Posted on 03/04/2014 10:46:18 AM PST by greyfoxx39
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a religious organisation registered as a private unlimited company in the UK, was told in 2005 that it was not exempt from paying business tax on its temple in Preston, Lancashire.
Because the public were not allowed access to the temple, which was reserved for the most devout Mormons, the High Court dismissed their appeal in July 2008.
However, the church refused to accept the decision, claiming that it amounted to discrimination on religious grounds and taking their battle all the way to Strasbourg.
Now the European Court of Human Rights has upheld the ruling of the British courts.
-SNIP-
Only the most devout members of the church, who hold a "recommend" status, are entitled to enter the temples.
The House of Lords ruled that the Preston temple was not qualified as a "place of public religious worship" since access was restricted to this select group.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Thankfully she is the stronger leader and they follow her. Oldest son is 21 and sort of out of there. Younger son is 16 and going to live with mom so I guess we can only hope for the best.
Now that's making it personal.
No; you can pray; too.
Remember the Prodigal Son's dad...
Nah; it references a GROUP.
One must a SMALLER tar brush to make it personal; like morally superior.
“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”
- Napoleon Bonaparte
That’s naïve. This is a direct attack on freedom of thought/religion. It won’t stop at Mormon temples. You’re foolish if you think so.
Saved that up for today, did you?
“It was because these temples are NOT public houses of worship(only a few select members can get it)”
Yea like some mosques we know who don’t let women in!!
*The UK Treasury is a Victim of Mormon Church Acts of Criminal Financial Fraud Involving the Mormon Church’s Collection of Tithes
First, note should be made of the Mormon Church’s status as a charity under UK law. Per the administration of that law, a Charities Commission is assigned the responsibility of establishing basic “badges” by which a given group can be legally designated as a charitable organization. The badges have since been expanded to cover seven categories.
Two of those badges include:
1) religion; and
2) relief of poverty
In the past, it was assumed that if one was both “God-fearing” and a religion, then it was a given that the religion involved was for “public benefit.” But, under present UK law, this is no longer the case. Under Charities Commission requirements, a religion must demonstrate that it exists for “public benefit.” A recent ruling from the English High Court declared that even the state-established Church of England is no long automatically assumed to be a “public benefit.” It is required under Charity Commission regulations to make the case that it exists for “public benefit”—meaning that it can no longer claim that because it is a religion, it is for “public benefit.”
Whether the Mormon Church actually serves as a “public benefit” in Great Britain is a matter for serious consideration, given how Mormon Church criminal financial fraud has victimized the UK Treasury.
The following example illustrates that fact:
When UK citizens pay tithing to the Mormon Church, they receive tax relief from the British government. For instance, when a British citizen pays $100.00 in the form of a charitable donation to the Mormon Church, $80.00 of that amount is paid to the Mormon Church directly from the Mormon Church member making the donation. The remaining $20.00 is paid directly by the British government to the Mormon Church, with that amount coming to the Mormon Church from the British government out of taxes which were paid by the donor to the UK government. In other words, based on British tax rates, 20% of the charitable contribution is first deducted and goes to the British government. The UK citizen pays 80% of their charitable donation to the Mormon Church, with the British government paying the remaining 20% to Mormon Church.
In the time period that the Fraud Act of 2006 has been in effect, the total tithing paid by Mormon citizens of the UK to the Mormon Church has amounted to approximately $300 million. This constitutes a financial gain to the Mormon Church. Included in that Mormon Church income figure is tax relief upwards of $60 million. The Mormon Church would not have received that financial gain if its members had not been induced to give tithing to the Mormon Church based on false claims made by the Mormon Church.
The Mormon Church operates a tithe-collecting company in the UK, which serves as its “charitable” arm. This company is registered with the UK Charities Commission as a charity, and is organized under the name of “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [Great Britain].” It is the main company incorporated in England by the Mormon Church and is assigned the role of receiving tithes from UK members of the Mormon Church. (Phillips says he could have, if he had so chosen, sought legal redress from this UK-based company).
The financial gains made by the Mormon Church through its collection of tithes—which are generated through intentional false representation of its “truth” statement— therefore constitute acts of criminal fraud committed by Mormon Church against both individual UK citizens and the UK Treasury.
_____
Thank you! I hate to get all College Professor on you but I do like to check sources.
Interestingly, the Jewish Temple of Jesus' day would not have qualified as a place of worship under these criteria. There were specific lines beyond which, successively, gentiles, Jewish women, Jewish men, Levites, and priests could not go. Only the High Priest himself was supposed to enter the Most Holy, and then on only one day a year.
Interestingly, the Jewish Temple of Jesus’ day would not have qualified as a place of worship under these criteria. There were specific lines beyond which, successively, gentiles, Jewish women, Jewish men, Levites, and priests could not go. Only the High Priest himself was supposed to enter the Most Holy, and then on only one day a year.
And only allows the “most holy” to come inside.
A return to legalism for the benefit of man’s desire to control his fellow man.
...and if a church intentionally defrauds the government in order to access tax breaks, they should be, as the mormon church IS, called to account for the criminality.
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