Taxes. Why are we subsidizing or exempting religions that just lie to us?

[French Patriot]

Churches should pay taxes like everyone else. They should get a refund for
charitable work only. The problem is while churches have done much to
better society they have also turned religion into the Jesus Business and that
is unfortunate. We need a level of accountability.
I am not against religion but they have had a free ride for far too long.
The other issue of have is churches should not be excluded from obeying the
law of the land regardless of the law of the land. Churches are part of society
and as such they should be subject to all laws and should pay their share and
be rewarded with tax refunds like you and I.

Well put.

Care to speak to the lies and the Noble Lie that supports our systems?

Regards
DL

I don't know what my churches are saying to my neighbours and neither do you from watching a few videos which you choose to believe reflect the works of all churches.

Seems you wish to chose reality for all.
And many nuns and priests have probably died saving babies and the starving. It would seem you want to generalize and make all good or all bad. That is not the way of the world nor the reality of any situation from my experience.


Belief is neither good nor bad, rather it is the action which results in either good or bad.
Evil will grow regardless.
We are called to fight each according to their own gifts. Do not judge what is right for another for in doing so you add to the bad.
shame on no one... by saying that you are attempting to use the same type of manipulation as you accuse churches of doing.

[/FONT][/FONT]

No. The shame we should all have is demonstrable to any thinking and socially tuned mind.

Not to you perhaps who does not fight evil and thinks that it will go away of it's own volition.

Regards
DL

 

[Sal]

No. The shame we should all have is demonstrable to any thinking and socially tuned mind.

Not to you perhaps who does not fight evil and thinks that it will go away of it's own volition.

Regards
DL

*sigh* you show such promise and then you go off the rails. You get personal, make presumptive erroneous conclusions and say silly things. Enjoy your day.

 

[DaSleeper]

Yes. Their lies are better closer to the rank and file.

More bang for the buck.

Regards
DL

When you copy and paste in ten different forums you tend to forget what you did and where......

Watsa matter? the other forums not paying enough attention to you? or are you getting bounced out of the religious ones?????

 

[hunboldt]

Yes. Their lies are better closer to the rank and file.

More bang for the buck.

Regards
DL

Ohhh- make a SECOND effort at growing a pair, And kindly stop stalking my posts with your red marker & your odd delusions...

Churches should pay taxes like everyone else. They should get a refund for
charitable work only. The problem is while churches have done much to
better society they have also turned religion into the Jesus Business and that
is unfortunate. We need a level of accountability.
I am not against religion but they have had a free ride for far too long.
The other issue of have is churches should not be excluded from obeying the
law of the land regardless of the law of the land. Churches are part of society
and as such they should be subject to all laws and should pay their share and
be rewarded with tax refunds like you and I.

The question becomes what constitutes a 'charitable activity', Ministers and staff are taxed on their incomes, including personal use of church property.

However, next time there is a major disaster in your area and the church gets turned into an emergency shelter/ auxiliary first aid station, etc., you may be very glad that they are there. Which is why most municipalities waive property taxes - and often gave free lots to church structures. ( provided the infrastructure for utilities was paid.)

 

[petros]

Every Sunday at the Cathedral I attend, the operating costs and budget is posted in the weekly public newspaper thing.

$5500 just to keep the doors open and pay staff.

$3300 shortfall last week. That doesn't sound like "raking in Billions and giving away Millions" does it?

The "newcomers" don't put into the plate.

 

[hunboldt]

Hasn't the money the churches receive already been heavily taxed before it was tithed?

I am less concerned about church tax advantages than I am about complete tax shelters for the rich and money grabs for our politicians. Lots of churches in my city do meals and shelter for the homeless and marginalized and many other good works. In my community churches are community based and do good works. *meh, I'm okay with that*

Also no church lies to me. I don't chose to go. It's a choice.

Plus look at the proper young lady church attendance made you, as opposed to the secular Jezebel's of Beverly Hills 92010

 

[French Patriot]

Every Sunday at the Cathedral I attend, the operating costs and budget is posted in the weekly public newspaper thing.

$5500 just to keep the doors open and pay staff.

$3300 shortfall last week. That doesn't sound like "raking in Billions and giving away Millions" does it?

The "newcomers" don't put into the plate.

Lying is expensive work. Yes.
Unfortunately fools will pay for the privilege of being lied to.

