Posted on 08/29/2007 9:34:20 AM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
London's Times Online recently reported that, according to Vatican sources, Pope Benedict XVI is working on his second encyclical, a doctrinal pronouncement that will condemn tax evasion as "socially unjust." The pontiff will denounce the use of tax havens and offshore banking by wealthy individuals because it reduces tax revenues for the benefit of society as a whole.
Pope Benedict could benefit from a bit of schooling. Tax avoidance is legal conduct whereby individuals arrange their affairs so as to reduce the amount of income that is taxable. Tax avoidance can run the gamut of legal acts, such as investing in tax-free bonds, having employer-paid health plans, making charitable gifts, quitting a job and banking in another country. Tax evasion refers to the conduct by individuals to reduce their tax obligation by illegal means. Tax evasion consists of illegal acts such as falsely claiming dependents, income underreporting and padding expenses.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
The Roman hierarchy has always leaned socialist/collectivist when it comes to economics, except they call it being "communitarian."
Sounds to me like he's against illegal immigration!
Supports it? He runs one! ;)
All you have to do is contact the Kennedy family and put your money where they do so you can evade taxes as they do. Then vote to raise everyone elses taxes, the way they do.
"render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's."
I bet we won’t hear the Pope talk against the Church’s tax exempt status in many places around the world.
Is he going to fight to have the Church pay taxes now? Didn’t think so...
What's it called to game the tax system so tax havens and offshore banking by wealthy individuals are created to provide tax avoidance?
What about all the money the government wastes?
Should I stop making purchases online too?
Ok, fine, so I guess all Churches will pay property taxes and have their books audited and pay corporate taxes.
Cool! I'm tired of working and from what I've seen if you go on welfare you get a new car, free health care and a big screen TV!
Whatever happened to “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods”?
You beat me to it!
The point is solid: tax avoidance can't be OK for the clergy and still be bad for the followers. They have to know that this position will be seen as hypocracy.
In reality, he’s just another elected official.
In Mr Williams own quotes regarding Pope Benedict's views, I can see much room for interpretation:
- Tax evasion is unjust... and illegal as Mr Williams pointed out.
- Taxes do benefit society as a whole... where do you think roads, defense and diplomacy get their funding? Benefiting society doesn't only mean 'welfare' except in the constitutional sense of 'promoting the general welfare'.
Mr Williams has taken the London Times's interpretation as holy writ and written a piece that infers the Pope's message while specifically denouncing the OECD... with whom he assumes the Pope agrees.
Sorry, not biting on this one until I see what he actually wrote (will write).
Pope Benedict XVI is working on his second encyclical, a doctrinal pronouncement that will condemn tax evasion as "socially unjust."
Working on. That means it hasn't been released yet. That doesn't stop the newest tabloid on the net (WND) from pronouncing from the hilltops that the Pope denoucnes all tax breaks though!
Here's (probably) what it's REALLY going to say: That anyone who avoids paying taxes ILLEGALLY is not "doing their part". And indeed, isn't that what SCRIPTURE says too?
Sheesh. WND. Why do I even bother?
The Catholic Church hates success. I am glad that I have left them behind.
World Net Daily is deeply anti-Catholic. I’ve complained to their editors repeatedly. I’ve given up. They just don’t even wish to get things accurately about Catholics. They routinely link to the NYSlimes and other MSM as their source for things Catholic in the news. They’d never trust the Slimes on other matters but they don’t have a scintilla of curiosity about the accuracy of the Slimes on Catholic matters. They never bother to vet such articles with Conservatives who are faithful Catholics to see where the spin lies but instead just throw it up to see what sticks to the wall. That’s because deep down they have contempt for Catholics.
Yes, indeed, WorldNutDaily has become a tabloid, in other ways too (sensational/titillating soft porn stuff, tin-foil hat stuff, among other things.)
***I’ll wait and read the encyclical myself. Too many times, his words have been taken entirely out of context by the MSM and then pounded on by well-meaning conservatives who take the MSM’s quotes as accurate. In this, case Walter Williams is shooting the Vatican on the information of the London Times.***
FINALLY, someone makes sense.
But, you’re wasting your time. The Catholic haters are having too much fun putting down the Catholic church.
No, it doesn't.
I am glad that I have left them behind.
I'm not and I will pray for you... May God bless you and hit you upside the head with His two-by-four of truth. Amen.
They do seem rather gleeful...
Unlike World Nut Daily, the pope understands the difference between justice and legality.
The Church is not a proponent of Socialism and, in fact, has strongly condemned Socialism in many encyclicals.
