Scion of Zion Internet Ministry And Tax Exempt Status
For some time I was pondering the idea of applying to the IRS for tax exempt status for the Scion of Zion Internet Ministry. If I had tax exempt status for the web site, then anyone who donated for the upkeep of the web site would be given a tax deductible receipt. There have been some who said they would donate if they could receive a tax deductible receipt. However, after some serious pondering, I decided to NEVER apply for tax exempt status. Some of my reasons are below:
1) Tax Deductible Receipt - Those who will not give because a receipt is not issued do not possess the true spirit of giving. They are seeking the IRS as their benefactor. God is the benefactor for the believer. Those who seek a receipt are giving to get!
2) State owned enterprise - Whenever you incorporate you become an entity of that state. This means that you are required to abide by the guidelines of the state you are incorporated in. In New Jersey, if a Sodomite wants a job at your church, you must hire them. There is no constitutional protection in a state church.
3) IRS - Whenever you seek tax exempt status and are granted it, you must now follow the guidelines to keep your tax exempt status. This means when you cry out against sin and someone doesn’t like it, they can contact the IRS and they will threaten to remove your tax exempt status. This is what happens to churches when they try to make a stand against the evils of the day. Little does the church know, they are already exempt under the constitution. The IRS or any government organization, cannot hinder the ministry of any church since they cannot abridge the practice of religion. It is a shame that churches and ministries would rather maintain the ability to give a little piece of paper than to thunder forth the truth. The IRS sets the rules as to what a tax exempt church can preach and what it cannot.
Scion of Zion will never seek tax exempt status because we will not trade truth for a piece of paper. We must be able to preach the full counsel of God without any threats of government action. As long as we remain a private site, we are protected by the first amendment. If we sell out to the government for Incorporation and tax exempt status, we forfeit those God given rights under the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
For those who will not donate toward personal ministries because you want your receipt, you possess the wrong concept of giving. If you filter your giving through what you can deduct, then you have not given. If you filter your giving through obedience to the Scriptures, then God will bless you far beyond what the globalist IRS can do. I realize that there are many phony ministries on line who are just there to try and make money. I have had this website on line since November 20, 1997 and by looking at the articles and subjects, you will see it is a serious ministry. Many times I make mailings of ministry materials without asking for a penny in return. It is 58¢ a letter at present plus cost of materials going into the envelopes, and since I am on monthly Social Security, I must manage living expenses and ministry expenses within the confines of that budget. I am not complaining but just letting you know that I do not have a big paying job to support this ministry. It is done to the Glory of God on a shoestring budget at present. After all, how many ministries offer you free verse by verse commentaries on the entire New Testament plus Joshua, Ecclesiastes, Ezra, Nehemiah, Proverbs, Daniel, Ruth, Hosea, Isaiah, Joel, Judges, Obadiah, Jonah, Zephaniah, Zechariah, Nahum, Micah, Haggai, Nahum, Habakkuk, Amos, Malachi and Ezekiel 37. Go into a Christian Bookstore and ask for free Bible Commentaries, see what they tell you!
Dr. Ken Matto
You may donate a few dollars directly, so please e-mail me at: scionofzion@intheclouds.org for my snail mail address! Every penny donated goes toward the website and related ministry materials which are given free of charge to those who ask.