tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955218.post116111641823435986..comments2024-03-04T13:23:26.433-06:00Comments on Stardust Musings and Thoughts for the Freethinker: Religion is Big BusinessStardusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10560872454564355114noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955218.post-1162814357083269402006-11-06T05:59:00.000-06:002006-11-06T05:59:00.000-06:00multisubj yb - Just because my site says "thoughts...multisubj yb - Just because my site says "thoughts for the freethinker" doesn't mean that I will allow you to proseltyze for Jeebus via my blog. If you have something to add to the conversation about "should churches be taxed" then fine, but to tell me and my readers that "Jeebus loves us" is not acceptable.Stardusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10560872454564355114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955218.post-1161190084867864582006-10-18T11:48:00.000-05:002006-10-18T11:48:00.000-05:00That's because the people in your church were not ...That's because the people in your church were not true Christians Stardust! LOL :-)<BR/><BR/>When I used to be more of a right wing conservative guy, I know that some conservatives would argue that before FDR and LBJ came along with their government programs that promoted dependency, charitable functions were handled by churches and faith based organizations like the Salvation Army. I think Myron Magnet and Marvin Olasky provided some of the "intellectual" ammunition for this argument, and I recall Bush citing a book written by Magnet when running for president in 2000. Of course, we all remember Bush evoking his vision of unleashing "armies of compassion" if we could just direct some federal dollars their way.<BR/><BR/>But the example you mention from your own experience serves to highlight the flaws in Bush's vision. Not to mention the fact that churches that really do make an effort to help people who are poor or suffering from drug addiction tend to suffer from compassion fatigue.Tommykeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14751182125861177379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955218.post-1161174803128946432006-10-18T07:33:00.000-05:002006-10-18T07:33:00.000-05:00An article in today's Yahoo Religion News about th...An article in today's Yahoo Religion News about the rising "counter market". <BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://news.yahoo.com/i/2727;_ylt=ApwT5qZJNNq01wBjgwUMP0hvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTA2MnU4czRtBHNlYwNzbg--" REL="nofollow">Is God dead? Atheism finds a market in U.S</A>Stardusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10560872454564355114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955218.post-1161174590561217982006-10-18T07:29:00.000-05:002006-10-18T07:29:00.000-05:00Of course, one could make the argument that suppor...<I>Of course, one could make the argument that supporters of faith based funding WANT to deprive the government of tax revenue to finance social programs precisely because it will force more people to rely on churches for these services so that churches will have a captive audience.</I><BR/><BR/>On the other hand, I have seen church pastors literally turn people away when they arrived on the doorstep for help. (I worked in a church office many years ago.) From what I had seen while a member of several different churches over the years, and from what I see of my friends and family's churches, churches are more like country clubs. They use most money for their own comfort and enjoyment while waiting to see what might be left over to give to the poor and needy. The country club members come first, and the cost of the "show."Stardusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10560872454564355114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955218.post-1161145633469580022006-10-17T23:27:00.000-05:002006-10-17T23:27:00.000-05:00Of course, one could make the argument that suppor...Of course, one could make the argument that supporters of faith based funding WANT to deprive the government of tax revenue to finance social programs precisely because it will force more people to rely on churches for these services so that churches will have a captive audience.Tommykeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14751182125861177379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955218.post-1161137952180850022006-10-17T21:19:00.000-05:002006-10-17T21:19:00.000-05:00One thing that someone brought up to me after post...One thing that someone brought up to me after posting this is if churches are made to pay taxes, then they would use that to justify their demands to interject their religion into our public schools and institutions. However, many churches are abusing the tax exempt status for their own gain. It’s an extremely complicated issue.<BR/><BR/>Austin Cline has a good article about this at About.com<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://atheism.about.com/od/churchestaxexemptions/a/whyitmatters.htm" REL="nofollow">Religion, Politics and Taxes</A><BR/><BR/><I>Excerpt:Religious exemptions from taxation is no trivial matter. It is estimated that churches and other religious bodies may own anywhere between twenty and twenty-five percent of all of the land in the United States. This represents a huge portion of the possible tax base and billions of dollars in potential revenue which could be used to fund schools and other portions of the social infrastructure upon which the churches depend, just like the rest of us.</I><BR/><BR/>But like I mentioned above, how much influence will the religious expect to have in those schools and other portions of the social infrastructure if their tax dollars are going to support them?Stardusthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10560872454564355114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955218.post-1161137165897910912006-10-17T21:06:00.000-05:002006-10-17T21:06:00.000-05:00The NY Times had some articles about this issue la...The NY Times had some articles about this issue last week.<BR/><BR/>One thing that stood out for me was the mention of Pastor Rick Warren's defense of an exemption from federal taxes of the portion of their income (about a third) that clergy spend on housing expenses because they service society.<BR/><BR/>How about that, the U.S. government is subsidising a chosen profession! Doctors, medical researchers, firefighters who run into burning buildings and other people whose jobs require either years or education and training, or are inherently dangerous, have to pay taxes on the portions of their income that they spend on housing, but a pastor does not. I say, if your income as a pastor does not meet your expenses, then find another job!Tommykeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14751182125861177379noreply@blogger.com