A B S O L U T E L Y.

[kpete]

DonaldTrump
Churches in Texas should be entitled to reimbursement from FEMA Relief Funds for helping victims of Hurricane Harvey (just like others).

Then they should pay taxes.

Link to tweet

[Baitball Blogger]

1. Point, set and match.

[AllTooEasy]

10. What does Tax Exempt Eligibility have to do with FEMA Reimbursement Eligibility???

I do believe that religious organizations should pay taxes. I'm Catholic, and the collective Catholic Church of the United States should probably pay the most. The drawback is that this change in tax law would allow religious organizations to officially sponsor political candidates and parties(i.e. The Church of St. Reagan, Obama Witnesses, etc.). I'm still willing to accept that trade-off.

...but why should a tax exempt organization, like churches or any of these (https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/types-of-tax-exempt-organizations), be prohibited from receiving FEMA reimbursements for sheltering natural disaster victims? I would think that liberals would want to encouraged such charitable actions.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. I started to lose confidence in US churches when I realized that they have to incorporate.

Completely lost confidence when I got to know a clergyman and his wife who operated their own church. Started to see them in a very different way.

Look, you're either here to be a religious organization that relies on its parishioners to fund your charitable projects, or you're just another money grabbing corporation. Make up your mind.

[AllTooEasy]

14. I agree, but that's not answering my question

Believe me, as a Catholic, I've seen more shenanigans amongst our clergy than you have!

Still, why can't a tax exempt org (religious org or not) accept routine donations to advance their norrmal charitable causes AND be reimbursed by the gov't for taking some load off FEMA during a natural disaster?

[Baitball Blogger]

17. Whenever you pass money between public and private organizations, you create a loophole

that can be abused.

For example, there was some seriously crooked things that took place here in my town in the nineties. Involved people who were firmly embedded in community positions. These were people who knew how to play the media and one in particular was astute enough to drag in a priest for a benediction in a city meeting where he was going to try to "legitimize" a scheme that he should have been jailed for.

People here believe in Santa Claus. They believe lawyers never break their ethics code, retired military officers are always right and should never be questioned; and a priest's benediction sanctifies any dirty business.

Nope. Do not cross public and private funds. It just gives devious people more tools to fool you with.

[Paka]

33. Because reimbursement out of FEMA funds

simple reduces the amount FEMA can do and at the same time breaks down the barrier between Church and State!

[madokie]

36. So there is evidence of man on earth for thousands of years

about six thousands or so years ago man decided there was a god up there somewhere with a 'heaven' of golden streets, etc. A hell down below where one goes to burn forever. Somehow I think you people who believe in this fairytale are being mislead. IMO

You are no different than that bug that last hit your windshield while you were going whatever mph. When you die you will be dead and thats it

Again IMHO

To each his or her own but I'm not going to waste my time on religious bull

Peace
Have a great Sunday

[Dustlawyer]

39. Because FEMA funds come from taxpayers.

I don't believe and so I don't think they should get the benefits without paying in. I have been a small business owner and seen a LOT of abuse by so-called "preachers" and their families.

While a lot of churches do great works, many are like Joel Olstein, out to make a lot of money tax free. They don't care if they take a widow's last dollar. Many violate the prohibition on political support and are not charged or even investigated.

If they pay taxes I have no problem with it.

[RandomAccess]

30. Consider this

They HAVE to incorporate -- as non-profits, which is 501(c)(3) -- a tax category designation which also prohibits them from political activity.

Look, you're either here to be a religious organization that relies on its parishioners to fund your charitable projects, or you're just another money grabbing corporation. Make up your mind.

That's just not how it works. As a non-profit, they DO rely on their members and others for funding. That's what the NON-PROFIT INCORPORATION is all about.

[pnwmom]

12. The churches are suing because they want money to rebuild their facilities.

[Plucketeer]

15. God caused this hardship

Let God fix it as they're always saying he can and does.

[Delmette2.0]

22. Yes, let God fix it.

Some of the Christians say this is God's judgement on one group or another, some Christians just say it's God's will if one home is destroyed and people die while others are unscathed. So it must be God's will that their church is damaged and He will provide. Right?

