July 1979 • Volume Iv • Number Vi
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THE FASTEST GROWING CHURCH IN THE WORLD by Brother Keith E. L'Hommedieu, D.D. quite safe tosay that ofall the organized religious sects on the current scene, one church in particular stands above all in its unique approach to religion. The Universal LifeChurch is the onlyorganized church in the world withno traditional religious doctrine. Inthe words of Kirby J. Hensley,founder, "The ULC only believes in what is right, and that all people have the right to determine what beliefs are for them, as long as Brother L 'Hommed,eu 5 Cfla,r,nan right ol the Board of Trusteesof the Sa- they do not interferewith the rights ofothers.' cerdotal Orderof the Un,versalL,fe andserves on the Board of O,rec- Reverend Hensley is the leader ofthe worldwide torsOf tOe fnternahOna/ Uns'ersaf Universal Life Church with a membership now L,feChurch, Inc. exceeding 7 million ordained ministers of all religious bileas well as payfor traveland educational expenses. beliefs. Reverend Hensleystarted the church in his NOne ofthese expenses are reported as income to garage by ordaining ministers by mail. During the the IRS. Recently a whole town in Hardenburg. New 1960's, he traveled all across the country appearing York became Universal Life ministers and turned at college rallies held in his honor where he would their homes into religious retreatsand monasteries perform massordinations of thousands of people at a thereby relieving themselves of property taxes, at time. These new ministers were then exempt from least until the state tries to figure out what to do. being inducted into the armed forces during the Churches enjoycertain othertax benefits over the undeclared Vietnam war. common man on the street. For instance, a church In 1966 ReverendHensley wasfighting the estab- can legally buy and sell real estate or stocks and lishment on another front. The IRStried toclaim the bonds completely tax free. It. can receive tax free ULCwasn't a legalchurch and proceeded to impound income from bank deposits or mortgages. Many the ten thousanddollars in thechurch bank account. churches own large publishing, recording, or other The feistyHensley filed suit againstthe IRS in federal related businesses like hospitals,clinics and schools district court for return of the funds and to per- without paying any incometax. manently establish the ULC as a legal tax exempt A church can sponsor any kind of fund raising entity. OnMarch 1, l974JudgeJamesF. Bathnruled eventsuch as acorcert. play or even bingo. Churches againstthe IRS in his decision which stated. "Neither are alsoexempt frompaying inheritancetaxes. When this court or any branch of this government will the pastor ofthe church dies,the Boardof Directors consider the meritsor fallaciesof a religion. Nor will simply appointsa new pastor andthe churchgoes on. the court praise or condemn a religion. Were the ReverendHensley has stated that he personally courtto do so, it would impinge uponthe guarantees doesn't believe in the tax exemptstatus ofchurches. ofthe First Amendment." The judge then ordered However, if the government is goingto give a free the IRSto return the impoundedmoney and to grant ride to Billy Graham and the Pope. thenwhy not let the Universal Life Church its tax exempt status. everybody participate in these blessings. Further- Reverend Hensley has stated that he believes a more. he backs his words up byoffering to defendin thurch ispeople and notjust afancy building.He also courtthe tax exempt status of his congregations. believes in total freedom and equality for all people. Since the church was founded in 1962. it has The ULCwill ordainanyone withoutregard to religious attractedmembers who are movieand TV personali- beliefs, race, nationality, sex or age. ties, businessmen, government officials, lawyers. and The ULC's success formula is both effective and doctors aswell asall types ofregular working people. unquestionably legal. After a person has become an During the last 15years the Universal Life church has ordainedmirtister, he or she canjoin with two other blossomed into a full blown grass roots populace people and form their own Universal Life Church. movement. Reverend Hensley is ordaining ten These three people then make up the Board of thousandnew ministers aweek and predicts that the Directors consistingof a Pastor, a Secretary and a church will have over 20,000.000 members by the Treasurer.The ULC will then grantthe group the use early 1980's. In addition,requests for interviews and ofits legalchurch charter