Will jws become a cultural group as they did in Mexico or pay taxes?
Hungary strips JW's of its legal status as a religious organization
by Honesty 16 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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Quendi
So Hungary wants to return to the era of state-sanctioned religion, does it? Don't this country's leaders read history? Don't they recognize what kind of slippery slope they have set foot on? Separation of church and state is the only way to go. Religion should not be subsidized by any government for any reason. You would think that Hungary's leaders, less than twenty-five years removed from communist tyranny would tell religion that it is on its own. A religion that would request state subsidies certainly doesn't believe that God will support it. That lack of faith should make its adherents think long and hard as well.
Quendi
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ABibleStudent
It doesn't make much sense to pass that law, since all the banned religions will file lawsuits in the European Court because Hungary is a member of the European Union. Hungary would have been better off passing a law which would comply with the Laws of the European Union and collect a lot of documentation to prove their decisions if a religion filed a lawsuit in the European Court. I feel that in the case of the WTBTS that Hungary could easily prove that the WTBTS should not qualify as a bonified religion and take away any privileges (i.e., not paying taxes) that the WTBTS currently receives.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
ABibleStudent
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Anony Mous
The thing is that most governments are sick of these organizations springing up everywhere that are basically a business but claim religious status and go tax exempt. The Witnesses, Scientologists, Salvation Army, Mormons and in my area a lot of 'baptist' churches all have this status. The only 'benefactors' of these religions are the ones on the top (the pastor/priest/governing body/church elders) but they loathe giving it out. There is no giving to the poor or distributing the wealth or even setting up a shelter or soup kitchen.
Recently here there was a pastor that had a million-dollar home, multiple cars and the outrage was that it was all in the churches name. We even have a 'non-denominational' megachurch (think assembly hall-size) where about 1800 people get together each week to listen to 1 pastor and he gets all the (tax-free) money.
I would say, classify all religion as businesses. No more tax exemption for any of them. If they can't cut it with their business, then the business fails.
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J. Hofer
the current hungarian administration has done many stupid things lately... i wouldn't be surprised if they'd try to get out of the european union one of these days, just to continue their nationalistic agenda.
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Bella15
Exactly, the JWs claim tax exemptions all over the world without giving back to the community. I am sure they will cry out ... PERSECUTION!!!!
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mP
religipns have always been tools of the ruling elite.
look at the bible and younwill almost always hear poltical decisions being made by pruests or prophets. one never hears thenprophets telling king solomon to build an orphange or home for old mothers, never!
today we see religion where it is powerful in places like iran being a poltical tool again. governments give tax free status, because when they need religions to brainwash the masses they will be ghwre waiting tonhelp.