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Can you provide a link for this? Something that shows a non-Catholic church making a profit, since your OP mentions these groups.
*snicker*
Are you kidding me? How about the Church of Scientology? How about any of the television evangelistic churches? How about the Mormons? I could go on and on.
Religion and churches are businesses. They don't pay for the things the rest of us pay for with our taxes. Their ministers and reverends and pastors get all sorts of freebies that they don't have to pay for, which is a giant load of crap. They're mooching freeloaders, which I'm pretty sure is something that Jesus would frown upon.
"It is finally the time to eliminate the tax-exempt, non-profit status of every church in America whether it is the vile Southern Baptist Convention affiliates, Islamic Mosques, Jewish Tabernacles or Buddhist monasteries. At the same time, the tax code must be revised to eliminate the double-dipping statutes that allow the clergy to avoid paying the same rate of income tax as the rest of the American population. Religion has taken welfare from the American people long enough and with communities laying off fire fighters, police officers, and school teachers while struggling to make ends meet, churches of every denomination are enjoying government entitlements working Americans never receive."
My wife is in the finance department at our church, what some of you refer to as a mega-church, although we would be on the small end of that definition. Our pastor pays ~23% of his gross salary (very low six figures) in federal income tax. My wife & I pay a smaller % (lower tax bracket, I assume).
Do you find that % unacceptable? Is this less than the average working Joe?
Are you kidding me? How about the Church of Scientology? How about any of the television evangelistic churches? How about the Mormons? I could go on and on.
Religion and churches are businesses. They don't pay for the things the rest of us pay for with our taxes. Their ministers and reverends and pastors get all sorts of freebies that they don't have to pay for, which is a giant load of crap. They're mooching freeloaders, which I'm pretty sure is something that Jesus would frown upon.
Well, now you're bringing up additional groups. Is this same thing true for those vile Southern Baptists, or other Protestant groups? If so, can you provide a link?
While I believe that churches have gotten a sweet deal in this country, one problem I see is that most of them are non-profit, which means, by definition, that they are tax exempt. In order to tax them, they have to show a profit, and they can always give that profit away to avoid paying taxes. So the real issue is do we want to get rid of all non-profit organizations? I think that might be a mistake.
My wife is in the finance department at our church, what some of you refer to as a mega-church, although we would be on the small end of that definition. Our pastor pays ~23% of his gross salary (very low six figures) in federal income tax. My wife & I pay a smaller % (lower tax bracket, I assume).
Do you find that % unacceptable? Is this less than the average working Joe?
I do find that unacceptable, since as an average working Joe, I don't get an exemption for my housing, mortgage interest, utilities, repairs, and other expenses directly relating to providing a home. Nor can I opt out of self-employment taxes, as a minister can do.
Well, now you're bringing up additional groups. Is this same thing true for those vile Southern Baptists, or other Protestant groups? If so, can you provide a link?
Keep on moving those goalposts every time I make a valid point. It just makes you less and less credible. Also, those vile southern Baptists include the Westboro Baptist Church, which is very definitively a business in the business of making money.
"It is finally the time to eliminate the tax-exempt, non-profit status of every church in America whether it is the vile Southern Baptist Convention affiliates, Islamic Mosques, Jewish Tabernacles or Buddhist monasteries. At the same time, the tax code must be revised to eliminate the double-dipping statutes that allow the clergy to avoid paying the same rate of income tax as the rest of the American population. Religion has taken welfare from the American people long enough and with communities laying off fire fighters, police officers, and school teachers while struggling to make ends meet, churches of every denomination are enjoying government entitlements working Americans never receive."
"The power to tax is the power to destroy."
If your aim is to destroy the church, by all means, tax them.
Keep on moving those goalposts every time I make a valid point. It just makes you less and less credible.
*snicker* It is you "moving the goalposts". Your first response:
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Are you kidding me? How about the Church of Scientology? How about any of the television evangelistic churches? How about the Mormons? I could go on and on.
After your original post:
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Great article with salient points on the topic of removing tax exemption from churches.
"It is finally the time to eliminate the tax-exempt, non-profit status of every church in America whether it is the vile Southern Baptist Convention affiliates,Islamic Mosques, Jewish Tabernacles or Buddhist monasteries. At the same time, the tax code must be revised to eliminate the double-dipping statutes that allow the clergy to avoid paying the same rate of income tax as the rest of the American population. Religion has taken welfare from the American people long enough and with communities laying off fire fighters, police officers, and school teachers while struggling to make ends meet, churches of every denomination are enjoying government entitlements working Americans never receive."
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I want to see evidence that Southern Baptists are a for-profit organization.
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Originally Posted by Mercury Cougar
Also, those vile southern Baptists include the Westboro Baptist Church, which is very definitively a business in the business of making money.
I don't much about them, other than they're hateful. Nevertheless, one out of thousands is not a representative example.
WASHINGTON—A shocking report released Monday by the Internal Revenue Service revealed that more than 65 percent of the money donated at churches across the world never reaches God. "Unfortunately, almost half of all collections go toward administrative expenses such as management, utilities, and clerical costs," said Virginia Raeburn, a spokesperson for the Lord Almighty, adding that another 25 percent of heavenly funding is needed just to cover payroll for the angelic hierarchy. "People always assume God is filthy rich, but they'd be surprised to learn His net worth is only around $8 million—and most of that is tied up in real estate." According to Raeburn, God currently has enough money saved to live comfortably throughout all eternity, but He may be forced to shutter a number of† under-performing religions Report: Majority Of Money Donated At Church Doesn't Make It To God | The Onion - America's Finest News Source
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