Posted on 08/20/2004 9:21:16 PM PDT by Cedar
But the sad part is government (IRS) now has control of churches (and what is preached). This is no better than China's policy!
Christian churches need to forget about their non-profit status and give it up-- so they can continue to preach freely and not be told by the government what to preach or not preach.
BIG BUMP
SPOTREP
www.RatOutaChurch.org ??
Is this for real??
"Is this for real??"
Yes, check out their website. (I agree--bad name choice.)
Many parishes are too poor to pay the real estate tax. They can't even afford to fix their leaky roofs.
I'm thankful for this organization. In the 2000 elections, I stopped watching TD Jakes because he used his tv air time to host Al Gore. Also on tv, they blatantly call in only Democrats to speak and even pass the plate for contributions to their campaigns.
Thanks for adding the link (wish I knew how to do that!).
While I heartily agree that churches should not be beholden to the Government, it would be a violation of the "Free Exercise" clause of the First Amendment for the Government to tax Churches.
For the government to regulate the content of a religious sermon by tax policy, or any other means, is a violation of the "Free Exercise", "Freeedom of Speech", and "the right of the people peaceably to assemble" clauses in the First Amendment.
The government should just BUTT-OUT of churches altogether and keep their tax policies and other points of pressure out of them.
What constitutes a church?
From the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:2, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
Some of those people (on both sides) need to ask themselves the old cliched question - What would Jesus do or want us to do. Would He want us to be watching/spying on other churches, or using our resources to better do His work.
"What constitutes a church?
From the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:2, 'For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.'"
I am in total agreement with you. The "church" is really just the believers of Jesus.
Jesus did a lot of His teaching/preaching along the seashore. And the early "church" gathered in homes for assembly. (We do that too.)
"What would Jesus do or want us to do. Would He want us to be watching/spying on other churches, or using our resources to better do His work."
You are probably right. I know spying was not part of Jesus' ministry.
"But the sad part is government (IRS) now has control of churches (and what is preached)."
I agree that the necessity of the new group is sad. But isn't that sentence an overstatement? Other than not making political endoresments, churches' doctrines and sermons are not dictated by the feds. For example, look how many are active in the pro-life movement.
Thanks for the help.
I've been kind of behind on learning some of the technical stuff (though I did install my own CD burner!).
Gotta say you are right too. That might have been an overstatement on my part.
But all of this really bothers me, and I can see how in the future (maybe near future?) that government or laws might try to control the churches.
I think it's already a crime in parts of Europe to preach against homosexuality. And I think recent legislation in Canada has set penalties on it too.
So to me this is huge--when preaching/teaching against sin is considered a crime or against the law.
(Of course when you think about it, that's the way it's always been. Jesus was crucified for it, and John the Baptist was arrested and killed for it too. And the list could go on....the Apostles Paul, Peter, etc.)
Yup.
The power to tax is the power to destroy.
Just watch. It won't be another decade before biblically orthodox Christian and Jewish teaching is driven underground through court decisions and tax policy.
"It won't be another decade before biblically orthodox Christian and Jewish teaching is driven underground through court decisions and tax policy."
That's why Bush's judicial choices are being fought so hard.
I know a couple who pastor a small church, and they have always refused to get non-profit status. They saw this thing coming years ago.
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