For, indeed, although the socialists, stealing the very Gospel itself with a view to deceive more easily the unwary, have been accustomed to distort it so as to suit their own purposes, nevertheless so great is the difference between their depraved teachings and the most pure doctrine of Christ that none greater could exist: "for what participation bath justice with injustice or what fellowship bath light with darkness?"(7) Their habit, as we have intimated, is always to maintain that nature has made all men equal, and that, therefore, neither honor nor respect is due to majesty, nor obedience to laws, unless, perhaps, to those sanctioned by their own good pleasure. But, on the contrary, in accordance with the teachings of the Gospel, the equality of men consists in this: that all, having inherited the same nature, are called to the same most high dignity of the sons of God, and that, as one and the same end is set before all, each one is to be judged by the same law and will receive punishment or reward according to his deserts. The inequality of rights and of power proceeds from the very Author of nature, "from whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named."(8) But the minds of princes and their subjects are, according to Catholic doctrine and precepts, bound up one with the other in such a manner, by mutual duties and rights, that the thirst for power is restrained and the rational ground of obedience made easy, firm, and noble.Rather, the Church has constantly taught the principle of "subsidiarity," which is the principle which states that matters ought to be handled by the smallest (or, the lowest) competent authority.On Socialism
Pope Leo XIII
I wonder if Rush knows that his sometime replacement is anti-Catholic.
Now it's perfect.
Facts? Logic? Truth?
They have no place on this thread.
Careful. You are imputing evil motive to what could easily be explained by misplaced enthusiasm. I'm inclined to think Walter Williams simply chose this opportunity to expose the OECD since they get a far greater specific mention in his article.
Thank you but I meant “conservatives”. Walter Williams is a conservative. Sadly, he and some others take the red meat bait dangled by the MSM to expound on a point they want to make rather than examining the bait.
I share Pope Benedict's desire to assist our fellow man in need. But I believe that reaching into one's own pocket to do so is praiseworthy and laudable.
When Williams approaches the generosity of the Church in helping the poor then he'll have standing to criticize.
Pope set to declare income tax evasion 'socially unjust'(budget crisis in Italy)
Does this mean my taxes count as tithing?
So, criticising the pope makes a person "anti-Catholic"?
No offence, but what kind of idiotic nonsense is that?
***I’m inclined to think Walter Williams simply chose this opportunity to expose the OECD since they get a far greater specific mention in his article.***
Yes, the OECD gets star billing, but only further down the article. Anyone doing a quick read would remember WW’s words in the third paragraph of the article where he says (paraphrased) that the Pope is spot on with the OECD.
I agree with you generally about the article, but I think it’s Walter Williams who should be more careful of what he writes.
Peace in Christ.
I agree.. Logic and facts seem to be a thing of the past for many of the folks now posting here. This was formerly a great place for discussion, but I find myself avoiding this URL most of the time now.
Does the Church pay taxes?
***No offence, but what kind of idiotic nonsense is that?***
No offense? I’d rather not hear what you DO call offense.
When the Pope is criticized without knowing the full meaning of something he hasn’t yet written, then I call it anti-Catholic.
And so how can Catholic 'conservatives' reconcile their fiscally conservative positions? I thought they HAD to follow the teachings of their church. By definition they are hypocrites.
You are quite simply an ignorant fool. Perhaps that will be a mitigating factor during your particular judgment.
You are making the same mistake Walter Williams made in this article. You are assuming the post you are responding to is correct in its analysis of Catholic teaching and drawing a harsh conclusion.
The analysis is wrong... as is your conclusion.
Thank you... please tip your waiter.
The left condemns ‘greed’ but promotes ‘envy’.
Which sin is greater?
I wish the ‘church’ would consider doing their own work instead of demanding the ‘state’ do it for them.
When you stand in front of the pearly gates and St Peter asks you, “What did you do in God’s name?”
“I paid my taxes”, is a good answer.
Anytime I see a MSM article referencing the Pope, I just smile, because I know it’s probably BS.
If the article is correct on the Pope’s message, I am sure we can speedily accomodate assessing and sending property tax bills out on all Catholic holdings. It is about time that the Catholic Church paid its fair share of community taxes. I am so glad the Pope agrees.
A silly article. Of course, the Pope thinks everyone should pay their fair share of taxes. His theory is that doing gymnastics with tax laws amounts to tax evasion. In other words, less than true Chrisian behavior.
This pope is not against people keeping their fair share of their own income. That’s not what he is saying here.
Since the RCC claims to be able to add to what is taught in the Bible, possibly Ratzinger really did mean what Williams is reporting him to mean. It would be within the scope of possibility. But Romans 13:5-7 only goes this far:
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.
Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. [NIV]
A biblical reading would be that if the tax law says you don't owe taxes, whatever the reason... well, you don't owe taxes.
That’s easy for a tax-exempt organization to say.
If we go by the rumors that you post hypotheticals as cover for your bigotry and simply go looking for an excuse to criticize the Church, we can go ahead and ridicule you now...
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