• Pastors prepare to take on IRS over political endorsement ban
    45 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;37939116]Indeed, the church has to pay taxes like everyone else. One odd thing is that Scientology isn't tax exempt in France, but is tax exempt in the US.[/QUOTE] Scientology is classified as a cult in France and is not entitled to tax-exempt status. The US recognised Scientology as a religion in 1993. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_status_by_country[/url]
[QUOTE=evilweazel;37939972]Oh god and facepunch is usually in LOVE with calling people out on generalizing a whole group of people.[/QUOTE] Like most people that frequently use the internet, Facepunch loves to stereotype and generalize people [I]until[/I] the person being stereotyped or generalized is their own group (Ex. Big Bang Theory.)
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;37940478]Like most people that frequently use the internet, Facepunch loves to stereotype and generalize people [I]until[/I] the person being stereotyped or generalized is their own group (Ex. Big Bang Theory.)[/QUOTE] You mean like all humans always anywhere we also do like to stereotype and generalize.
[QUOTE=Janus Vesta;37940443]Scientology is classified as a cult in France and is not entitled to tax-exempt status. The US recognised Scientology as a religion in 1993. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_status_by_country[/url][/QUOTE] They should classify Scientology as a cult in the US as well then.
[QUOTE=mobrockers2;37940505]You mean like all humans always anywhere we also do like to stereotype and generalize.[/QUOTE] I've found people online generally have a harder time dealing with criticism on their cliques and subcultures.
[QUOTE=OpethRockr55;37940296][url]http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Catholic_Bishops_Donate_200K_to_Prop_8_Fight.html?fullSite=y[/url] [url]http://m.voices.yahoo.com/proposition-8-donors-much-did-mormon-church-2608706.html[/url] You were saying? (Sorry for the mobile sites)[/QUOTE] I stand corrected
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;37940548]They should classify Scientology as a cult in the US as well then.[/QUOTE] They should. Doesn't mean they will.
[QUOTE=Canuhearme?;37940555]I've found people online generally have a harder time dealing with criticism on their cliques and subcultures.[/QUOTE] You've found wrong, or you know some really friendly folk in real life.
[QUOTE=Janus Vesta;37940580]They should. Doesn't mean they will.[/QUOTE] The French system seems very amusing, as it is hostile to cults. (And religion to a degree) Much so to the point that one criticism was (With regards for criteria to be classified as a cult): [quote]One of the first criticisms came from Bishop Jean Vernette, the national secretary of the French episcopate to the study of cults and new religious movements, which stressed that these criteria can be applied to almost all religions.[/quote]
Personally, I would be insulted if I was a Christian, for example, and my church leader felt like he had to spell out for me who I should vote for. What, does he think the people sitting in that church are stupid? That is not a trick question.
[QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;37940645]Personally, I would be insulted if I was a Christian, for example, and my church leader felt like he had to spell out for me who I should vote for. What, does he think the people sitting in that church are stupid? That is not a trick question.[/QUOTE] Are you sure? It feels like a trick question to me.
[QUOTE=cecilbdemodded;37940645]Personally, I would be insulted if I was a Christian, for example, [B]and my church leader felt like he had to spell out for me who I should vote for.[/B] What, does he think the people sitting in that church are stupid? That is not a trick question.[/QUOTE] Although my pastor's never actually done that before, I've heard of ones who have. There's unfortunately too many pastors who feel the need to inject politics or their own ethics into their preaching. [QUOTE=mobrockers2;37940609]You've found wrong, or you know some really friendly folk in real life.[/QUOTE] Apparently I have.
Instead of stopping the pastors from endorsing candidates, just remove their tax exemptions.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;37937383]For every "rich megachurch" you see, there are hundreds of poor churches that get by barely.[/QUOTE] A) Taxes don't affect people who couldn't afford to pay them. An organization that isn't getting by doesn't pay the same as the top rates, if they pay at all. [QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;37937383]This isn't going to be a great deal of revenue in any way. It'll be pocket change, at best.[/QUOTE] B) There have been studies done on this subject. [URL="http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=fi&page=cragun_32_4"]You might want to read one.[/URL]
[QUOTE=King Tiger;37943179]Instead of stopping the pastors from endorsing candidates, just remove their tax exemptions.[/QUOTE] That's how it works. They're saying they should be able to be tax-exempt and still endorse political candidates.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;37937383]My Pastor is a professor with a doctorate at a university, before that he worked with the county government in the county next over to mine. Just because he has wealth doesn't necessarily mean it's all from one source. [editline]6th October 2012[/editline] For every "rich megachurch" you see, there are hundreds of poor churches that get by barely. This isn't going to be a great deal of revenue in any way. It'll be pocket change, at best.[/QUOTE] Don't forget another very important thing though - most states recognise religious marriages done only by churches which are in the tax exempt status. That means that any church that looses it won't be able to create legal binding marriages until they regain that status again. That is in a sense a pretty big "moral" threat for a log those churches.
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