Big Tax Bill on JW's in France

by gespro 19 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  gespro

  I didn't find this in the threads so I'm posting it just in case you guys didn't see this [courtesy of ...ahem...JW's United]

  FRANCE - Court of cassation confirms Jehovah?s Witnesses have to pay 23 million EUR taxes

  The decision will be appealed before the European Court of Human Rights
  
  HRWF (21.10.2004) ? Email: [email protected] - Website: http://www.hrwf.net - On October 5, 2004, the Court of Cassation in France confirmed the measure taken by the Internal Revenue to impose a retroactive 60% tax on offerings received by the Association of Jehovah's Witnesses during several years. The amount to be paid is 23 million EUR and some property has already been mortgaged.
  
  At the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting of the OSCE in Warsaw (4-15 October 2004), a representative of the French « Association des Témoins de Jehovah » made a statement which was then circulated to the 55 official delegations and other participants. He was quoted as saying : ?No other religion in France is being taxed in the same way. The fundamental religious freedom of 250,000 who attend Jehovah?s Witnesses religious services in France has been dealt a severe blow by this court decision. Beyond the simple question of taxation, it is the practice of religion that is in question. The French authorities will say that it is a sovereign decision by the Court of Cassation, a legal decision. But I solemnly assert that it is an unjust measure that seriously flouts the high principles to which France is attached. This unparalleled tax measure has been criticized by the vast majority of specialists. More than 30 articles published in reputable legal journals have expressed the view that this tax is exorbitant and highly questionable. Jehovah?s Witnesses will appeal this discriminatory measure before the European Court of Human Rights.?
  
  The OSCE/ ODIHR posted the text of the statement on its internal website alongside all the other statements made during the conference.
  
  In 1996, the Parliamentary Enquiry Commission on Sects included Jehovah?s Witnesses on a list of ?dangerous sects? and made a general recommendation for tax authorities to check the accounting and financing of the so-called sects through tax audits. The tax authorities initiated an audit against the « Association des Témoins de Jehovah » (ATJ) and recognized the non-profit nature of their association but applied to them a law designed to prevent individuals from circumventing inheritance tax and which had never been used against associations. Through this procedure, the authorities applied a tax rate of 60% and claimed back taxes on individual gifts for the years 1993-1996.
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  Narkissos

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/79149/1.ashx

  Interesting development. Wait and see what the European Court will decide. On the one hand the legal argument of the French administration is debatable, on the other hand the whole topic can be considered a national issue.

  Whatever the case, the French administration's decision did not encroach on "freedom of religion". The activity of JWs everywhere goes on unhindered. Only Bethel has been somewhat affected, and the JW lawyers would have the court believe this is a "place of worship" (ha!). Actually it just tickled the transnational WT production and finance system.
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  frankiespeakin

  I think any religious organization that is making money should be taxed. I don't think a business has the right to hide behind religion to avoid taxes.
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  frankiespeakin

  I think the WT should be taxed in the United States. The trouble is too many christians would appose taxing religion in the US and so maybe a few more years of evolution might change that. We can only hope. I think man's comprehension of right and wrong evolving to see the wrongness of imparitality towards religious businesses and treat them fairly as a business.
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  Abaddon

  I think any religion able to prove that it does indeed worship a REAL all powerful deity should be classed as a charity.

  I love France. Not sure if I like the ban on headscrafs et. al in schools as I can argue myself to a standstill on both sides of the discussion. But I love them hitting th Dubbies like this.
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  Elsewhere

  It never fails to amaze me how the All Powerful Creator of Everything is constantly in need of cherity, money, and tax breaks in order to continue to function.
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  heathen

  To the WTBTS this is just another fulfillment of profesy . The nations are growing wrathful and changing times and laws to inflict various forms of persecution on freedom to inhibit the ability to pronounce the good news . It's nothing new but I think they should consider other options besides trying to reason with them in court . I would like to know how much they spend in court fighting these types of things . It would be faster and more beneficial to just pay the tax as the apostle Paul suggests, to him that calls for a tax should pay the tax and to him that calls for a tribute a tribute . Romans 13:7-8 .
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  Stephanus

  Tax is theft!
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  bebu

  I think it's fitting that the WT has to pay a tax on the properties it gets thru INHERITANCE. I mean, those folks weren't supposed to die, right? So why should the WT benefit from their death?

  bebu
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  Gerard

  For a corporation with a 1 Billion USD revenue per year, paying such taxes is like us paying for a lollipop.

  But the WT, Inc. is so greedy, the'll fight it to the end.