Mitt caught in a direct lie?

[kentonio]

I'm still trying to figure out when tax avoidance became unpatriotic.

Please tell me that was tongue in cheek.

[regexcellent]

It's not like your money belongs to the government.

[The Mad Monk]

Please tell me that was tongue in cheek.

No.

[giblets]

People who own homes and take advantage of the mortgage interest deduction are unpatriotic!

[DaShi]

Giving more to charity than to the government.

The 10% he gives to the Mormon Church is the minimum tithe expected for those of the faith.

[DaShi]

Here is another article illustrating Romney's so-called "love" for America, and his "patriotism." Going out of his way to ensure that more American jobs are shipped overseas, and doing everything he can so he does not pay his share in taxes.

:facepalm:

[MrFun]

It's not like your money belongs to the government.

No, but our government belongs to corporations. The integrity of America has been for sale to the highest bidders for a long time now.

[Kidlicious]

The 10% he gives to the Mormon Church is the minimum tithe expected for those of the faith.

And it's also tax deductable.

[Aeson]

Tax deductible marble, ivory, and gold temples

[The Mad Monk]

I'm sorry, how many religions that temples that aren't, assuming they have the money?

[Aeson]

A good argument against the tax exempt status and spiritual health of organized religions in general.

[Kidlicious]

Some of what people deduct for charity or tithes they would have got for a standard deduction and I think maybe people count that as their 10% for tithing. It's wierd though that someone like Romney would only give 10%.

[Kidlicious]

I'm sorry, how many religions that temples that aren't, assuming they have the money?

methodist

[Aeson]

Some of what people deduct for charity or tithes they would have got for a standard deduction and I think maybe people count that as their 10% for tithing. It's wierd though that someone like Romney would only give 10%.

Tithing is pretty standard 10%. There are also fast offerings (generally, what you save in food bills from skipping a meal or two), which are completely up to the discretion of the ones making the offering and go to help support the LDS Church's welfare and farm management IIRC. (Both very well run and useful programs. Not like the farce that is the Temples.)

[Jon Miller]

For the SDA church, tithe is 10% and offering is 5-15% (despite 5-15% being the recommended number, offerings are generally 1/5 of tithe, so about 2% assuming that people give 10% tithe). Offering general does local church programs and other specific programs (including international ones and aid/etc). Tithe goes to fund the church programs as a whole (including support for poor churches/conferences/hospitals/schools/administration/etc).

Additionally, pastors are only payed by tithe (not the tithe from the local church, but from the global church fund, which is done by tithe), so their income is independent of the offering+tithe for the local church.

In 2006 tithe was $1.6b (mostly from NA, although only 1/10 of the SDA church is based in NA).

JM
(I just do offering.)