Money’s all consuming possession touches almost every part of the world even those sacred institutions which profess to be above it. Despite Pope Francis being called a Marxist (even by some of his own), the Vatican Bank still veils itself in the secrecy and self-indulging that makes Wall Street salivate.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3029390a-5c68-11e3-931e-00144feabdc0.html
Between that and the legal defense of boy diddling priests you would think parishioners might begin to get wise, but no. Such is the grip that this institution holds on its faithful. A friend with whom I used to work went through the process of getting married Catholic was told to bring in their W2s along to a meeting where she and her betrothed were berated for not tithing 10% of their salaries. After the story I half-jokingly asked if she was still Catholic.
The Bank of God is not taxed in the United States. The official line on tax free religion is that churches do good work in the community, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and generally providing comfort to the downtrodden. http://churchesandtaxes.procon.org/#background
But the new prosperity gospel has since forgotten the less fortunate. This is idea that if you hand money to the church and pray to God, you receive back many times what you gave. But only ones that seem to be getting are the preachers. Evangelists harvest profit from touring poor countries where the gullible and the uneducated hand over what little they got, leaving less than nothing in the communities. These men of God fly from venue to venue in Learjets living the life of luxury, keeping the mission going.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/opinions/outlook/worst-ideas/prosperity-gospel.html
Since this tax dodge coupled with the abuse of the church funds, such as land, houses, planes and cars for television and radio ministers, megachurchs with everything from indoor pools to picnic grounds, all subsidized by the US taxpayer has become one of the biggest scams in American history. Estimates for the loss in revenue is estimated at $71 Billion yearly.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/06/16/the-yearly-cost-of-religious-tax-exemptions-71000000000/
A great revival in the philosophy of Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, who argued against using the public purse to feed the poor. Malthus envisioned a growing army of the lazy and shiftless sucked at the teat of government. Wealthy Victorians ate up his words and believed that God rewarded “worthy” people with riches while the degenerate and sinful wallowed in poverty. Neocons now argue on religious grounds against food stamps and raising the minimum wage on these same grounds.
http://www.northdecoder.com/Latest/nd-all-congressman-kevin-cramer-to-people-who-cant-find-jobs-or-arent-able-to-work-dont-eat.html
http://www.salon.com/2013/12/20/5_ways_the_christian_right_is_twisting_religion_to_push_conservative_dogma_partner/
What happened to “give unto Caesar what is his”? The heart of Christian philanthropy still bleeds for military contractors and Wall Street bankers, and it seems God, although He supposedly created the Universe and everything in it, needs money.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3029390a-5c68-11e3-931e-00144feabdc0.html
Between that and the legal defense of boy diddling priests you would think parishioners might begin to get wise, but no. Such is the grip that this institution holds on its faithful. A friend with whom I used to work went through the process of getting married Catholic was told to bring in their W2s along to a meeting where she and her betrothed were berated for not tithing 10% of their salaries. After the story I half-jokingly asked if she was still Catholic.
The Bank of God is not taxed in the United States. The official line on tax free religion is that churches do good work in the community, feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and generally providing comfort to the downtrodden. http://churchesandtaxes.procon.org/#background
But the new prosperity gospel has since forgotten the less fortunate. This is idea that if you hand money to the church and pray to God, you receive back many times what you gave. But only ones that seem to be getting are the preachers. Evangelists harvest profit from touring poor countries where the gullible and the uneducated hand over what little they got, leaving less than nothing in the communities. These men of God fly from venue to venue in Learjets living the life of luxury, keeping the mission going.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/opinions/outlook/worst-ideas/prosperity-gospel.html
Since this tax dodge coupled with the abuse of the church funds, such as land, houses, planes and cars for television and radio ministers, megachurchs with everything from indoor pools to picnic grounds, all subsidized by the US taxpayer has become one of the biggest scams in American history. Estimates for the loss in revenue is estimated at $71 Billion yearly.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/06/16/the-yearly-cost-of-religious-tax-exemptions-71000000000/
A great revival in the philosophy of Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, who argued against using the public purse to feed the poor. Malthus envisioned a growing army of the lazy and shiftless sucked at the teat of government. Wealthy Victorians ate up his words and believed that God rewarded “worthy” people with riches while the degenerate and sinful wallowed in poverty. Neocons now argue on religious grounds against food stamps and raising the minimum wage on these same grounds.
http://www.northdecoder.com/Latest/nd-all-congressman-kevin-cramer-to-people-who-cant-find-jobs-or-arent-able-to-work-dont-eat.html
http://www.salon.com/2013/12/20/5_ways_the_christian_right_is_twisting_religion_to_push_conservative_dogma_partner/
What happened to “give unto Caesar what is his”? The heart of Christian philanthropy still bleeds for military contractors and Wall Street bankers, and it seems God, although He supposedly created the Universe and everything in it, needs money.