Make them all pay taxes.

[mdbl]

41. Agreed. They should pray for their houses to be rebuilt

since government assistance is so evil - oh wait, it's only evil when other people need it.

[AllTooEasy]

16. Well that's different.

Fuck 'em. They should call their insurance companies, just like everyone else.

Simple Calculation: Calculate how much money it costs FEMA to shelter(bed, food, toiletries, etc.) one natural disaster victim per night. Call that amount V. Multiply that number by X percentage. Off the top of my head, X=.8 seems fair. Reimburse the tax exempt org(religious or not) X*V for every person/night they sheltered.

The rest is on them.

Thanks for the update.

[Alpeduez21]

28. How is the number of people verified?

Look at Olsteen. that megachurch enema nozzle would lie to get more money.

[Eliot Rosewater]

26. Why dont they sue Jesus?

[Alpeduez21]

29. ummmm......

"The drawback is that this change in tax law would allow religious organizations to officially sponsor political candidates and parties." Like that doesn't already happen.

[meadowlander]

32. Because their argument for not paying taxes is that they perform charitable community functions,

and if they are also reimbursed for those functions then they are double dipping.

[Chemisse]

37. This is the best answer. n/t

[demigoddess]

42. What does replacing a lost spire on a church have to do with need?

Also, how do we know that they already don't have the money from their members socked away in a bank?

Also people don't live in a church and sleep there. It is not a required space. Early Christians met out in the open. In an open field.

[Wounded Bear]

2. If only logic applied to conservative thought...

[BigmanPigman]

23. I need to remember that. Can I use the quote?

[Wounded Bear]

40. It's the internet...public domain...

[Gothmog]

3. These churches need to be paying taxes

[Enoki33]

18. At the very minimum they should pay property tax.

[smirkymonkey]

4. +1000

[PatSeg]

5. Yep!

[BigOleDummy]

6. Exactly!

You go Ms. James!

[maddiemom]

7. With all the politicing going on from many of the pulpits in recnt years,

they should pay taxes anyway. Not to mention all the real estate owned by, especially the Catholic, churches.

[fierywoman]

8. hello - separation of church and state?!?

[LS_Editor]

9. Damn right.

[lunatica]

20. That happens to me all the time

[Fritz Walter]

13. I'd settle for financial transparency to the public

Let's face it: the Salivation Army -- which is a church in all respects -- has been eligible for FEMA funds since Christ was a corporal. Yet they do not make public their financials. Oh, they make a big deal about how little the supreme commandant (or whatever HIS title is (their being just as patriarchal as the RCC)) receives in compensation compared to other CEOs, but there's always a little footnote to the effect that his family's housing is provided gratis. And I'm guessing they get housing upkeep, uniform allowances, and other perks.

My mother worked for SA during WWII and she told me that -- at that time -- most of the money they raised went to their London HQ. To fund important missionary work, don't ya know.
For all we know, it still does.

But then, come to think of it, our peeResident hasn't released his 1040s or other financials.

[kairos12]

19. Churches want $ representation with no taxation.

[Stonepounder]

21. Getting back to Trump's original Tweet.

I wonder if he includes Mosques as well? Synagogues? Ashrams? Or just Christian churches?

[NastyRiffraff]

24. I think we know the answer to that

He wouldn't want to piss off Graham, Bakker, Robertson, and the rest of the grifters.

[Eliot Rosewater]

27. No you dont, wonder, that is.

[YCHDT]

34. Only Christian and only white ...

[calimary]

25. Uh-HUH!!!

[raven mad]

31. I've been beating this dead horse since 1972.

And want to know HOW we can get a law passed to do it.

[paleotn]

35. They want to be reimbursed?!

For simply doing their job?! I'm sorry, but maybe someone can point out to me the passage in the bible where Jesus requested reimbursement for his time and effort. Isn't God supposed to take care of the church, thus they need no secular assistance?

[Horse with no Name]

38. Churches are given a tax exempt status because they are EXPECTED to help

the tax exempt status is not because the pastor wants a bigger mansion