Iowa church, IRS fight over drug ceremonies

Iowaska’s teachings built around use of hallucinogenic

By Clark Kauffman - Iowa Capital Dispatch
Jan. 2, 2023 12:40 pm



In this June 22, 2016 poto, a man moves a cauldron used for brewing a psychedelic tea locals know as the Holy Daime in Ceu do Mapia, Amazonas state, Brazil. Ayahuasca brew is sacred to Ceu do Mapia villagers, who use it in rituals that blend together Indian beliefs with Roman Catholicism. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

An Iowa-based church that allegedly charges members up to $800 to use a hallucinogenic drug in religious ceremonies is continuing to pursue a four-year battle to win tax-exempt status.

Last year, the Iowaska Church of Healing sued the IRS in U.S. District Court, challenging the federal agency’s decision to deny the church status as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.

State records indicate the church was formed in Iowa in September 2018, and is run by Admir Dado Kantarevic, along with Billy Benskin and Merzuk Ramic. Currently, the church’s official headquarters are Kantarevic’s former home in Des Moines, which he sold in July.

According to court filings, the church originally intended to purchase land in Iowa for a “permanent worship facility and related structures,” with Florida serving as a potential secondary location. The church and its legal counsel say they ultimately decided to instead establish a physical location in Florida because Iowa, unlike Florida, has no state version of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.

Court records indicate the church now has 20 members in Colombia, Sweden and six states, including Iowa.

More:
https://www.thegazette.com/news/iowa-church-irs-fight-over-drug-ceremonies/