Is Giving to Your Favored Religion Charity?

[Kidlicious]

Al Capone thought that way once. I bet he was sorry when he got convicted for tax fraud. Personally, I think the world could be greatly improved by locking up a few more fraudulent preachers. Do the crime, do the time and all that.

BTW you could make the same claims about any cash business (and there are lots of them) but eventually there always is a tell-tale paper trail going some where. Money doesn't appear out of thin air so if they're only accounting for $X income but are continuously spending $X + $Y then that begs the question of where the Y is coming from and why they're not declaring it on their tax forms. Forensic Accountants do this all the time.

There is a lot that you are unaware of, like basic tax accounting. For example, clergy pay taxes.

[Jon Miller]

For the exact same reason that posting on this forum is not giving to the needy.

Posting on this forum could be giving to the needy.

JM

[giblets]

There is a lot that you are unaware of, like basic tax accounting. For example, clergy pay taxes.

Do any employees of non-profits not pay taxes? what makes you think Oerdin would be unaware of this?

[Ben Kenobi]

Al Capone thought that way once. I bet he was sorry when he got convicted for tax fraud. Personally, I think the world could be greatly improved by locking up a few more fraudulent preachers. Do the crime, do the time and all that.

Comparing charities to Al Capone says it all. If you change the tax code to raise taxes on charities, you will see more evasion. Guaranteed. You'll actually net less, plus, you'll remove the incentives for the charities to toe the line.

[Dinner]

Ben, you asked how would the tax man know if someone donated $100 or not. So, yeah, if you're saying you think Churches could get away with tax fraud then that begs the question of what has happened to other people who committed tax fraud.

[regexcellent]

I believe all churches should be taxed, like any other business.

If churches were taxed, L. Ron Hubbard wound never have started Scientology. The same is likely true for several other cults.

It is taxed in some places. It's such a goddamned money spinner I have no doubt he would have started it anyway.

[kentonio]

The question is why tax saying nice things to people. It would be more reasonable if you were suggesting a tax on saying mean things.

Because they are accepting money for doing so. If they want to stop taking in donations and raising money, then it wouldn't be an issue.

Wouldn't charities be more efficient if they weren't paying a portion of their donations to taxes? If it's charity efficiency that you support then it stands to reason that you would support maintaining charitable status for all charities, not taking it away from those you hate.

Wouldn't churches be more efficient if they say stopped building and maintaining grandiose buildings, paying staff etc and maybe started actually following the path of the god figure they claim to believe in? You know, giving up everything they own

Ah, so you'd rather force the God botherers to fund the things you like. Gotcha. No hypocrisy there.

No you're right there isn't, just being religious does not let you opt out of paying taxes and it doesn't make you special. You want to disagree with how your county/state/country spents money then you get the same vote as everyone else (except you don't, being an immigrant of course ).

You've stated there are 'real' Charities and 'unreal' Charities.

No I didn't, that would be horrendous use of language.

Hence the question - which charities ought to qualify? You've dodged the question as to which charities you believe are legitimate.

I haven't dodged anything you muppet, when you want someone to express an opinion it's usually wiser to not ask them to do it in a form that would involve hours of typing. Which charities do I believe are legitimate? Charities that actually collect money to directly help people who need that help. Occasionally that even includes church linked charities, just not the ones who's funding is split between the actual charity and the church funding.

So why then not ban charities outright?

How does that even make any sense, you moron?! So if something isn't a matter of life or death it should be banned? Oh you're going to get on SO well in America.

[Kidlicious]

Because they are accepting money for doing so. If they want to stop taking in donations and raising money, then it wouldn't be an issue.

Why is it so hard for you to get? It is non-profit and the clergy pay taxes.

As I've already said, businesses are tax on PROFIT. If they don't make a profit they don't pay tax.

[Kidlicious]

Do any employees of non-profits not pay taxes? what makes you think Oerdin would be unaware of this?

Because what he said doens't make any sense. Whoever is saying churches need to be taxed like businesses doesn't know what they are talking about.

[Kidlicious]

Another thing is a church collects money from itself. I pay to have somewhere to worship and you want to tax me for that.

[Asher]

Yes.

I pay for somewhere to work out, and you want to tax me for that.

[giblets]

You pay taxes on your income and you want a freebie because you worship somewhere and help pay for the place of worship's expenses.

[The Mad Monk]

You pay taxes on your income and you want a freebie because you live somewhere and help pay for the mortgage.

FTFY

[Kidlicious]

Yes.

I pay for somewhere to work out, and you want to tax me for that.

In fact, no I do not. I don't support either the tax on the business or the sales tax. But then if I did it wouldn't be the same thing, unless you owned a gym, and I supported the expenses that you incurred to keep up the gym so that you could use it.

[Kidlicious]

You pay taxes on your income and you want a freebie because you worship somewhere and help pay for the place of worship's expenses.

And you want a standard deduction. So what?