Imagine if we closed a few of those churches and feed the poor, with the funding that goes to lying, how soon we would not have any poor.

What was your point again?

Regards
DL

 

[hunboldt]

I bet French Patriot would have no problem in taxes supporting atheist groups.

Apparently He's NOT. He did a dozen post muskrat ramble this week where the OP reveled he is some sort of Gnostic who 'God from within has spoken to .
or something like that- it was sort of like deciphering Mayan Glyph...

 

[PoliticalNick]

I certainly wouldnt have a problem with it. Exempt whatever charitable things they or the churches may have and tax the rest.

The problem with that theory is they would have to open their books and reveal what they make/spend. It would be the end of a lot of churches. I personally don't have an issue with ending organized religion but those who run them will fight tooth & nail to prevent the public from knowing the truth.....There is no god!

Hasn't the money the churches receive already been heavily taxed before it was tithed

So has all the money spent in every business. When you shop at Wal-mart you have already paid tax on those dollars yet they tax you more at the till and then tax the business. Churches are a hoax, a scam to keep people in fear and under control. They should pay taxes or better yet be outlawed as we would any other fraudulent business.

 

[Sal]

Plus look at the proper young lady church attendance made you, as opposed to the secular Jezebel's of Beverly Hills 92010

my parents were Catholic although not big church goers either...they had their own take on things even back then...priests invited to the house to dine, oddly from what i remember from that far back, seemed more interested in eating, drink rye and discussing philosophy rather than religion. I found one could be quite honest and straightforward with them. I only went to church because even when tiny, I knew that I would be judged as a heretic if I didn't go when the nuns pressed us to go...I am a product of my environment...quiet rebellion works wonders... ;-):lol:

 

[hunboldt]

There is so a dog, Nick...

Nick vrs Yahweh:

 

[Walter]

I hate it when I cut my nails too short.

 

[gopher]

I would not impose taxes on churches, on their schools, hospitals, or other institutions that provide charity. But I would impose taxes on businesses that operate on church owned lands and get exemptions that way. For example, much of Wall Street is owned by Trinity Church and are exempt from certain local taxes. This exemption should have been lifted decades ago.

 

[taxslave]

I do not rage against most non-religious charities. Churches are my target.

Other than churches, what other charitable organization has institutionalized lying to us?

And do you like to pay to be lied to?

Regards
DL

David Suzuki
Most of the global warming crowd
Pretty much any charity that has executives making over $100G a year.

 

[petros]

Lying is expensive work. Yes.
Unfortunately fools will pay for the privilege of being lied to.

Imagine if we closed a few of those churches and feed the poor, with the funding that goes to lying, how soon we would not have any poor.

What was your point again?

Regards
DL

Who is lying and what are they lying about? What funding? There is no funding going to the Church.

Where the f*ck did you get that misinformation?

The alleged "poor" (there are no poor people in Canada) need to quit smoking, learn to cook, learn to shop and stop drinking/snorting/injecting/toking their money away.

I can survive quite nicely for a week on the $40 it costs for a 24 of beer or an 8th of weed or half a gram of coke or point of H or half gram of meth which are all around that $40 mark.

 

[hunboldt]

Good point, Petros! The man is 'fighting windmills" - disguised as - Knights...

Tax dat church ! Burn it down! ( do'h, seems to be a 'discontinuity..."

 

[petros]

He knows too little, I'll have to sick some of my KofC mafia hit men brothers on him to clue him in.

 

[MHz]

One solution would be to make the weekly donations to the various Churches as not being a tax deduction.

 

[hunboldt]

I would not impose taxes on churches, on their schools, hospitals, or other institutions that provide charity. But I would impose taxes on businesses that operate on church owned lands and get exemptions that way. For example, much of Wall Street is owned by Trinity Church and are exempt from certain local taxes. This exemption should have been lifted decades ago.

Wall street dodging taxes? who knew?

Frankly, and my regrets to any pundit who is an 'ethical Atheist', anytime I've been screwed on a deal it has been by someone with either no belief structure- or someone who was 'faking it'.

My congrats if they have found something else that subs for religion in their lives- but I prefer to know them- at some distance.

 

[French Patriot]

One solution would be to make the weekly donations to the various Churches as not being a tax deduction.

A good beginning that.

Regards
DL