completewith both federal TV appearances continueto pour in. and state tax exempt numbers. The newly formed Anyone who is a member of the IJLC will tell you churchmay thenopen a bankaccount in the church's that the ULC is destined to change the world. By name.Any member ofthe churchcan legallydonate uniffing mankind into a brotherhood of freedom up to 50%of his or heroutside income tothe church orientated individuals, each respecting the other's and take a correspondingtax deduction. The church right to live life as they see fit, the Universal Life in turn can pay the complete housing cost of its Church hopes to put an end to all wars. Reverend minister including rent or mortgage payment,insur- Hensley admits that this is a pretty monumental ance, taxes. furnishings and repairs. The church can task to accomplish, but he also points out that he is also providethe minister with full use of an automo- alreadywell on the wayto reaching his goal. and Minister's Rev. Hertsley invites all those interested inbecoming an ordained minister and receivingcomplete information credentials, tosend a $10°° tax deductible donationto the Universal Lifechurch. P.O. Box669. Dept.128, Aptos, CA95003. MOTHER A MAGAZINE FOR THE REST OF US JULY 1979 • VOLUME IV • NUMBER VI Page 54 FRONTLINES CIGARETTES & SOFAS by Becky O'Malley Page 6 NEws: What are the Bee Gees in Ifyou thought that you knew all the dan- doing gers of cigarette smoking, guess again. three-piecesuits?; when guerrillas getthe This one has to do with the to wear when assem- nothing blues; why gloves smoke you take into your lungs, but it bling Fl-bombs; rape victims forced to still killsthousands of Americans submit to lie detector tests. a year. Their deaths could be easilyavoided. COLUMNS THE ARTS Page 5 45 PLACES Page RED-FACEDAND GOING THE BELLY ROOM PRESENTED Mother compares herself to one of her COMEDIENNES ancestors. by Karen Stabiner COVER STORIES "Women comics agree: beinga stand-up Page 65 no matter how mild OLD REDS AND THE UNION BLUES comic, your jokes, Page 22 is an act of . Politics is by Joe Klein aggression. HE WHO STRIKES FIRST funny, but is just being funny politics?" When labor and the Left were secret Introductionby Richard J. Barnet Reporter Karen Stabiner visits the Los lovers. And why the affair should be Angeles club that was one of the coun- renewed. Page 24 try's few havens for women comedians; ATTACK Now she findsthat a funny thinghappened on by Eric Mankin FEATURES their way to the top. The first-strike weapons that now stud the U.S.' nuclear arsenal make Page 14 SALT II almost irrelevant. DIAGNOSING MARRIAGE by Hugh Drummond,M.D. Page 29 Aftera year's absence,MJ's most popu- BOMB SHELTERS ARE BACK! lar columnist returns, in full voice. by Gar Smith "Should you marry? Ifyou were foolish Civil Defense . didn't that go out enough to ask and I foolish enough to with the '50s? Not quite. Now there's advise,I would say no." the Car-Over-Trench Shelter. Khru- shchev was wrong: we will bury us. Page 34 IN THE HEART OF THE BEAST by Robert Friedman On the barren plains outside of Ama- rillo, is the factory where every ther- monuclear weapon in the U.S. is as- sembled. Friedman learns what Ama- rillans feel—anddon't feel—aboutthe (1/ bomb. Coverphoto oft/icJoint Chiefs of Stafffrom Department ofDefense. Left to right: Adm. Page 41 ThomasB. Hayward, Chiefof Naval Opera- WELCOME TO THE WAR FAIR tions, Gen. Bernard W. Rogers, Chief of by John Markoff Staff, U.S. Army; Gen. David C. Jones, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff,' Gen. Lew We visit a Disneyland extravaganza Allen, Jr., Chiefof Staff, U.S. Air Force; thathawks thelatest in arms hardware. and Gen. LouisH. Wilson, Jr., Commandant, Page 14 U.S. Marine Corps. MOTHER JONES(ISSN 0362-884!) is published monthly (except forcombined issues in February/March and September/October) by the Foundation for NationalProgress, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. Officesare located at 625 ThirdStreet, San Francisco, CA94107. All newsstand inquiries should be sent to this address. Second-class postage rateispaidatSanFrancisco,CA,Sparta,ILandotherentrypoints.Pubticationnumber115770. Postmaster: sendform3579 to MOTHER JONES, l886Haymarket Sq., Marion. OH 43302. Copyright ©l979by the Foundation for NationalProgress. Allrights reserved under International Copyrigttt Union, the Universal Copyrigtit Convention and Pan American Copyright Convention. Reproduction or use,without written permission, ofeditorial orpictorial content inany manner isprohibited. 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