Should God pay income tax ?

[Willamina Tyndale]

Religion takes in millions of dollars every year and pay no taxes.
Should the government change the law and tax that income for the benefit of all ?

 

[Michael 345]

Religion takes in millions of dollars every year and pay no taxes.
Should the government change the law and tax that income for the benefit of all ?

Unequivocally yes. Start with Scientology and in Australia a piss weak version Hill Song which still rakes in millions

 

[timojin]

Religion takes in millions of dollars every year and pay no taxes.
Should the government change the law and tax that income for the benefit of all ?

Who does not pay taxes ? the priests and ministers ?

 

[Seattle]

Who does not pay taxes ? the priests and ministers ?

The Church.

 

[timojin]

The Church.

Be specific , churches have employee ,they pay tax

 

[Michael 345]

Be specific , churches have employee ,they pay tax

The church is a business and no tax paid there

Biggest con ever Scientology. Practices quasi medical / religious procedures, pronounces quasi medical / religious treatments. Pays no tax on profits

 

[Seattle]

Be specific , churches have employee ,they pay tax

Corporations have employees who pay taxes. Corporations pay taxes too.

 

[Ivor Bigun]

Unequivocally yes. Start with Scientology and in Australia a piss weak version Hill Song which still rakes in millions

Yes yes yes. Good point Michael.

 

[Ivor Bigun]

Be specific , churches have employee ,they pay tax

In a company, such as Google, the employees pay tax on their income.
The company is regarded as a separate entity in law and also pays tax.
If you study the accounts of Google, you will find the profit is taxed.

Similarly, the religious organizations are regarded as separate entities in law.
But they don't pay tax.
Why?

 

[exchemist]

In a company, such as Google, the employees pay tax on their income.
The company is regarded as a separate entity in law and also pays tax.
If you study the accounts of Google, you will find the profit is taxed.

Similarly, the religious organizations are regarded as separate entities in law.
But they don't pay tax.
Why?

No shareholders and no dividends by which profit is extracted from the enterprise, presumably. A bit like private schools. What Americans call a not-for-profit setup. You could tax them, but as they don't exist to earn profits, they would offset any operating surplus from one year against operating losses from the next and the taxman might not get much, considering all the administration involved. And also of course, they have traditionally been seen as a public good, much to the annoyance of people such as yourself, no doubt.

 

[Michael 345]

but as they don't exist to earn profits,

Of course they exist to earn profits

Set up a not for profit (insert heart breaking worthy cause here)
Rake in money from the public
Blackmail the government for monetary support
Release press statements to beat your own drum
Remind the public there are soooo many others afflicted out there you could help if you had more money
Pay yourself a large sum of money because of the good work you are doing

The worthy cause does not make a profit
because it's funneled into your bank account

 

[exchemist]

Of course they exist to earn profits

Set up a not for profit (insert heart breaking worthy cause here)
Rake in money from the public
Blackmail the government for monetary support
Release press statements to beat your own drum
Remind the public there are soooo many others afflicted out there you could help if you had more money
Pay yourself a large sum of money because of the good work you are doing

The worthy cause does not make a profit
because it's funneled into your bank account

Might be true of Rev Moon and Scientologists but not of most religions. The average imam, rabbi or priest is not wealthy. The Church of England struggles to keep its churches from falling down.

 

[paddoboy]

Might be true of Rev Moon and Scientologists but not of most religions. The average imam, rabbi or priest is not wealthy. The Church of England struggles to keep its churches from falling down.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-23467750

A guide to the Church of England's huge investments

The Church of England's investments are wide-ranging and complex.

They range from pieces of woodland used for timber to investment strategies run by some of the world's biggest hedge funds, and stakes in big oil companies.

The whole operation is overseen by an ethical investment advisory board designed to prevent the Church from funding any businesses seen as against Christian principles.

Around £5.2bn of investments are managed by the Church Commissioners - a body charged with managing the Church's assets in order to produce money to support its work.

