patrick.net

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), an atheist activist non-profit, has a history of advocating for church-state separatism. Most recently, in November, the group sued the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in an effort to force the government to crack down on the political activities being undertaken by churches. The group followed up this legal challenge with yet another lawsuit last Thursday — one that targets the government’s alleged “preferential treatment of churches.”

The FFRF claims that churches are given special treatment when it comes to applying for and holding on to tax-exempt status. While churches are purportedly exempt from paying “expensive application fees” and filling out annual tax forms, non-religious groups must fill out the “onerous annual Form 990.