Posted on 11/07/2007 4:43:26 AM PST by fkabuckeyesrule
I think many of these "prosperity preachers" are tacky, but so are almost all your nouveau riche who acquired their wealth in perfectly legal fashion. How the CEO spends his salary is entirely up to him, unless his Board of Directors or the stockholders decide it's fishy. And if it's a sole proprietorship or closely held corporation, it's nobody's business but his own, unless he's cheating the IRS (and the tax man can deal with that without the intervention of the state legislature).
What's to stop the government from investigating any church, once they set this precedent?
This looks like an attempt on the part of the legislature to get its hands on those tax-exempt church dollars. It's SOP to target the unpopular first, makes it easier to get the rest of them later.
I’m trying to figure out why the lifestyles of the rich and shameless behind the pulpit are any business of the even more rich and shameless hypocrites in Congress. Maybe they are looking for trade secrets.
2 Peter 2
1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Exactly --
Just what I was thinking. A Senator implying that others' wealth is illegitimate? Go get an honest job yourself, Senator!
My church home has turned from being a very small outfit meeting in someone's living room to a large church. They hand out an annual financial statement summarized on four or five pages; if you want more detail about salaries and other expenses, you have only to ask. They figure that parishioners have a right to know that their tithes are being spent on God's work and not on cars and boats. If your church isn't that forthcoming, maybe you might ask them why, and consider finding another church.
My church puts annual financial statements in the bulletin, and holds an open meeting of the Finance Council so that people have the opportunity to discuss it.
When I went from being a Presbyterian to being a Methodist, I was shocked at the amount of secrecy in the church. Presbyterians put everything in clear view.
The Lutherans are so secretive, a friend left his Lutheran church because he saw financial shennanigans. The committee basically told him to shut up or leave. Nothing illegal just using money the wrong way.
The church I grew up in and the one I belong to now are open books to their members and always have been. If the state of fed wants to see what we are up to, no problem. If it were any other way, I wouldn't be a member.
I know why, and I am gone. You can’t run a church like a business. Heck, even business’s have financial disclosure.
***This looks like an attempt on the part of the legislature to get its hands on those tax-exempt church dollars. It’s SOP to target the unpopular first, makes it easier to get the rest of them later.***
I’m glad you said that. My thoughts exactly.
My ‘megachurch’ outside Atlanta prints financial information in every Sunday’s bulletin. As transparent as they come.
If I didn’t know how my church was spending my money it would no longer be “my” church.
Just curious...was there some theological reason, or did you just happen to find a Methodist church you liked better than your current Presbyterian church?
A: Never.
Presbyterians don’t have summer Sunday School. It was either Methodist or Baptist. I liked the Methodists better.
Please tell me I'm not the only person who finds something wrong, maybe even humorous, in that phrase.
And if it's a sole proprietorship or closely held corporation, it's nobody's business but his own, unless he's cheating the IRS (and the tax man can deal with that without the intervention of the state legislature).
It's nobody's business but his own until he claims tax-exempt status. There have to be some kind of standards and oversight for tax-exempt church status, or otherwise small businesses will start disappearing, replaced by used-car ministries and real estate ministries.
unless he's cheating the IRS (and the tax man can deal with that without the intervention of the state legislature).
Who said anything about state legislatures? This investigation is being launched by Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, of the United States Senate. Congress oversees all federal agencies, including the IRS.
What's to stop the government from investigating any church, once they set this precedent?
What's to stop the government from investigating any business, or any citizen? The courts, public backlash, and so on. You aren't immune from every rule by the simple act of calling yourself a church.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.