04-28-2008, 09:26 PM
[quote Lux Interior]I agree that they should get paid whatever their sheep will pay them.
I also think they should be paying income tax on all those donations.
Right on Lux!
I agree. Their congregation can compensate them however they wish. And their compensation is a matter of public record, and the public is free to draw whatever conclusions it wishes.
The tax-free status of the church invites abuse of the privilege. I rarely agree with our European counterparts on matters of state policy, but Europe isn't nearly as tolerant of TV Evangelists and money-grubbing religious hucksterism as the U.S. is. (their restrictions on religious institutions reflect the differences in their revolutionary history, their religious institutions were historically more murderous and powerful than ours) Here we not only tolerate the abuses, our tax dollars support and enable it.
I also think they should be paying income tax on all those donations.
Right on Lux!
I agree. Their congregation can compensate them however they wish. And their compensation is a matter of public record, and the public is free to draw whatever conclusions it wishes.
The tax-free status of the church invites abuse of the privilege. I rarely agree with our European counterparts on matters of state policy, but Europe isn't nearly as tolerant of TV Evangelists and money-grubbing religious hucksterism as the U.S. is. (their restrictions on religious institutions reflect the differences in their revolutionary history, their religious institutions were historically more murderous and powerful than ours) Here we not only tolerate the abuses, our tax dollars support and enable it.