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| Topic: Sheering Sheep | |
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Edited by
Lynann
on
Fri 07/25/08 01:59 PM
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I was delighted to see Sen. Chuck Grassley investigating the mega-church robbers who sheer their sheep to live lives of comfort and even in some cases opulence. Since no good deed goes unpunished Grassley is now being punished by his own party. Now, I don't care so much about the idiots who send money to these people but I do care that the so called pastors and their related businesses are enjoying tax exempt status.
Imagine what would happen if tomorrow we started taxing every church. Bet that would fund schools, health care and a number of other valuable programs. After all, many of these so called pastors are heavily involved in politics, are receiving federal tax dollars with their through Bush's faith bases initiatives and and are profiting from businesses like theme parks and youth camps. ------------------------------------------------------------ Iowa GOP denies Sen. Grassley delegate slot over his televangelist investigation • Republicans The religious right in Iowa, which has a stranglehold on the state GOP, has decided to punish one of its main supporters—Sen. Charles Grassley—for spearheading an investigation into fraudulent practices of prominent televangelists. The party has denied the conservative senator a spot as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN. Americans United for Separation of Church and State: You’d think Grassley, who has served in the Senate since 1980, would be a favorite of the Religious Right. Last year, he scored 100 percent on a scorecard put out by Family Research Council Action and Focus on the Family Action, two of the most militant Religious Right groups. Plus, Grassley is a conservative Baptist. So what’s the problem? Grassley has led an investigation into the possible misuse of tax-exempt donations by mega-bucks television ministries. He says non-profits are not supposed to divert money to the personal enrichment of non-profit executives and their families, and that rule applies just as much to TV preachers as it does to everyone else. But that investigation has not sat well with the mega-bucks religious broadcasters who run the Religious Right. Not being ones to turn the other cheek, Religious Right honchos in Iowa denied Grassley a voting slot at the GOP convention. Mighty Christian of them, huh? Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland, and Benny Hinn all came under the microscope of Grassley’s Senate Finance Committee investigation. What’s interesting is that this is clearly a move of desperation by the Iowa GOP, as the party’s fortunes are suffering because of the fundie influence. “The Republican Party of Iowa is moving significantly to the right on social issues,” the just-ousted Iowa Republican National Committee member Steve Roberts told The Washington Times. “It hurts John McCain’s chances to win this state.” Other party officials said money for the party is drying up because of past mismanagement and current religious dominance, which has turned traditional Republican politics upside down. |
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I was delighted to see Sen. Chuck Grassley investigating the mega-church robbers who sheer their sheep to live lives of comfort and even in some cases opulence. Since no good deed goes unpunished Grassley is now being punished by his own party. Now, I don't care so much about the idiots who send money to these people but I do care that the so called pastors and their related businesses are enjoying tax exempt status. Imagine what would happen if tomorrow we started taxing every church. Bet that would fund schools, health care and a number of other valuable programs. After all, many of these so called pastors are heavily involved in politics, are receiving federal tax dollars with their through Bush's faith bases initiatives and and are profiting from businesses like theme parks and youth camps. ------------------------------------------------------------ Iowa GOP denies Sen. Grassley delegate slot over his televangelist investigation • Republicans The religious right in Iowa, which has a stranglehold on the state GOP, has decided to punish one of its main supporters—Sen. Charles Grassley—for spearheading an investigation into fraudulent practices of prominent televangelists. The party has denied the conservative senator a spot as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, MN. Americans United for Separation of Church and State: You’d think Grassley, who has served in the Senate since 1980, would be a favorite of the Religious Right. Last year, he scored 100 percent on a scorecard put out by Family Research Council Action and Focus on the Family Action, two of the most militant Religious Right groups. Plus, Grassley is a conservative Baptist. So what’s the problem? Grassley has led an investigation into the possible misuse of tax-exempt donations by mega-bucks television ministries. He says non-profits are not supposed to divert money to the personal enrichment of non-profit executives and their families, and that rule applies just as much to TV preachers as it does to everyone else. But that investigation has not sat well with the mega-bucks religious broadcasters who run the Religious Right. Not being ones to turn the other cheek, Religious Right honchos in Iowa denied Grassley a voting slot at the GOP convention. Mighty Christian of them, huh? Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland, and Benny Hinn all came under the microscope of Grassley’s Senate Finance Committee investigation. What’s interesting is that this is clearly a move of desperation by the Iowa GOP, as the party’s fortunes are suffering because of the fundie influence. “The Republican Party of Iowa is moving significantly to the right on social issues,” the just-ousted Iowa Republican National Committee member Steve Roberts told The Washington Times. “It hurts John McCain’s chances to win this state.” Other party officials said money for the party is drying up because of past mismanagement and current religious dominance, which has turned traditional Republican politics upside down. Lynann, I guess no good deed goes unpunished. I came up with this phrase: 'Why are they called the religious right, if they're always wrong?' I don't think any religious organization should get any money at taxpayer expense if they promote a certain political candidate or ideology. They should stick to the Bible and leave politics to others. |
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The "religious right" is neither...
