LOL. Looks like you jumped from the frying pan and into the fire.
Steve Hassan says Stop Scientology Tax Breaks
by sammielee24 15 Replies latest jw friends
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maputo95
Highlander. I study religious and philosophical groups, from Hinduism to Scientology. I pick and choose what is good in each and reject what is unpalatable. I am not controlled by any of these high-control groups.
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sammielee24
Religion is difficult to define - it boils down to nothing more than a belief in 'something'. The most persuasive person can garner a following for anything which is why we have the diet guru, the life coach, the excercise guru, the fasting guru, the hobo guru, the beauty guru and so on. If some nut job came out and said that cow farts had a part in the universe and started standing in fields praying to the goddess of fume, I'm sure they could call it a religion and pull in a few followers. Put a couple of psychological twists to that - some structure, a few symbols and special days, talk a lot about nature - build a barn for the meetings on your land and call it a religion. No taxes for the barn that holds your cows! What a concept!
Everyone is free to follow their religious path but providing tax incentives is ludicrous- I once knew a guy who had his church in the back of his repair shop. Smart business move on his part to claim credits and the building might have held a handful of people there to pray with him but it still said church on the sign outside. His living quarters were upstairs so he had it all covered!
I have read some books on scientology but embracing the entire concept was just too far fetched for me - sammieswife.
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poppers
They use intimidation and bullying techniques and try to turn the tables on those who speak out against them. These guys would have made very good Nazis.
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wobble
I hope Steve Hassans call has an effect. Here in the U.K the WTBS of Britain has charitable status on the flimsiest of grounds,which would not stand scrutiny.
Unfortunately our Charities Commission has no money to fund investigations, so lots of dodgy charities here operate freely and fleece the public and pay no tax.
I suppose if enough of us wrote to them they may be forced to look in to it, but they seem very willing to take assurances from the people running the charities, rather than look at the facts.
Wobble
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dissed
Tax payers have subsidized religion for too long by them not paying tax on property and holdings. Why do they do this?