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If you know so much maybe you should take a job running a church.
Well, I did once very nearly enter seminary school.
And I'm not claiming to "know" that churches should donate this or that specific portion of their revenues to a specific charity.
I am merely saying that while many churches obviously do a lot of charity work, it's an awful lot of property they own that people essentially use for an hour or two a week.
I don't think it is outrageous or unworkable for them to house the homeless several nights a week, or to spend more money feeding the hungry than they do sending people on international missionary work or making improvements to the buildings themselves just to make them more grandiose. And though it is not a rule that all churches spend a fortune every year in renovations or building bigger chapels or adding on wings, I do know this happens, and it sometimes happens when it's not at all necessary.
Well, I did once very nearly enter seminary school.
And I'm not claiming to "know" that churches should donate this or that specific portion of their revenues to a specific charity.
I am merely saying that while many churches obviously do a lot of charity work, it's an awful lot of property they own that people essentially use for an hour or two a week.
I don't think it is outrageous or unworkable for them to house the homeless several nights a week, or to spend more money feeding the hungry than they do sending people on international missionary work or making improvements to the buildings themselves just to make them more grandiose. And though it is not a rule that all churches spend a fortune every year in renovations or building bigger chapels or adding on wings, I do know this happens, and it sometimes happens when it's not at all necessary.
But you have no idea how much happens in those church buildings during the week. My current church is always doing something. The homeless spend one night a week, and they feed and clothe them each week when they come. We provide an eight week camp every summer for deaf children from around the country. We have one of he premiere deaf facilities in the country.
My church also allows the community to use the building for lots of things, for free. Our county teachers do some of their summer training at our church.
A lot of people here are making assumptions and really don't know what actually happens in a lot of churches.
Our old church was a small church, and it hosted the homeless once a week too. It was also a Red Cross site. After Hurricane Katrina, we had misplaced people living at our church for more than 6 months. It also allowed the community to host lots of meeting and programs.
The majority of people who think they're conservative in this country are always crying about government spending and taxes. What I never hear about though, is the cost to the country of our subsidy of religion. We subsidize religion by making donations tax exempt on a state and local level along with not charging property tax to religious buildings, etc.
It's time time for conservatives who claim to be against big government and taxes to push to end this type of subsidy. There's no reason for the government to be subsidizing religion. People are perfectly able to have religion without the government paying for it and it's not exactly fair to those who don't believe.
Real conservatives need to stand up on this issue. $82,000,000,000 is a lot of money ever year.
The real problem is that you think that giving the government more money is a good thing.
Real conservatives want our governments to spend LESS and take LESS, because we're being robbed of house and home.
But you have no idea how much happens in those church buildings during the week. My current church is always doing something. The homeless spend one night a week, and they feed and clothe them each week when they come. We provide an eight week camp every summer for deaf children from around the country. We have one of he premiere deaf facilities in the country.
My church also allows the community to use the building for lots of things, for free. Our county teachers do some of their summer training at our church.
A lot of people here are making assumptions and really don't know what actually happens in a lot of churches.
Our old church was a small church, and it hosted the homeless once a week too. It was also a Red Cross site. After Hurricane Katrina, we had misplaced people living at our church for more than 6 months. It also allowed the community to host lots of meeting and programs.
Some churches apparently roll in money, others don't have a lot to spend.
The United Kingdom has a far more extensive welfare state system than we do in the United States. I remember a British guy online defending it by telling me that usually religious organizations like churches don't have the steady stream of money and extensive resources to take car of a nations poor like actual governments do.
I was shocked to find out that in the United Kingdom young, working age men made unemployed through their drug addictions and alcoholism are given free government housing to live in.
If you watch Michael Moore's videos on health care, you'll see in England all hospital visits are free of charge, and not only that, they have a cashiers window where the hospital actually pay, reimburse, those that paid taxi fair to get to the hospital.