Most of that - £3.25bn - is invested in securities - bonds and shares - both in the UK and abroad.

 

[Michael 345]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-23467750

A guide to the Church of England's huge investments

The Church of England's investments are wide-ranging and complex.

They range from pieces of woodland used for timber to investment strategies run by some of the world's biggest hedge funds, and stakes in big oil companies.

The whole operation is overseen by an ethical investment advisory board designed to prevent the Church from funding any businesses seen as against Christian principles.

Around £5.2bn of investments are managed by the Church Commissioners - a body charged with managing the Church's assets in order to produce money to support its work.

Most of that - £3.25bn - is invested in securities - bonds and shares - both in the UK and abroad.

And you are considered cheap because you put only 20cents in the collection plate

Spare me

The poor as a church mouse cry shouldn't work anymore

 

[exchemist]

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-23467750

A guide to the Church of England's huge investments

The Church of England's investments are wide-ranging and complex.

They range from pieces of woodland used for timber to investment strategies run by some of the world's biggest hedge funds, and stakes in big oil companies.

The whole operation is overseen by an ethical investment advisory board designed to prevent the Church from funding any businesses seen as against Christian principles.

Around £5.2bn of investments are managed by the Church Commissioners - a body charged with managing the Church's assets in order to produce money to support its work.

Most of that - £3.25bn - is invested in securities - bonds and shares - both in the UK and abroad.

So what? It would be more relevant if you were to produce the annual income the church gets from these investments and compare it with its outgoings.

The churches are still falling down, because the income from these investments, plus the donations they get from their congregations and other donors, is barely enough for the operating costs of the Church of England. So, I repeat, it is an observed fact that English vicars and curates are not driving about in limos with fat cigars and living off the fat of the land, regardless of what some Australians may think. They just aren't. You can read more here if you are interested: https://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/funding.aspx

 

[paddoboy]

So what?

Well for beginners, what you are trying to reflect re the chruch being poor is rubbish.

It would be more relevant if you were to produce the annual income the church gets from these investments and compare it with its outgoings.

The churches are still falling down, because the income from these investments, plus the donations they get from their congregations and other donors, is barely enough for the operating costs of the Church of England. So, I repeat, it is an observed fact that English vicars and curates are not driving about in limos with fat cigars and living off the fat of the land, regardless of what some Australians may think. They just aren't. You can read more here if you are interested: https://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/funding.aspx

As per religious people, I'm not referring to the vicars or anyone else with their collars on back to front, I'm referring to the church per se. And really, why would "some Australians" think that? The church needs to put on a front reflecting living somewhere near the poverty line. See also the Catholic church of which I think I am still a member, if I havn't as yet been excommunicated!

 

[paddoboy]

And you are considered cheap because you put only 20cents in the collection plate

Spare me

The poor as a church mouse cry shouldn't work anymore

The last time I went to church, ( a long time ago) I put in a $10 note and extracted $9.50 from the plate, much to the disgust of the collector: So I gave him the finger. That was before I got caught drinking the Altar wine with a mate...six of the best for that episode!!

 

[Michael 345]

English vicars and curates are not driving about in limos with fat cigars and living off the fat of the land

Is that a comment on poor money management or a comment they pay shit wages?

Like Starbucks rake in millions selling over priced coffee and pay shit wages

Church doesn't even have to sell anything which actually exist
Strangely they buy REAL real estate and not plots of clouds

 

[Michael 345]

So I gave him the finger.

They probably pickled the finger - put it on a red velvet cushion - displayed it as a holy relic of St Moolah at $20 a view

 

[exchemist]

Just read the link I sent you, try to park your prejudices for a moment and use your reason. Have you never tried to run a business, a club or a society? Do you think the church can run on thin air? If you can show me lots of instances of fatcat C of E clerics living it up I will share your disgust, but frankly I do not see it.