Texas Officials Say Unitarian Church Not a Religious Organization

May 22, 2004

Source: The Tallahassee Democrat

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/living/religion/8726242.htm

On May 22, 2004 The Tallahassee Democrat reported, "Unitarian Universalists have for decades presided over births, marriages and memorials. The church operates in every state, with more than 5,000 members in Texas alone. But according to the office of Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, a Texas Unitarian church isn't really a religious organization - at least for tax purposes. Its reasoning: The organization "does not have one system of belief." Never before - not in this state nor any other - has a government agency denied Unitarians tax-exempt status because of the group's religious philosophy, church officials say. Strayhorn's ruling clearly infringes upon religious liberties, said Dan Althoff, board president for the Denison, Texas, congregation that was rejected for tax exemption by the comptroller's office. 'I was surprised - surprised and shocked - because the Unitarian church in the United States has a very long history,' said Althoff, who notes that father-and-son presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams were both Unitarians."