I have also heard that churches -- even small ones in the middle of nowhere -- are getting busted for copyright violations. What they do is buy one copy of some music and photocopy it for all the members of the choir -- which is of course totally illegal. Apparently these churches feel that since they are "charitable organizations" they have the right to expect people (clergy excepted) to donate their services without compensation. This apparently takes precedence over the composer's right to make a decent living. Composers aren't the only victims. The American Guild of Organists is fighting to prevent the concept of the paid church musician from becoming a thing of the past.