it is time to stop tax exempting churches NOW

[drdigi420]

they are not places of worship anymore, they are extensions of the republican campaign machine

IRS goes after NAACP just for mentioning how bad bush is, but these goddamned churches get to push their boy tax free

its bad enough we have to share the planet with these fools, make them pay their fair fucking share!

[bullimiami]

1. Forget that happening.

Add tax dollars heading the churches way with no restrictions to boot.

[Touchdown]

2. How are we going to do that? WE'RE OUT OF POWER.

Lost of solutions, little wherewethal add up to good intentions that never see the light of day.

[drdigi420]

6. well, we have to fight it on many fronts

#1 - the courts, not all of them have gone fundy yet

#2 - the streets, if we work hard and plan right, we can debunk the myths of religion to enough ppl to matter

#3 - provide NO QUARTER for those that would perpetuate the myths of religion, even in our own party

we must rise up against this religious onslaught or be forever vanquished to the footnotes of history

future generations are depending on us

we must stop the hate that religion spawns

[Zookeeper]

3. Yes, the churches crossed way over the line...

in this election and should lose tax-exempt status. They can't have it both ways.

[Drifter]

4. Frank Zappa said it best ...

Tax the Churches ...
Tax the Businesses owned by the churches.

He was exposing the fraudulent Televangelists about 5 years before they imploded in the mid-eighties.

Cheers
Drifter

[papau]

5. Indeed we are out of power BECAUSE we are seen as a threat to churches

I do not see a tax attack on churches as a road back to power.

:-)

[drdigi420]

7. only because some ppl still believe in the fantasy of gods

we can work to debunk this

tv shows, advertising, come on

if they can sell bullshit, surely they can also sell truth?

[Canuckistanian]

8. I'm sure the Bush administration is going to get right on that....

Probably going to pass a law exempting tithes from taxation.

[Nederland]

9. Gosh

What a great plan to help us win more votes in the South.

Not.

[Cobalt Violet]

11. Fuck the south.

I don't think we should start pandering to morons. Jesus Christ could have come down to endorse Kerry and the morons still would have voted for Bush. We need to rid ourselves of the burden of carring the south. Thats radical but I don't see another way.

[RevCheesehead]

10. I object.

Bush supporters do NOT speak on behalf of all churches, all Christians and other people of faith, or all Americans.

BUT - I DO support the notion that those churches which have blatantly violated the church/state regulations should be investigated ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.

I wanted to put a Kerry sign in my parsonage yard - but I didn't, because it is against our Conference's rules in the United Methodist Church. I wanted to preach against Bush, but I didn't - because my job is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ...including social issues (and I DID do that). I wanted to open our doors to the Kerry campaign to simply use our space, but could not. I wanted to hand out campaign literature at church, but did not.

"Faith-based initiatives" need to be looked at VERY CLOSELY. Is the effort being promoted done to promote the betterment of society? Or is there a POLITICAL agenda?

MOST churches in the US are small-membership churches who are struggling to keep our doors open. We do what we can to help feed the poor and hungry, and reach out with love and compassion to those in need through the difficult times of their lives. I do not want to have to charge fees for baptisms, weddings, or funerals.

By the way, as a Pastor, the IRS considers me an "employee," but for Social Security, I am "self-employed" - and the payments are twice that than for employees. Yet, I do not have the same rights as those who are legitimately self-employed.

PLEASE don't be angry at all Christians for this election! I certainly don't hold all Muslims accountable for 9/11.

[damntexdem]

12. Who's going to do it?

The only ones that will lose their tax-exempt status will be any 501-C3s that have the temerity to criticize the Bushistas. The NAACP is just the first to be targeted.

[DELUSIONAL]

13. This election proves that there is no god

[TreasonousBastard]

14. Which churches are those?

Are they the ones with homeless shelters and food banks?

Are they the ones sponsoring those peace rallies and vigils we went to?

Are they the ones who started organizations like Pax Christi, American Friends Service Committee, Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, Every Church A Peace Church, the Witherspoon Society... ?

Are they the ones who support hospitals and schools around the world?

Are they the ones in the Sanctuary movement?

There seems to be far too much anti-religious bigotry around here. Religion has had much to answer for throughout history, but religions have far more often been hijacked by zealots and their ideals corrupted. The social teachings of most religions is far more "liberal" than the rantings of the zealots. And more than some of the members of this board.

Efforts might be better spent by actually joining a spiritual group to one's taste and trying to keep it on the right path from the inside.

The fools in my "goddamned church" believe that peace and social concern come naturally from a relationship with the Divine. And we don't bother to define the Divine-- it's pretty much up to the individual to do that.

If we had to pay property taxes, we would have to close up and close our outreach programs. That would be nice, wouldn't it?

[RevCheesehead]

15. Amen, Sister/Brother, Amen