Churches, synagogues press for federal rebuilding aid after Sandy

[cbayer]

http://www.religionnews.com/2013/01/10/churches-synagogues-press-for-federal-rebuilding-aid-after-sandy/

Solange De Santis | Jan 10, 2013

NEPONSIT, N.Y. (RNS) The cornerstone of West End Temple reads “1960,” but the interior of the synagogue in New York City’s Rockaway Beach neighborhood looks like a construction zone — walls and floors gutted down to the wooden studs, bathroom fixtures gone, warped pews piled in the banquet hall.

The synagogue is being dried out after Superstorm Sandy pushed four feet of water into the building from nearby Jamaica Bay.

The Reform congregation has applied for a rebuilding grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but the $51 billion disaster aid package to be considered by Congress next week doesn’t specifically include houses of worship on the list of eligible nonprofits.

Civil liberties groups — and even some religious organizations — think that’s the way it should stay because of the constitutional separation of church and state. Others believe it’s discriminatory not to include institutions that often provide essential community services.

more at link

[peace13]

1. Tax the churches and this becomes a non issue.

I can hear it now...by churches we didn't mean Muslim churches. I say,....let a sleeping dog lie. This is what insurance is for and churches should purchase it if they continue to go free from taxation.

[cbayer]

2. It's an interesting dilemma.

They are making the argument that the building is used for secular purposes as well as religious purposes and that the community depends on the building, religious or not.

OTOH, the separation issue seems to be the most compelling reason not to grant them the funds. I would suppose that the community based services benefit from the tax advantages.

But then there is the argument that if the building were on fire, the fire department would still come whether the building were religiously related or not.

FWIW, they were most likely insured but regular insurance does not cover flooding.

It's a tough one, imo.

[peace13]

7. Hence the invention of flood insurance.

We have intentionally given tax money to churches for their 'charity ' work. This was a special fav of the &ush administration. We could have funded public assistance programs but instead they gifted the money to the churches to fund Church run programs. Go figure. Is it a wonder we have a mess now? If buildings are to be rebuilt they should be public buildings. The church can rent from the public.

It is clear that the loss of division between church and state continues to cause problems down the line. It just compounds itself!

[pinto]

3. I think Rabbi Slome makes a great point -

“I feel this should be treated like a fire or a burglary. The fire department doesn’t stop fighting a fire if it’s the synagogue,” she said. “I don’t see this as a foot in the door for funding for my religious schools.”

Tend to agree.

[Promethean]

4. I had to think on this one for a bit.

Fire and other disaster services are maintained by taxes. The reason a fire is put out in a church is because fires are a threat to everything nearby, not just the building on fire, so beyond just basic human compassion putting out the fire also protects everything near the church as well. That is a justifiable use of tax resources.

The Sandy damage is a different situation. Now we are looking at a group that has enjoyed tax exempt status for a very long time asking for funds that come from taxes. Not an existing service and not as a means of helping to protect other tax paying institutions.

The only reasonable solution I can think of is for the religious institutions that accept aid to also agree to be taxed in perpetuity. Of course the agreement must be done in a legally binding way that cannot be undone.

[Promethean]

5. On a more spiteful note

Maybe if churches spent less time supporting right wing causes there would be a more affluent middle class to give them the donations they need.

[cbayer]

6. And on a less spiteful note, this does not appear to be a temple that supports

right wing causes, but does provide many services to those in need in the community.

Not that that should make them eligible for these grants, but just to point out that there are many kinds of churches and painting them all with the same brush is unfair.

[Fumesucker]

8. The Onion is starting to lose its touch I fear

Normally they are a bit more believable than this, there is a thin line between satire and arrant lunacy.