To include churches for income tax

[digitalsuperman]

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the government is unable to tax the church mainly because if they do, they will threaten the current government of pulling out their support. the church will call out on their followers to go up against the government if the taxation of the church will push through.

[mannyamador]

And the government will violate the Constitution too by destroying separation of Church and state. That is why religion is not taxed, among other reasons.

One does not have to be a genius to see that any monies taken from taxing the Church will just be stolen by this corrupt government anyway. So the funds will be used far less effectively. Giving more (and new types of ) tax to the thieves in government is just not a good idea.

[koykoy]

Yes, I agree with the above poster. Government will use the funds far less effectively. The church uses the funds more effectively such as buying salvation, shorthening the time spent in purgatory for our relatives, providing better life for the priests (such as state of the art dwelling space and latest vehicles) to spread catholicism more and in turn will yield higher and bigger donations, construction/renovation of churhes (with high cost materials such as precious stones and metals) so people will be awed and more people will go to churches and again as an investment for higher and bigger donations, etc.

Well, it's far better for the church to spend the money for a better road to heaven so we will reach there faster than better roads in our country for increased economic activity. Bwahaha.

[ramiscar]

Be Proud of Being Catholic
(Excerpts of an article written by Sam Miller, prominent Cleveland Jewish businessman - NOT Catholic) Submitted by Dee Lynd

Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?

Do you know - the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students everyday at the cost to your Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars. Your graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%, all at a cost to you. To the rest of the Americans it's free.

The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000 students. The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people - n ot just Catholics - in the United States today.

But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country. They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

Let me give you some figures that you as Catholics should know and remember. For example, 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact in a study by the United Methodist Church, 41.8 % of clergywomen reported unwanted sexual behavior; 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed. Meanwhile, 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia. 10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia.

This is not a Catholic Problem. A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church. You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests that have probably been totally weeded out by now.

Walk with your shoulders high and you head higher. Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental agency in the United States. Then remember what Jeremiah said: 'Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls'. Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions. Be proud that you're a Catholic.

A Shepherd's Voice . . .: Be Proud of Being Catholic

[eax]

the government is unable to tax the church mainly because if they do, they will threaten the current government of pulling out their support. the church will call out on their followers to go up against the government if the taxation of the church will push through.

Kung mag-inana ang Catholic Church. I think they are creating seditious act.

[eax]

Be Proud of Being Catholic
(Excerpts of an article written by Sam Miller, prominent Cleveland Jewish businessman - NOT Catholic) Submitted by Dee Lynd

Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?

Do you know - the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students everyday at the cost to your Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars. Your graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%, all at a cost to you. To the rest of the Americans it's free.

The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000 students. The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people - n ot just Catholics - in the United States today.

But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country. They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

Let me give you some figures that you as Catholics should know and remember. For example, 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact in a study by the United Methodist Church, 41.8 % of clergywomen reported unwanted sexual behavior; 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed. Meanwhile, 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia. 10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia.

This is not a Catholic Problem. A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church. You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests that have probably been totally weeded out by now.

Walk with your shoulders high and you head higher. Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental agency in the United States. Then remember what Jeremiah said: 'Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls'. Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions. Be proud that you're a Catholic.

A Shepherd's Voice . . .: Be Proud of Being Catholic

I don't think so?

But if you read about Catholic Church Scandals in the U.S(Catholic *** abuse cases - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). They pay millions of dollars gud sa mga settlements. I think daghan kuwarta ang Catholic Church.

[JX]

ayaw oi kay masuko ang Ginoo.. hehe..

[likyam]

my stand on this:

i'm sorry. i'm a catholic by religion and baptized Christian and had done my obligations to the best that i can to the One above.

but i am not so enthusiastic about "the" Church today. Moral has been tarnished and we end up being fooled by "most" we say as clergies chosen by God.

wake up mo tanan. basin wa mo kabalo. like any ordinary people with greed, Church has also been corrupted since. Like ordinary people, not all clergies have the heart to serve the Lord.

with all the "baho" most of these priests did, all the big people of our church cannot even stand to what they call the TRUTH. Kato gipang.kasuhan asa naman? Sa amerika, nag unsa naman lang? mantinil na lang ug bayad. I believe in God with all my heart and i trust what His teachings tell me, but i am not also perfect. I am just speaking as a person. Kay kining mga tawhana are just like us. Their names have just been sensationalized after they received the title of "father".

but like government, these institution is also prone to corruption. kay if they were really true to their oath to God of service to everyone, wa na untay pobre karon.

