Apparently then you have no reading comprehension Reniaa. Go read again.
Oz Govt following UK & French lead on Tax/Charity status
by Mattieu 153 Replies latest watchtower scandals
-
-
bohm
Reniaa:
your just making stuff up.
"And since you clearly do not agree with the european court of rights over witnessess that shows your bias."
where have i said that?
Yes or no. Should a government be able to REVOKE the tax-excempt status for a religion which ABUSE said status?
-
isaacaustin
She is unwilling to answer that.
-
bohm
isaac: Only because she know the obvious answer is yes, but she didnt think about that when she made the sweeping statements on page 1.
And "i would like to rethink my position" is off the table for the great debator...
-
besty
Hi Besty It does for those that believe in them. It is a basic unalienable right of humans beings to learn about the religious options available to them. You can feed a poor person but should he get a chance to read and learn about the bible too? Religions first and foremost are supposed to provide for religous needs of their members and that is their purpose. Your right as People get less religious the governments will use this as an excuse to turn on religon. Not recognising religion are of expertise is just religious intolerance from a growing irreligious people. Your own list refering purely to wrongdoings you put at the witnesses doors is an example of your biased position. Which means you are in no position to look at Witnesses with any kind of objectivity. Your dislike puts them at the top of your hate list every time.
If you consider Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs then religion is definitely an upper level need. Typically charities recognise this and place more importance on feeding, watering and sustaining the life of a person before possibly considering religious education.
Religious freedom is enshrined in Article 18 of the UDHR. There are 17 other rights taking precedence over religious freedom:
Article 18.
- Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Note that the right to attempt religious conversions is not explicitly stated.
Religions don't have an intrinsic right to exist, or be subsidized by the taxpayer. Their existence is in the gift of the populace. We don't enjoy state-funded gladiatorial games any more because societal moral standards have changed. Likewise if society fails to see the benefit of a particular style of religion then eventually public policy will reflect that.
Not forgetting that taxfree status means that other tax-payers are picking up the slack. For every subsidy there is an equal and opposite payment somewhere else in the system. Every dollar the WTS (and other similar groups) get a tax break on is a dollar that I (and other tax payers) pay in. This the reason that government policy, in time, will reflect public benefit.
If there is no (or questionable) public benefit then private money will have to sustain the effort - there should be no problem - either the WTS (and similar) can perform a quantifiable public benefit or they can self-fund. I'm not arguing their right to exist or to recruit, just don't ask me to help pay for it.
A secondary issue with these NRM's of course is that they may in fact be causing public harm - I believe the WTS to be contravening various Articles of the UDHR with medical suicide and shunning policies causing particular harm. But that is another thread.....
-
hotchocolate
Awesome news, great post Mattieu x
-
Qcmbr
Modern society exists because of taxation, there is a point where self interest cannot provide certain outcomes. When taxation does not exist then the alternative is the rule of the strong over the weak ( and unceasing warfare). Taxation in a democratic style political system provides the means for enlightened administrators to provide some form of legislature/executive and judiciary system that is markedly more effective than lynch mob or sword point.
Without taxation no means exists to provide a professional army or police force to maintain any system of law so envisioned by the legislature. All organisations that exist in such a protected society get to benefit from the laws , the public infrastructure and perhaps most easily forgotten - the peace that can only be enjoyed by citizens when a professional army mans the walls at night.
It is immoral and parasitic for anyone or any group to seek to exist within those manned walls, enjoy rights defined by law and practise a philosophy other than nature red in tooth and claw and not contribute their share.
Organised religion must pay - not to support a political party or 'wicked system of things' - but for the right to exist as an equal entity amongst others. If religions wish to partake of filthy lucre - and become organised in order to collect pious taxation - then they must contribute to obtain the right to exist. If a religion refuses to contribute then it should be thrown out to fight for it's existence against every Viking war band, SS storm trooper and Marind-anim Headhunter.
Charity is the smokescreen that organised religions hide behind as they tax the spiritually needy while pouring wealth into buildings, art and political influence and impoverishing the wider society by reducing the communal tax. Charity is rarely performed by the organisation or from its coffers but normally as an additional unpaid contribution by it's already milked disciples. JW's pathetic charitable efforts have nothing to do with the contribution box Watchtower and it's golden calf bank accounts and everything to do with individuals making unpaid house calls. Now if they handed out all guilt extorted cash to the needy they found I might recant...
-
notverylikely
Sigh....
Mr A. paid taxes on his money. The 10 surplus dollar, francs, pesos, whatever, get put into the bank earning interes. He also pays taxes on the earned interest and then again when he spends it.
Mr. B put his 10 in the collection plate. He already paid taxes on it but he then deducts it as a charitable contribution on his taxes so he gets his tax money back. The church, since they run soup kitchens, preach, feed and cloth the homeless, ALSO gets a tax deduction.
Mr C. put his money in the KH contribution box. He also deducts it as a charitable contribution so in the end, ALSO doesn't pay taxes. If in France, the WT will pay taxes since the only thing they do is preach and that isn't counted as "charitable".
-
besty
what qcmbr said. word.
-
Bangalore
Remember the Jimmy Swaggart case?
Bangalore