In the United States the culture is one where people point to the Churches to take care of every social ill in the country, while the U.S. Government rakes in more money in taxes through the largest GDP on planet earth, and wealthy corporations have economies larger than many developing nations on earth, yet everyone thinks for parish churches money grows on trees. They have employees to pay and bills. A lot of parishioners at some parishes don't have a lot of money. They have bills and families too. They might putt $1 or $5 in the collection plates with about 70 of them in the pews. And giving money is voluntary. I've been in Mass plenty of times and didn't give a dime, often not having any money. But I noticed when ever I worked a job the government didn't ask me to volunteer to them, they taxed me and took their cut off the top before I got my paycheck. And it was a lot more than a single dollar.
Operating a homeless shelter I imagine requires money too. Security. More $$ to pay for more cleaning.
If people are so "loving" and worried about homeless then invite them to come live with you.
Anyways... some of these non-denominational churches (some, not all) bring in a lot of cash. At least for the pastors.
Why should mega churches be taxed? My church has 8,000 members. The building is bursting at the seams, but the church has decided that our vision is not to continuously spend money on buildings, but use our money for missions. We have no debt and have so many programs for the poor I couldn't list them all here. And not just in our community. We support organizations around the country and around the world.
This may sound heartless, but I could careless, your church needs to pay taxes. I'm sure there are businesses around the US who are doing positive for the community or even the world and they are still being taxed. Religion is no exception. I've seen pastors with private jets and 20,000 sq tf homes all in the church name to avoid taxation, since they want to play like that, then how about we just tax the church as well. A child who opens a lemonade stand needs to pay for a permit although he/she may not even break even, why should a mega church with thousands of members giving millions to a church not pay any taxes? It makes no sense.
The majority of people who think they're conservative in this country are always crying about government spending and taxes. What I never hear about though, is the cost to the country of our subsidy of religion. We subsidize religion by making donations tax exempt on a state and local level along with not charging property tax to religious buildings, etc.
It's time time for conservatives who claim to be against big government and taxes to push to end this type of subsidy. There's no reason for the government to be subsidizing religion. People are perfectly able to have religion without the government paying for it and it's not exactly fair to those who don't believe.
Real conservatives need to stand up on this issue. $82,000,000,000 is a lot of money ever year.
Plus the government needs to stop sending money to every other thing they do. Like Public Broadcasting, radio and TV. Planned Parenthood which has been shown to have stolen lots of government money anyway, and all the thousands of other things the government subsidizes. STOP IT ALL.
The majority of people who think they're conservative in this country are always crying about government spending and taxes. What I never hear about though, is the cost to the country of our subsidy of religion. We subsidize religion by making donations tax exempt on a state and local level along with not charging property tax to religious buildings, etc.
It's time time for conservatives who claim to be against big government and taxes to push to end this type of subsidy. There's no reason for the government to be subsidizing religion. People are perfectly able to have religion without the government paying for it and it's not exactly fair to those who don't believe.
Real conservatives need to stand up on this issue. $82,000,000,000 is a lot of money ever year.
The majority of people who think they're liberal in this country are always crying about government social programs and funding. What I never hear about though, is the benefit to the country from our tax breaks to religion. They subsidize social work by making countless hours of charity, food donations and counseling on a state and local level.
It's time time for liberals who claim to be for social welfare to push to keep this type of subsidy. There's no reason for the government not to be subsidizing religion. Churches provide far more to the communities in services than their lack of tax dollars save them.
Real liberals need to stand up on this issue. $82,000,000,000 is a small amount of money compared to the benefits they give out. Far more effective than a government program.
The majority of people who think they're liberal in this country are always crying about government social programs and funding. What I never hear about though, is the benefit to the country from our tax breaks to religion. They subsidize social work by making countless hours of charity, food donations and counseling on a state and local level.
It's time time for liberals who claim to be for social welfare to push to keep this type of subsidy. There's no reason for the government not to be subsidizing religion. Churches provide far more to the communities in services than their lack of tax dollars save them.
Real liberals need to stand up on this issue. $82,000,000,000 is a small amount of money compared to the benefits they give out. Far more effective than a government program.
I agree, but those who are yelling for tax exempt to stop for churches need to also yell for tax exempt for it all across the board.
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