sa news, unsa naman lang ang storya nila? puro nalang blame ihatag against the government. sala sa gobyerno ang pagkaobre sa uban sakop? i definitely say no. binuhatan na sa tawo ngano di siya mu asenso. unsa naman lang ang trabaho sa church? na mao man unta ang unang defense against sa kabus.

daghang money ang church, pero wa gyud matarong ug gamit. just look at those living extravagantly. they could have always say no politely and lived saintly and in the poorness. pero gigamit ilahang old age and mga sakitsakit just so to justify these things.

have these men of God tried sacrificing and go to remote areas as so their predecessors did? no. naa ra gyud tawn sa simbahan where they are assigned. they could have defied orders and become true servants. mao na like us, they are juts people. born with choice. and they choose to be where they assigned.

mao na i say, there is separation of church and state. but did the church ever separated? wala because they see they have the obligation to be vigilant against corruption in the government. but now that ordinary people saw the "STAINS OF SINS" on their own backyard, have they stood up against their co-clergies to be in the light of TRUTH? wala. So the separation should not be a hindrance to taxing this institution. Because the the money will be used for the betterment of everybody. It also alleviates the burden of those "rich and entrepreneurs" who have long been given the burden of high taxes just so because of their status in the society, leaving the Church happy because their earnings haven't been cut.

as to how the government would use it and if it survives corruption and red tape, only God knows. The only thing we could do is PRAY.

[shaven.poodle]

my stand on this:

i'm sorry. i'm a catholic by religion and baptized Christian and had done my obligations to the best that i can to the One above.

but i am not so enthusiastic about "the" Church today. Moral has been tarnished and we end up being fooled by "most" we say as clergies chosen by God.

wake up mo tanan. basin wa mo kabalo. like any ordinary people with greed, Church has also been corrupted since. Like ordinary people, not all clergies have the heart to serve the Lord.

with all the "baho" most of these priests did, all the big people of our church cannot even stand to what they call the TRUTH. Kato gipang.kasuhan asa naman? Sa amerika, nag unsa naman lang? mantinil na lang ug bayad. I believe in God with all my heart and i trust what His teachings tell me, but i am not also perfect. I am just speaking as a person. Kay kining mga tawhana are just like us. Their names have just been sensationalized after they received the title of "father".

but like government, these institution is also prone to corruption. kay if they were really true to their oath to God of service to everyone, wa na untay pobre karon.

sa news, unsa naman lang ang storya nila? puro nalang blame ihatag against the government. sala sa gobyerno ang pagkaobre sa uban sakop? i definitely say no. binuhatan na sa tawo ngano di siya mu asenso. unsa naman lang ang trabaho sa church? na mao man unta ang unang defense against sa kabus.

daghang money ang church, pero wa gyud matarong ug gamit. just look at those living extravagantly. they could have always say no politely and lived saintly and in the poorness. pero gigamit ilahang old age and mga sakitsakit just so to justify these things.

have these men of God tried sacrificing and go to remote areas as so their predecessors did? no. naa ra gyud tawn sa simbahan where they are assigned. they could have defied orders and become true servants. mao na like us, they are juts people. born with choice. and they choose to be where they assigned.

mao na i say, there is separation of church and state. but did the church ever separated? wala because they see they have the obligation to be vigilant against corruption in the government. but now that ordinary people saw the "STAINS OF SINS" on their own backyard, have they stood up against their co-clergies to be in the light of TRUTH? wala. So the separation should not be a hindrance to taxing this institution. Because the the money will be used for the betterment of everybody. It also alleviates the burden of those "rich and entrepreneurs" who have long been given the burden of high taxes just so because of their status in the society, leaving the Church happy because their earnings haven't been cut.

as to how the government would use it and if it survives corruption and red tape, only God knows. The only thing we could do is PRAY.

bitaw, i agree with you.. if the church maintains its very LOUD VOICE in current affairs, and considering the amount of money it gets from its followers which is not put to good use, maayo unta if it can also contribute to the society which it is an itegral part of (for most people).. if way labot sa tax, maghilom na lang pud unta uy when it comes to government affairs. The priests took the vow of poverty, and look at them now. Ang cars, large houses, investments, real estate which belong to them. PArt of this money would be a big help sa atong government, for funding of basic services, roads, health care...the list is endless..

[amarikaira]

ay dah. dapat rana silang i-apil sa tax oi, kung di gali, mo abot ang panahon na wala nay mo sulod sa ilang simbahan... kay mahal pamilite... hehehehe... nya pwede pud nila butangan og balcony ang simbahan... lol. joke!