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What do people think about this, especailly Christians? Any Outrage, any Concern?
These Ministers of these large Churches refuse to disclose their personal finances to the Congress.
This is the kind of stuff that starts all the jokes and mistrust towards the Evangelical bloc. A lot of talk about Jesus, but these guys seem to live a life a lot more concerned about the perks they can get in this world.
Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent lengthy questionnaires a month ago to six ministries so he could review whether pastors were complying with IRS rules that bar excessive personal gain through tax-exempt work.
Only Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo., has provided the detailed financial and board oversight information sought by Grassley.
All the ministries preach a form of Word of Faith theology, known as prosperity gospel, which teaches that God wants believers to reap material rewards for their faith.
For me and I think for many...this is a crock. You can't have it both ways. You can't be all about the Word of God and then make so much money you have to hide it from the government. That is all materialism...that is not what Jesus was about at all. I don't get it.
From my understanding all of them have complied with everything they have ever been asked by the IRS. They have been directed by these ministers to the IRS if they want to see the details. Senate members sending out lengthy request do not mean they have to be replied to, unless their is clear evidence of wrongdoing. In that case, a subpeona is needed to make compliance mandatory and quiet honestly if there is clear evidence of wrongdoing that should be the first step.
I don't care for megachurches personally as I feel there are a lot of them that are shams looking to swindle the faithful. I've always gone to smaller churches where everybody knows each other, and the pastor lives across the street from the church in a very modest home that would be considered lower middle class by most people's standards. The pastors that I have been members of their church are the kind that are always visiting hospitals with family and friends of the church, doing food drives, clothing drives, and usually have a church van for helping the poor and elderly get to appointments and grocery stores.
I've been to a couple of mega churches and it just wasn't for me. Overall, the larger the church the more money there is for a crook to swindle. But that doesn't mean all of them are automatically crooked. Its sad that there are quiet a few though that are obvious, especially the ones that promise if you give a specific donation to the church, the pastor can feel God telling him the person will get it back 10 fold. Those types of pastors should be barred from public IMO.
It is not just Christian churches...the Catholic Church I used to go to really turned me off with their "suggested recommendations"of 5% of my Gross income to give God the "first fruits of my labor". The fact they bothered to clarify it was "gross income" really busted my chops too. They would get everybody to sign how much they planned to contribute each year, and if you did not respond they would keep coming after you. Then they would ask if I was having personal financial issues and did I need to talk to someone for comfort and support. All this stuff really turned me off from the church.
I understand many churches do charity drives and things to help poor people, but the constant badgering for money is just more stress in a stress filled life.
I think they call the tithing system a "whole life faith based tax". Now if they (churches) could actually guarantee a spot in paradise it might be worth the investment. Unfortunately tithing cannot guarantee heaven but might guarantee, if there were any justice in this universe, perdition for the collectors.
What do people think about this, especailly Christians? Any Outrage, any Concern?
These Ministers of these large Churches refuse to disclose their personal finances to the Congress.
This is the kind of stuff that starts all the jokes and mistrust towards the Evangelical bloc. A lot of talk about Jesus, but these guys seem to live a life a lot more concerned about the perks they can get in this world.
Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent lengthy questionnaires a month ago to six ministries so he could review whether pastors were complying with IRS rules that bar excessive personal gain through tax-exempt work.
Only Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo., has provided the detailed financial and board oversight information sought by Grassley.
All the ministries preach a form of Word of Faith theology, known as prosperity gospel, which teaches that God wants believers to reap material rewards for their faith.
For me and I think for many...this is a crock. You can't have it both ways. You can't be all about the Word of God and then make so much money you have to hide it from the government. That is all materialism...that is not what Jesus was about at all. I don't get it.
As a non-religious individual, the only part that I have a problem with on this, is that I as an individual have to disclose my income but because these people are classified as "non-profits" they dont. Thats the crock.
Other then this, I have no problems with them not having to disclose their income and wish the rules applied to me also. By time I'm done paying my bills, family expenses etc.. I run a non-profit family..
As a non-religious individual, the only part that I have a problem with on this, is that I as an individual have to disclose my income but because these people are classified as "non-profits" they dont. Thats the crock.
I've never been involved in the finances of a non profit organization other than giving. But from my understanding, they still must report everything to the IRS. They don't have to report anything to the senate without a subpeona, just like no one else does.
I used to do tax work for some of the members of these mega churches in the DC area, before we moved. It was sad to see how some people that barely had enough to live on, gave so much money to the church. On the other hand we did the return of one of the "ministers" there, he had an income of almost a million dollars a year. On top of that he got a "housing allowance" of $200.000 a year - TAX FREE. Then to top if off, he got to deduct his mortgage interest of his taxes. Talk about double dipping....
I used to do tax work for some of the members of these mega churches in the DC area, before we moved. It was sad to see how some people that barely had enough to live on, gave so much money to the church. On the other hand we did the return of one of the "ministers" there, he had an income of almost a million dollars a year. On top of that he got a "housing allowance" of $200.000 a year - TAX FREE. Then to top if off, he got to deduct his mortgage interest of his taxes. Talk about double dipping....
Amazing, really.
One of my largest competitors in my business, is classified as non-profit. I know their CEO makes 10 times what I make, they get discounts like postage, people donate merchandise, and I'm here scratching my head wondering why I dont change to a non-profit status.
Religion in America is mostly an entrepreneurial activity.
What do these telegenic ministers actually DO except appear on TV and send out a couple of video tapes and booklets? WHAT A RACKET! Jesus himself wouldn't recognize the practice! If they can't show that they're conducting some kind of MINISTRY to real people who are more than just a mailing list, they should be strongly scrutinized.
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