If the US is in a deep recession as they say....

[Piquechampion]

.... why don't they take a lesson from good ole' Harry VIII

You see back then religious institutions had huge tracts of land and did not pay a single tax, what did Harry do when he was in deep money shit????

Read for yourself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolution_of_monasteries


If the US (or any other government really) taxed religious institutions I bet they would find themselves with a good chunk of $$$ to maybe alleviating their financial burdens.

Just a thought.

 

[evanrick]

sounds good to me. they are basically businesses anyways. jesus is sometimes their product.

 

[davy]

there are too many blindly religious people in the us to let this happen and, unlike the conditions that caused the cristero rebellion (wiki cristero war), religion and american politics are regular fuck buddies.


... wish is REALLY unfortunate because something that like would be an awesome windfall for america.

 

[gsdx]

I knew the churches themselves are exempt, but does that also apply to the church leaders? I mean, there are some very wealthy evangelists out there. Are their earnings tax-free as well?

 

[G-Lexington]

Americans as a whole would rather see the government fall and the economy collapse than see a church violated.

Lex

 

[Piquechampion]

how'd that work out for Henry anyways? spark a religious war in England that lasted for a couple centuries?

I'm going to say I'm just about universally opposed to the government seizing and selling off privately held property.

take away their tax exempt status? sure. declare war on organized religion in America and disband churches? no thanks.

Say what???? If anything England came good from this whole period compared to the rest of Europe.

I think it made the monarchy (and thus) the country stronger.

Maybe some English people can shed some light into this.

 

[bankside]

Americans as a whole would rather see the government fall and the economy collapse than see a church violated.

Lex

What about a church just paying it's way? Maybe dissolution is a little over the top, but they should pay taxes like any other business for the services they receive.

 

[gsdx]

What about a church just paying it's way? Maybe dissolution is a little over the top, but they should pay taxes like any other business for the services they receive.

Wasn't that the point of this thread?

 

[BostonPirate]

not taxing the churches strengthens the separation of church and state.

I would be far more interested in legalization of hemp and marijuana and then hitting that with a luxury tax of an equal par with alcohol and cigarettes. Send it over to the ATF and the fda for regulations and with predictable products, you would actually sell better cheaper product that the governement could tax.

lets remember...it's all about the government's ability to get it's share.

I don't see how the gov't could get it's share of the churches money without allowing them access to pac funds and the like, and that would strenghten the religious right.

 

[gsdx]

^ Wow. I guess he picked the right business to be in.

But I found something rather interesting. Lots of evangelistic scandals, including this little tidbit:

Senate probe

In 2007, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) opened a probe into the finances of six televangelists who preach a "prosperity gospel".[41] The probe is expected to investigate reports of lavish lifestyles by televangelists including: fleets of Rolls Royces, palatial mansions, private jets and other expensive items purportedly paid for by television viewers who donate due to the ministries' encouragement of offerings. The six under investigation are:

* Kenneth Copeland and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas;

* Creflo Dollar and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Ga;

* Benny Hinn of World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas;

* Eddie L. Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga;

* Joyce Meyer and David Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo; and

* Randy White and ex-wife Paula White of the multiracial Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_evangelist_scandals

That was 3 years ago, though. No idea what came of it.