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There are many non profit orgs. who don't pay taxes.
It seems to me that you are singling out religious group. I think that's called bigotry. You ought to be ashamed...start checking your own attitudes before you start pointing fingers. |
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I don't have any objections to people belonging to whatever religious organizations they wish or believe what they want to believe.
What I object to is when they attack people like Sen. Charles Grassley, who is trying to keep Religious Right televangelists from being greedy bastards. |
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Damned right that Religious organizations should pay taxes!
All the rest of us do! I get taxed on barter trades using nothing more than a piece of canvas and a bit of talent...it is what I choose to do with my Sunday mornings....Not quite sure how my self-assurance and happy time is taxable yet, people of religious affiliation get a tax break.......seems quite skeewed to me. |
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Yes I am singling out religious groups because they are the ones who get tax exemptions that other groups do not get!
Did you read the thread? It's subject is the tax exempt status of religious organizations. O-k, repeating this a third time including an example for those that don't seem to understand. The Catholic church is among the richest institutions in the world but pays no taxes here in the U.S. I am not sure about their tax status in other countries but here yes, the reason they pay no taxes is that the U.S. government grants them an exemption that is unique to religious organizations. |
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So what? Is this a form of intimdation too?
BIGGOT! comes to mind. |
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More on these rat bastard preachers. Specifically Copeland.
The full article can be found at:http://www.star-telegram.com/gossip/story/786345.html Church officials say no one improperly benefits through ties to Copeland's vast evangelical ministry, which claims more than 600,000 subscribers in 134 countries to its flagship "Believer's Voice of Victory" magazine. The board of directors signs off on important matters, they say. Yet church bylaws give Copeland veto power over board decisions. While Copeland insists that his ministry complies with the law, independent tax experts who reviewed information obtained by the AP through interviews, church documents and public records have their doubts. The web of companies and non-profits tied to the televangelist calls the ministry's integrity into question, they say. "There are far too many relatives here," said Frances Hill, a University of Miami law professor who specializes in nonprofit tax law. "There's too much money sloshing around and too much of it sloshing around with people with overlapping affiliations and allegiances by either blood or friendship or just ties over the years. There are red flags all over these relationships." Copeland, 71, is a pioneer of the prosperity gospel, which holds that believers are destined to flourish spiritually, physically and financially - and share the wealth with others. -------------- Ellen Aprill, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a former U.S. Treasury Department official, said leasing and selling land to the church's top executive raises concerns. Under IRS rules, nonprofits can be penalized or lose their tax-exempt status if an executive, board member or other insider receives an economic benefit above and beyond what the organization gets in return. "The church and its board must take great care to make sure the payments are fair to the church," Aprill said. "The church says it does. But is not clear how we can know." |
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I don't trust tv evangelists period. Anyone that is gonna go on tv proclaiming to be a person of God wearing a $1000 suit, wearing an expensive watch, telling the person living on a fixed income to send me your money isn't trustworthy.
And quite frankly no where in the bible have I read you have to buy your way into heaven. |
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Edited by
Kevrides
on
Mon 07/28/08 08:24 AM
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Yes I am singling out religious groups because they are the ones who get tax exemptions that other groups do not get! Did you read the thread? It's subject is the tax exempt status of religious organizations. O-k, repeating this a third time including an example for those that don't seem to understand. The Catholic church is among the richest institutions in the world but pays no taxes here in the U.S. I am not sure about their tax status in other countries but here yes, the reason they pay no taxes is that the U.S. government grants them an exemption that is unique to religious organizations. If you want all religious groups to pay taxes then lets make sure ALL religious groups pay taxes. And while we are at it lets make those contributions and their contributors to all of the Muslim organizations in this country public. The folks who cheat people out of their hard earned money (not like the government leaves them much) in the name of God will pay their tax upon their death. |
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"In 1850, I believe, the church property in the United States, which paid no tax, amounted to $87 million. In 1900, without a check, it is safe to say, this property will reach a sum exceeding $3 billion. I would suggest the taxation of all property equally."
— Ulysses S. Grant, 18th U.S. President |
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one of my main rules in life is. i never comment on religion. no not a man of god. but don't believe in talking about the men upstairs. not sure if they should pay taxes are not. they do help poor people.
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