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Have you ever seen the 60 minutes segment on how Jews spend huge sums of money to influence the elections in favor of Israel and the funding they get from the US. And I have nothing against Jews at all. I will see if I can find it for you. It was 4 years ago I believe.
Do you really think the pro-Israel $2 Million makes thats that big of dent out of the nearly $2 Billion donated in total to all politicians?
The problem is religious institutions can cover a wide array of organizations. I have no problem with the corner church/synagogue/mosque with a congregation <100 receiving tax-exempt status (which is generally the only way they can survive), but then of course you have the flip side of mega-churches and televangelists who rake in millions and drive new Benzes every year pretty much embodying the religious charlatan stereotype. is there a way to differentiate the two? A tiered tax system based on income, just like with regular citizens?
Yes the should be taxed. I have friend that live within site of Trinity Broadcast Network and they are the biggest hypocrites. He was desperate for Christmas gift money years ago and worked the prayer line donations and he said it was disgusting the tactics they used to fleece people.
Have you ever seen the 60 minutes segment on how Jews spend huge sums of money to influence the elections in favor of Israel and the funding they get from the US. And I have nothing against Jews at all. I will see if I can find it for you. It was 4 years ago I believe.
TBN is not a church.
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Originally Posted by Natural510
The problem is religious institutions can cover a wide array of organizations. I have no problem with the corner church/synagogue/mosque with a congregation <100 receiving tax-exempt status (which is generally the only way they can survive), but then of course you have the flip side of mega-churches and televangelists who rake in millions and drive new Benzes every year pretty much embodying the religious charlatan stereotype. is there a way to differentiate the two? A tiered tax system based on income, just like with regular citizens?
I belong to a megachurch. We give over $1,000,000 /year to charity. If you tax us, that amount would decrease significantly.
The problem is religious institutions can cover a wide array of organizations. I have no problem with the corner church/synagogue/mosque with a congregation <100 receiving tax-exempt status (which is generally the only way they can survive), but then of course you have the flip side of mega-churches and televangelists who rake in millions and drive new Benzes every year pretty much embodying the religious charlatan stereotype. is there a way to differentiate the two? A tiered tax system based on income, just like with regular citizens?
^^^ This makes sense to me, too. My church is in this tiny historical building that would not be able to be kept up if we were taxed. When something needs fixing, a couple of guys from the church do it themselves. Our annual budget is less than my salary. A disproportionate number of people are unemployed. Our priest is a 70-year-old retired guy who gets a small housing allowance for his service.
Taxing our church would mean it closes its doors and a 150-year-old stone building falls into ruin. While that may elicit a "so what" from a lot of people, we have about 25-30 people who show up regularly on Sunday, and the little church means a lot to them, especially the ones who have no families. These people volunteer at the local soup kitchen and bring in food for the pantries even though they don't have much themselves. The big mega churches with the radio stations and the pastors driving Lexuses make us grind our teeth, too.
Good point. I presume then that he does pay his taxes and not claim them as Church-exempt.
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I belong to a megachurch. We give over $1,000,000 /year to charity. If you tax us, that amount would decrease significantly.
Luke 21: 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
I never realized what fun it is to use the Bible like a grenade -launcher.
Good point. I presume then that he does pay his taxes and not claim them as Church-exempt.
Luke 21: 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
I never realized what fun it is to use the Bible like a grenade -launcher.
Anyone who gives out of a loving heart is giving correctly. That was Jesus' point.
Anyone who gives out of a loving heart is giving correctly. That was Jesus' point.
No it wasn't Jimmie. or rather, it is, but only to a point. The point is that, for someone to drop in only a portion of what they have in a bulging billfold is no sacrifice to them. Those who give until it hurts are the only ones doing the sort of giving Jesus (or at least the early Christians who were urging their followers to give all they could and being drawn from the the slave -classes, that wasn't too much) was urging.
The relevant moral here is that, if the churches kick in their taxes as they should, then they should damn' well dig into their well -filled bank accounts and do the same amount of charitable donation as they always did, and not entertain for a moment your disreputable, morally blackmailing and rather hypocritical suggestion that any attempt to get them to pay their taxes and they'll threaten to stiff the needy.
I'm not saying you are morally bankrupt, maybe you didn't think it through. In which case, you have the opportunity to withdraw from that suggestion.
Or you were maybe quoting the official line of your megachurch. In which case, I suggest you consider withdrawing from that, as (in that case) it would seem certainly to be morally bankrupt albeit financially rolling in it.
The relevant moral here is that, if the churches kick in their taxes as they should, then they should damn' well dig into their well -filled bank accounts and do the same amount of charitable donation as they always did, and not entertain for a moment your disreputable, morally blackmailing and rather hypocritical suggestion that any attempt to get them to pay their taxes and they'll threaten to stiff the needy.
You're assuming all church members are wealthy. Why? Megachurches aren't full of rich people, just ALOT of people.
Ignoring that, if your taxes went up significantly, would your charitable giving remain the same? No one's talking about stiffing the poor. Religious organizations have always cared for the poor, and will continue.
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