At the very least, the church ought to be required to give financial information to its member before taking advantage of that loophole.

"The answer is very simple: instead of being tax-free, churches should be taxed double. They should be taxed right out of existence." ~ William S. Burroughs

You've made a very good point, why can't tax exempt organizations be required to provide information on their financial dealings? What's the problem with that? People who contribute directly, along with those who subsidize these organization's activities through tax deductions, have a right to know and not be kept in the dark.

burroughs was a drug addict who shot his wife in the head while trying to play william tell with a pistol. not a very good role model.

They're just agreeing with his statement about churches. Do you find that statement in error or were you just practicing the ad hominem form of debate?

just sayin'.

I had no idea who he was at the time.

Columbia in the '70's.

Strange days.

In order to qualify for tax exempt status, a charitable organization should be required to disclose its financials, especially to its members. Otherwise, if the organization wants to withhold that information, then they should pay taxes.

The financial services industry is going through the ringer over transparency and disclosure issues and really being held to a much higher standard than in days of yore. Thank you Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs. You make us proud, but I digress. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with full disclosure? How could anyone argue that? The fountain of all truth and knowledge is going to argue against THAT? taxing churches is unfortunately a ways off; but disclosure??? ChurchCo is on the wrong side of history..... again.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2011 10:03PM by badfish.

Can anyone respond to her statement:

"Actually a monetary accounting is given by the auditors at the beginning of General Conference. Every ward is audited every year."

Twinker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can anyone respond to her statement:
>
> "Actually a monetary accounting is given by the
> auditors at the beginning of General Conference.
> Every ward is audited every year."


Yes, that is true. They have their own dept that does all the audits.

Are you saying that at Conference, an accounting is given to members for all the money the church collects? Where can one find that information?

There is no big long disclosure of how the money was spent. Just that everything checks out A-OK!

Extremely difficult, probably next to impossible to change the tax code.
Not going to happen.

I see nothing wrong, in principle, with churches paying taxes on their profits (not income). They are churches, and have no need to make profits!

If they have any surpless after they have taken care of their business, then they are at liberty to give the surpless away to charities, or use it themselves in a charitable manner, ensuring they break even and don't owe any tax.

The only churches that would be penalised if they were taxed on their profits, are churches that operate as businesses!