Creflo Dollar Megachurch minister (Atlanta) asks for $60 million to purchase a jet. (College Park: homes, college)

[Tarzanman]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Wow, why does everyone care so much about this? The way this thread has been, you'd think he was asking the state of Georgia for the money!

Churches are largely tax exempt. The idea is that the members tithe trusting that the leadership will spend the money responsibly and that the money and power they wield is used to benefit society as a whole. This is why corporations pay taxes

The ability to charter a private jet (much less purchase one and hire a pilot) suggests that maybe this particular church isn't holding up their end of this implicit agreement.

[joey86]

“The divorce between church and state should be absolute. It ought to be so absolute that no Church property anywhere, in any state, or in the nation, should be exempt from equal taxation; for if you exempt the property of any church organization, to that extent you impose a tax upon the whole community.”

— — James A. Garfield

The churches are dodging seventy billion in taxes each year. The rest of us are footing the bill. There is some inconcistensy in saying that it's against their religion to pay for birth control when they're okay with the irreligious paying their taxes.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by joey86

“The divorce between church and state should be absolute. It ought to be so absolute that no Church property anywhere, in any state, or in the nation, should be exempt from equal taxation; for if you exempt the property of any church organization, to that extent you impose a tax upon the whole community.”

— — James A. Garfield

The churches are dodging seventy billion in taxes each year. The rest of us are footing the bill. There is some inconcistensy in saying that it's against their religion to pay for birth control when they're okay with the irreligious paying their taxes.

Churches are exempt from some taxes like property taxes. Churches still pay taxes to furnish those buildings, when they buy supplies (Office supplies, kitchen supplies, cleaning supplies, etc). Individual employees of churches pay income tax. World changers will pay a nice amount of taxes on this jet (if the money comes in}. A curch is a group of people, those indvidual people all pay their fair share of taxes: income, property, sales, etc, etc. Are you going to take tax exempt status away from all non profits?

Perpetuating the lie that churches pay no tax at all is a disservice to all, not only churches.

[joey86]

They pay taxes, but if they were treated like the rest of us they would be paying 70 billion more. I never said they don't pay any taxes at all.

[joey86]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Are you going to take tax exempt status away from all non profits?

If the common man has to pay property taxes I see no reason to exempt churches or any other institution. If you use services that taxes pay for you should have to pay taxes. Let's not pretend Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen or any head of a mega-church runs a non-profit.

Atheism is, however, non-prophet. I hope someone gets my joke.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by joey86

The churches are dodging seventy billion in taxes each year. The rest of us are footing the bill. There is some inconcistensy in saying that it's against their religion to pay for birth control when they're okay with the irreligious paying their taxes.

Not all churches are against birth control you know.

[joey86]

Perhaps I should have used different language. I was only meaning to point out an inconsistency in the logic of a certain group.

[Southern Soul Bro]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

Hopefully, I'm missing the sarcasm here.

Same here

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Wow, why does everyone care so much about this? The way this thread has been, you'd think he was asking the state of Georgia for the money!

Usually, people don't like seeing someone exploit peoples' weakness for their own gain. I was told by someone else that, that makes me "jealous".

[-thomass]

I'm utterly shocked that people still support this clown.