Iglesia Ni Cristo as a Corporation Sole

IGLESIA NI CRISTO

IS A BUSINESS BECAUSE IT IS REGISTERED AS “CORPORATION SOLE”?

“CFD claims that Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) is a business because it was registered as a “corporation sole.”

  
The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) was registered as a religious corporation and corporation sole in July 27, 1914 eith the Philippine Government. After Worls War II, the government all corpoations to be re-registered, thus, the Iglesia Ni Cristo was again registration, but again it was still regustered as a religious corporation and a corporation sole. The Church was registered as a religious corporation and a corporation sole because this is what the law in the Philippines mandated. Frin then and up to the present, the Iglesia Ni Cristo is still registered as a religious corporation and a corporation sole. This registration of the Churc cannot be change into "stock corporation" because the our law mandates that all religions must be registered as a corporation sole or unipersonal corporation.  
 

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

 (1) The Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines are also registered and recognized by the law as a “corporation”:

“That this building is a church, is consecrated as much and was used, occupied, and possessed by the Roman Catholic Church, as corporation, from the earliest times...” (G.R. No. L-2842, November 24, 1906, The Roman catholic Apostolic Church vs Leonardo Santos, et al.)

All the archdiocese and diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines are also registered as “corporation sole” like the Archdiocese of Manila:

“Notwithstanding the petition of counsel for the Catholic Archbishopric of Manila the six lots involved in this appeal can only be inscribed in the registry of property in the name of the sole corporation, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, duly organized in accordance with the Corporation Law in force…” (G.R. No. L-11955, 29 July 1918.)

So, when the CFD accused us as a “business” because we are registered as a “corporation sole,” they are also accusing the Roman Catholic Church as a “business” because they too are registered as “corporation sole.”

(2) The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) was registered in the Philippine government and it was registered as a corporation sole because this was mandated by the existing law of the land, the Corporation Law of 1906:

“Section 154. For the administration of the temporalities of any religious denomination, society, or church, and the management of the estates and properties thereof, it shall be lawful for the bishop, chief priest, or presiding elder of any such religious denomination, society, or church to become a corporation sole unless inconsistent with the rules, regulations, or discipline of his religious denomination, society, or church or forbidden by competent authority thereof.” (The Corporation Law of 1906 (Act No. 1459), s.v. “Religious Corporation,” Section 154.)

The Lord Jesus Christ tells us the following:

“And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him.” (Mark 12:17 NKJV)

Apostle Paul adds:

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.” (Romans 13:1-3 NIV)

(3) Not all corporations are “business”:

“1. group regarded as individual by law: a company recognized by law as a single body with its own powers and liabilities, separate from those of the individual members.

“Corporations perform many of the functions of private business, governments, educational bodies, and the professions.

 “2. local governing authority: the governing authority of an incorporated municipality such as a city or town.

“3. group acting as single entity: a group of people acting as a single entity.” (Encarta Dictionary, Microsoft Encarta c. 2009, Microsoft Corporation c. 1993-2008.)

A corporation is an artificial person created by the law for legal purposes:

“Section 2. A corporation is an artificial being created by operation of law, having the right of succession and the powers, attributes, and properties expressly authorized by law or incident to its existence.” (The Corporation Law of 1906, Section 2.)

(4) If registered as corporation sole or unipersonal corporation, the bishop, chief priest, presiding elder (in the case of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the Executive Minister) is not the owner but the administrator od the properties of thecorporation/society/church:

“Section 154. For the administration of the temporalities of any religious denomination, society, or church, and the management of the estates and properties thereof, it shall be lawful for the bishop, chief priest, or presiding elder of any such religious denomination, society, or church to become a corporation sole unless inconsistent with the rules, regulations, or discipline of his religious denomination, society, or church or forbidden by competent authority thereof.” (The Corporation Law of 1906 (Act No. 1459), s.v. “Religious Corporation,” Section 154.)

CFD accused us of being a business because the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) was registered as a corporation sole, this also shows their grave ignorance.