I've mentioned before that the Iona Institute is freed from the shackles of many tax obligations. You can see their company, Lolek Limited, is listed on the Revenue's list of authorised charities. (Compare the charity number there to that listed on Iona's website.) I pop back to this Revenue list from time to time when investigating various groups and have found many names gratifyingly absent. I should also add that I bear the Revenue no ill will in this matter; they merely enforce the rules and are not the body who decided the criteria for charitable status.
Recently a video made by the American group EWTN has been excitedly shared through Facebook and Twitter. (Bebo was not checked.) It was designed to solicit prayers and donations for Irish anti abortion groups. Perhaps surprisingly, it has been promoted most heavily by those of us on the pro choice side, largely due to one ridiculous hat:
Spared of this obligation to contribute fully to public services in Ireland, how does HLI devote its protected resources?
The extra tax burden you shoulder allows them to scaremonger about vaccines, continuing the farcical lie that they cause autism. Image taken from their front page.
As a husband I find myself curious to read "The Three Marks of Manhood - How to be Priest, Prophet and King to your Family", a book my tax payments have effectively subsidised. Apparently it will tell me how I am "called to wield the three staffs of patriarchy in their families; the Sceptre of authority and self-discipline, the Crosier of spiritual stewardship and the Cross of redemptive suffering."
I've been married a year and three months - to date my staff wielding has not been cause for complaint. Still, perhaps I'm doing it wrong? While I dare not speak for Mrs Shorts I doubt very much a warm reception would be given to the idea of "the complementary role and call to women in their glorious femininity."
I'm unwilling to spend the additional 35 Euro to receive my copy; instead I suggest you glance at its Amazon reviews. A random sample: "Men become better leaders at home and at work; women become more fulfilled because they can focus on their family."
They oppose contraception as a marriage destroying inducer of breast cancer, cervical cancer and infertility. I trust debunking is unnecessary. In its stead they recommend couples employ the rhythm method - am I alone in being old enough to remember that?
Naturally, Dana has given her blessing to this group. We see here that she opened their headquarters in Knock. A Fr Thomas Euteneuer also earns a short mention in the article. Perhaps they did not have time to explain how this former president of Human Life International left in scandal amid a coverup of his sexual assault of a female parishoner while he pretended to perform an exorcism?
The tax you pay is slightly higher to cover the tax they do not. These funds saved allow them to fund the Ask Majella crisis planning agency, which enjoys showing pregnant women pictures of the Holy Virgin Mary mourning a foetus, saying abortion causes bowel and breast cancer, and threatening their clients with judgement beyond the grave among other loving, caring tactics.
They promote the damaging and hateful lie that homosexuality is something that can and should be cured.
"Those struggling with a homosexual tendency deserve the right to hear that their orientation can be successfully reversed with proper psychological assistance and spiritual help."They also firmly affirm their faith by devoting themselves to a holy face.
For many of us it's pay day today or tomorrow. I encourage you to take out your payslips, view the deductions, and ask yourselves if you're comfortable with this group having charitable exemptions. And while you're at it, why not ask why every anti-abortion group in the country seems comfortable associating themselves with these cretins?
The video featured contributions from the Iona Institute, Youth Defence, ProLifeCampaign.ie and John Waters. Why did they choose to work with this offensive group?
