we have got churches and temples dedicated to all sorts of things,,yeck nowdays most anything is made into a religion. Since religion is supposedly tax free and "non-profit" my friends and I have decided to start the Church of the Dorito. Heck with the tithes and "non-profit" income think of all the good that could be done in the name of the delicious snack product's name..seriously people is religion just another form of buisness and government that profits from the masses shoveling cash at it or there any legitamate reason we should pay such institutions any mind at all? Let me know what you think...

I think that people should definitely be allowed to contribute as much as they want to whatever they want. There are precious few true freedoms left to us. Contributing to the cause of our choice is one of those few things. Preventing, restricting or controlling that right would be the grossest infringemnet on personal liberties.

I think that addressing the issue of "non-profit" as if it were strictly a religious one is prejudicial. There are many more non-profit, non-religious organizations than there are religious ones. So when discussing the issue of "non-profit" one must take into account the reason why non-profit status is given to any organization and apply that reasoning to all non-profit organizations, not just the religious ones.

Additionally, there is the constitutional issue. Any laws that in any way affect the right of anyone to practice or contribute to whatever religion they choose, in any way they choose, would be up against one of the most basic founding documents of our country.

I agree with you Skyhook, especially when it comes to protecting those basic rights. I myself am just of the opinion now that there should be more accountability in non-profit organizations for what they do with their donations.

There is also the issue of such organizations selling products and merchandise to increase their funds. I tend to think that would fall under the heading of a business and not something which non-profit.

Many of the people in these non-profit organizations are even taking an income from such donations. To me that constitutes a profit being made. I understand tax write offs for charitable services but to me the above activities constitutes fraud and tax evasion. If they offered things for free (charity) instead of selling them and took donations for the items then i would view it differently. A priest, minister, or preacher should not be earning a income for being a connection to the divine. In fact i know many honest ministers who have done their charitable religious work without said income and also had regular jobs.

we have got churches and temples dedicated to all sorts of things,,yeck nowdays most anything is made into a religion. Since religion is supposedly tax free and "non-profit" my friends and I have decided to start the Church of the Dorito. Heck with the tithes and "non-profit" income think of all the good that could be done in the name of the delicious snack product's name..seriously people is religion just another form of buisness and government that profits from the masses shoveling cash at it or there any legitamate reason we should pay such institutions any mind at all? Let me know what you think...

Should a church be able to pay a plumber to come and fix a broken pipe in the church building? Suppose it is a church member who fixes it. Should they be paid? Suppose it is the minister. Should he be paid?

As far as I’ve been able to extrapolate from your objections, there seem to be two basic rules that you think should apply to non-profit:
- Donations are the only type of income that should be allowed. (No money should be accepted for any goods or services provided.)
- All such donations must be distributed to non-members. (Distribution to members would constitute earned income for that member.)

Is that about it?

I think that people should definitely be allowed to contribute as much as they want to whatever they want. There are precious few true freedoms left to us. Contributing to the cause of our choice is one of those few things. Preventing, restricting or controlling that right would be the grossest infringemnet on personal liberties.

I think that addressing the issue of "non-profit" as if it were strictly a religious one is prejudicial. There are many more non-profit, non-religious organizations than there are religious ones. So when discussing the issue of "non-profit" one must take into account the reason why non-profit status is given to any organization and apply that reasoning to all non-profit organizations, not just the religious ones.

Additionally, there is the constitutional issue. Any laws that in any way affect the right of anyone to practice or contribute to whatever religion they choose, in any way they choose, would be up against one of the most basic founding documents of our country.

I agree with you Skyhook, especially when it comes to protecting those basic rights. I myself am just of the opinion now that there should be more accountability in non-profit organizations for what they do with their donations.

There is also the issue of such organizations selling products and merchandise to increase their funds. I tend to think that would fall under the heading of a business and not something which non-profit.

Many of the people in these non-profit organizations are even taking an income from such donations. To me that constitutes a profit being made. I understand tax write offs for charitable services but to me the above activities constitutes fraud and tax evasion. If they offered things for free (charity) instead of selling them and took donations for the items then i would view it differently. A priest, minister, or preacher should not be earning a income for being a connection to the divine. In fact i know many honest ministers who have done their charitable religious work without said income and also had regular jobs.
You would be correct. Donations are the only type of income any non-profit organiztion should be allowed. Goods and services as you describe them qualify as charitable acts and therefore the expenses can be written off in tax returns. Receieving profits for selling goods and services falls under the heading of a buisness and disqualifies any such organization from claiming "non-profit" status or benefits.
<slight correction if you don't mind>
All donations are to be used by the organization to promote improve charitable services. Anyone in the organization recieving payment for said charitable services disqualifies the organization from "non-profit" filing status.
To give you an idea of the reasoning for this and this post, let me illustrate an abuse of such status.: I once attended a church called "World Revival." One of those classic "Big" churches just to get my folks off my back about not attending such services. They preached the give unto the lord and it you will give double onto to you crap. They even turned the whole tithe and offering number into a grand standing event. Put the money in an enevelope then stand and shout to the lord about how you were giving him his cut. They would justify the "need" for such offers by saying they needed it to minister to as many people as possible. Later i found out that money donated that day was used to build a pinic area so that the bikers of the church would have a place to have BBQ..thousands of dollars so the preacher and his biker buddies could grill hot dogs and hamburgers. I was disgusted by it all and content to illustrate the hypocrisy, lies, and curruption to my parents and family members before they asked me not to attend. Needless to say i can not tolerate this in any charitable "non-profit" organization regardless of religion or not. Needless to say religious ones who do this disgust me the most.

You would be correct.

Donations are the only type of income any non-profit organization should be allowed.

Goods and services as you describe them qualify as charitable acts and therefore the expenses can be written off in tax returns.

Receieving profits for selling goods and services falls under the heading of a buisness and disqualifies any such organization from claiming "non-profit" status or benefits.

<slight correction if you don't mind>

All donations are to be used by the organization to promote improve charitable services. Anyone in the organization recieving payment for said charitable services disqualifies the organization from "non-profit" filing status.

The Church of the Dorito is incomplete without its Beandip its savior.

All hail the Bean Dip!

The Bean Dip Spoiled For Our Sins!

Taste the Bean Dip!!!!