All churches? Yes. All religious institutions? I have doubts.
Posted on 06/21/2010 9:36:15 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
MADRID, June 21, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - As liberal groups continue to push governments to tax Christian churches, data recently published by the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) found that the Catholic Church actually saves the Spanish government billions of dollars per year in social service expenditures.
The Catholic Church receives approximately 252.7 million euros per year ($311.8m) from voluntary taxpayer contributions, coming from only 7.2 million taxpayers who check a box indicating that they wish 0.7% of their tax to go to the Catholic Church, rather than to a government fund. The rest of its income is through private donations.
However, the Catholic bishops contend that taxpayers realize a massive return for their investment, resulting in billions of euros in savings from social programs and other services that would have cost much more if they had been left to the private sector.
Fernando Gimenez Barriocanal, vice secretary of Economic Affairs for the CEE, says that "the Church is at the disposition of society, and gives much much more than what it receives...each euro invested in the Church returns to the society multiplied 2.73 times."
The "immense labor of assistance" by the Catholic Church in Spain involves 20,000 priests, more than 70,000 pastoral assistants and more than 60,000 volunteers, according to Gimenez Barriocanal.
The Church spends approximately 2.8 billion euros per year on assistance programs, including 68 women's shelters to aid victims of spousal abuse and ex-prostitutes, and 870,000 poor who are clothed and fed by Catholics. In toto, 2.8 million people receive such benefits from the Catholic Church.
In addition, the Catholic Church in Spain provides educational services to almost 1.4 million students, saving the government more than 4.1 billion euros annually.
....The Church spends approximately 2.8 billion euros per year on assistance programs, including 68 women's shelters to aid victims of spousal abuse and ex-prostitutes, and 870,000 poor who are clothed and fed by Catholics. In toto, 2.8 million people receive such benefits from the Catholic Church.
Related threads:
Vatican, Israel talk finance - at last
Belarus: Church Evicted
Reflections on Pluralism
Bishop Says King Will Not be Sanctioned for Signing Abortion Law
Slovakian Bishops Urge Rejection Of LDS Church [Catholic Bishops]
Church in Spain has right to address political issues, says bishop
How do Mohammad and the Cheapskates play at this venue?
I would be interested in knowing how this plays out based on contributions and specific social benefits.
“indicating that they wish 0.7% of their tax to go to the Catholic Church, rather than to a government fund.”
If you don’t want to deal with the state don’t take anything from it.
Taxing churches: coming soon to a nation near you. :)
What government taxes, government controls.
I don’t aim this at any specific church.
But ANY church which involves itself in political debates and supports particular candidates on any issue should loose its tax free status and be subject to taxes.
Look around at these churches. A number of them have become a “business-front”. Some of these big-name ministers are paid in the six and even seven figure numbers. Some churches own real estate worth tens of millions. Some of these ministries operate private jets. There’s nothing in the Constitution forbidding taxation over churches.
Anyone who thinks obammy isn’t going to go after all churches to tax is a fool.
Like the song says, “if you walk too much they’ll tax your feet”.
All churches? Yes. All religious institutions? I have doubts.
Even this unAmerican marxist p.o.s. hasn’t the balls to tax Christian Churches and NOT the gutter religions mosques.
The supremes aren’t that stupid.
The supremes aren’t that stupid. Yet. But how many nominations do you think the evil thug in our White House will get before we're rid of him? How would a wise Latina decide if she had Kagan and other Obama groupies to follow her lead?
What about the myriad of tax exempt political organizations?
?????????????????????????
Political organizations are NOT tax exempt.
I’m sorry, I didn’t get your question. The fact is that Moos do give a lot of their income to “charities” — zakat.
There is no separation of church and state in Europe, as we know it here. Many countries collect tithing directly for the church from your paycheck. Can’t afford the tithing? Then you have to officially declare you are no longer a member of the church.
Although a nice story is not what I asked! For those who do not know read on;
Yes, I know of such; Qur'an (2:177)
Zakat (a fixed percentage) in spirit is in line with salat (prayer).
Sadaqa (public display) normally used immediately following any transgression.
In fact, financially supporting jihadis is a recognized form of jihad — jihad al-mal; even the vast majority of militant verses in the Koran (e.g., 9:20, 9:41, 49:15, 61:10-11) prioritize the need to fund the jihad over merely fighting in it, as fighting with one's wealth often precedes fighting with one's self. Well-known Islamists — from international jihadi Osama bin Laden to authoritative cleric Sheikh Qaradawi — are well aware of this and regularly exhort Muslims to fund the jihad via zakat. (meforum.org)
More revealing of the peculiarly Islamic nature of zakat is the fact that Muslims are actually forbidden from bestowing this "charity" onto non-Muslims (e.g., the vast majority of American infidels). "Charitable" Muslim organizations operating on American soil are therefore not the equivalent of, the Salvation Army, an organization whose "ministry extends to all, regardless of ages, sex, color, or creed." In Islam, creed is a major criterion for receiving "charity" — not to mention for receiving social equality. (meforum.org)
Most if not all Islamic charities" have, indeed, been funding the jihad!
Funny,
How the first lady supreme said it was wrong for folks to criticize the judiciary.
Me thinks many should be held for sedetion.
And hung.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.