I know it seems dubious, but perhaps with dimishing attendance & loyalty, Perhaps churches will realize the credibility benefit & not fight transparency...

I think most people regard Scientology as a straight-up scam, don't they?
The megachurch pastors are so blatant about their wealth & benefits...

Sure, the government could require an annual financial disclosure statement. US charities that are not churches are required to do that. Charities, including churches, must do it in at least Canada, New Zealand and Australia, so it is clearly possible. The US lacks the political will.

The problem is, Americans like religion. So as long as the majority of voting Americans think the Bible is the bee's knees, the answer is no.

I have a right to donate to any organization I want to even if they choose to not reveal their finances
I believe the first amendment gives me the right to be exploited if I so choose.

PHIL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a right to donate to any organization I
> want to even if they choose to not reveal their
> finances


The flip side of this perspective is also effectively the answer to the thread's question: if you want to know where your money goes, then don't donate to a group that doesn't disclose its finances.

As Summer mentioned, most churches do disclose their finances to members.


Ironically, the Bible talks about evildoers preferring to operate in the dark, for fear that their deeds will be exposed by the light (paraphrasing--not gonna look it up).

So, churches that don't disclose their finances are operating in the dark, and therefore not operating by their own Biblical principles (IMO).

It could be changed through legislation. As it stands now, IMO most churches in the U.S. are financially transparent to either their members, the public at large, or both. The Mormon church is an outlier in that regard.

No.

Anyone who doesn't think that America is basically a theocracy needs to give it more thought.

Politicians get hooked on religion even if they don't believe. You can't tax God or you lose votes. So you don't tax God.

Being financially transparent and being taxed are not the same thing.

Yes, but as the churches realize, the one will lead to the other faster than you can say "Colin Kaepernick." So ultimately this is indeed about taxes.

It simply is not going to happen. In this case the church played their cards close to the chest, and was forced into laying down the winning hand by a whistle blower.

They have their 100 Billion fund, nothing is going to change that. Did they take advantage of people by not disclosing and such? They sure did!

Do they care what any of us think now? No!

Its like the person who get the inheritance and has all the money they need. So they tell the employer, friends, and family to take a hike. They no longer need to play that game.

So one thing the Q15 knows, they have all the money and real estate they need, and will simply tell us non-conformists to buss off. While at the same time they continue to add to their portfolio's by way of those who still cry Baaaaahhhh......and follow the herd.

. . . or people could be responsible with their money. I refuse to give to organizations that don't provide a full and transparent accounting.