Damned Christians

[Pat Mustard]

Scientology is beyond the pale.  I've never understood how they conned any government into recognising them as a religion with tax exemption. On reflection, no ta long

I've never understood why any religion could con governments into thinking they were entitled to tax exemptions. Even when I was still catholic.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Scientology is beyond the pale.  I've never understood how they conned any government into recognising them as a religion with tax exemption. On reflection, no ta long

I've never understood why any religion could con governments into thinking they were entitled to tax exemptions.  Even when I was still catholic.

 Possibly because people were much more devout and afraid of going to hell.  More likely that in days of yore, the church was incredibly powerful. It was common for higher ranking clerics (bishops, cardinals)  to have lots of different hats.

What really happened? Perhaps;  In days long passed direct taxation was a  sometime thing. Direct taxes were usually levied for specific reasons, such as a war. At the time the church would have strongly suggested that it wasn't seemly to tax Holy Mother Church. It would have been a brave king who tried to Tax the church.

Personal income tax was introduced in England in 1799 as a temporary measure to finance the Napoleonic wars. A flat rate of 2 pence in the pound  (144 pence) for incomes of 60 pounds or more. At that time, the government would still not have the courage or impiety to tax the church.  By exempting the church from paying taxes, the crown lost vast sums of money even then. Today, the amount would be eye watering. The tax exemption of the churches became so ingrained that it remains all but impossible to remove. One of the things about  organised religion which makes me livid.  Not to worry, Christianity at least in in decline. It will continue to decline until it no longer have influence through millions of members. THEN churches will start paying taxes. Or not


Addendum: The church has never been able to evade indirect tax as far as I know.  Here we have indirect taxes on say cars, petrol and tobacco and lots of other stuff. . Plus we have a 10% Goods And Services Tax on everything except essentials, such as food.

[Spongebob]

Scientology is beyond the pale.  I've never understood how they conned any government into recognising them as a religion with tax exemption. On reflection, no ta long

I've never understood why any religion could con governments into thinking they were entitled to tax exemptions.  Even when I was still catholic.

Traditions and practices around taxation of churches dates back to the Roman empire at least.  At that time there were expectations regarding monies/goods owned by god that have sort of hung around for centuries.  During dire times those practices were broken, but generally they were observed.  I think in modern times the more direct reasoning is that churches are non-profit organizations that work to the public good.  This is ostensibly true but we all know that the church spends tons of money on non-charitable things like gigantic crosses and opulent megachurches, among other things.  I can remember attending church meetings in which members hotly debated the percentage of their funds that should be used for charity.  Of course a significant portion gets spent on recreational activities.  I think if there were fewer Christians involved in government this might draw some attention.

Regarding Scientology, why not?  It has all the same trappings as Christianity, Mormonism, Islam and all the others.  It has an abuse problem, but then so do a lot of other religions.

[The Grand Nudger]

I've never understood why any religion could con governments into thinking they were entitled to tax exemptions.  Even when I was still catholic.

By dangling services as bait, services they now take as political hostages anytime the issue of their rapacious business model is brought up, which has been going on since the beginning of that business.

Christianity didn't start when a man rose from the dead, but when a bishop started handing out little cakes to the poor in rome. It was at that exact moment that the pagan intelligentsia and roman adminstrative state knew that their days were numbered. They could see a straight line between that act of strategic charity and the dissolution of their world order - and they didn't (or couldn't) stop it then, either.

[Mister Agenda]

Most churches are 501©3 corporations. I don't have a problem with them being taxed, the Rotary Club isn't either, but they don't have to follow the rules of nonreligion 501©3 corps, which normally have to be very transparent to the IRS and stay out of partisan politics. Technically churches are supposed to stay out of partisan politics too if they're a 501©3, but nothing happens to them if they openly break that rule, most of the time.

The thing that really irks me is that they could incorporate as a 501©4 and only pay taxes on their political activities.

[Fake Messiah]

Jen Psaki shuts down Christian reporter who compared abortion to “hiring a hitman”

Video




Direct link https://www.facebook.com/186842420994378...5640576719

[Mister Agenda]

In my post above, I meant to say I don't have a problem with them NOT being taxed. I just have a problem with them operating by different rules than other 501©3 corps.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

In my post above, I meant to say I don't have a problem with them NOT being taxed. I just have a problem with them operating by different rules than other 501©3 corps.

 Hell, I have big problem with churches not paying tax. Just as I have problem with  any large corporations and the filthy rich evading taxes.

I read recently that the hiding of assets is a $trillion  issue.


The Pandora Papers Exposed How The World’s Rich And Famous Hide Their Wealth With Tax-Avoidance Schemes

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/10/04/the-pandora-papers-exposed-how-the-worlds-rich-and-famous-hide-their-wealth-with-tax-avoidance-schemes/

[Mister Agenda]

Can you draw me a line between the Pandora Papers and 501©3 corporations?

[Ahriman]

I've never understood why any religion could con governments into thinking they were entitled to tax exemptions.  Even when I was still catholic.

Traditions and practices around taxation of churches dates back to the Roman empire at least.  At that time there were expectations regarding monies/goods owned by god that have sort of hung around for centuries.  During dire times those practices were broken, but generally they were observed.  I think in modern times the more direct reasoning is that churches are non-profit organizations that work to the public good.  This is ostensibly true but we all know that the church spends tons of money on non-charitable things like gigantic crosses and opulent megachurches, among other things.  I can remember attending church meetings in which members hotly debated the percentage of their funds that should be used for charity.  Of course a significant portion gets spent on recreational activities.  I think if there were fewer Christians involved in government this might draw some attention.

Regarding Scientology, why not?  It has all the same trappings as Christianity, Mormonism, Islam and all the others.  It has an abuse problem, but then so do a lot of other religions.

No it really doesn't. That's bad press.