Here in the United States we have a number of “preachers” who live in mansions, own multiple fancy cars, run huge mega-churches that rake in hundreds of thousands of dollars in their weekly offerings, sell books, offer chatkes as love gifts, , run television stations that collect income from advertising, all while claiming that because it is part of their ministry and, therefore, church related, it is all exempt from taxes.
Ryan T. Cragun, a sociologist at the University of Tampa, and two of his students, Stephanie Yeager and Desmond Vega authored a study that found:
“When people donate to religious groups, it’s tax-deductible. Churches don’t pay property taxes on their land or buildings. When they buy stuff, they don’t pay sales taxes. When they sell stuff at a profit, they don’t pay capital gains tax. If they spend less than they take in, they don’t pay corporate income taxes. Priests, ministers, rabbis and the like get “parsonage exemptions” that let them deduct mortgage payments, rent and other living expenses when they’re doing their income taxes. They also are the only group allowed to opt out of Social Security taxes (and benefits)”.
And all this equals $83.5 billion in religious subsidies.
Recently a church called the police because a 104 year old member had criticized the minister’s preaching style and they wanted her escorted out of the church. The church pays no taxes, but wanted the tax supported police to enforce a vote of their church council.
Meanwhile, there are homeless people dying on the streets and children going to bed hungry each night.
It irks a lot of us, and among us is the pope.
Pope Francis has asserted that if churches are not willing to do anything to help the needy, they should be paying taxes like any other business.
“Some religious orders say ‘No, now that the convent is empty we are going to make a hotel and we can have guests, and support ourselves that way, or make money.’ Well, if that is what you want to do, then pay taxes! A religious school is tax-exempt because it is religious, but if it is functioning as a hotel, then it should pay taxes just like its neighbor. Otherwise it is not fair business”.
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In an interview with Aura Miguel of Portugal’s Radio Renascença, he urged Christians not to fall victim to the “God of money”.
I am sure this attitude has many of the preachers who live in multiple high end mansions with garages that house all their fancy cars and travel by personal Lear jets to gatherings that bring in more money upset.
But it should be supported by those who in good faith give money to churches assuming it is being spent according to the teachings of Christ to clothe the naked, feed the hungry.
It will be very interesting to see what reception he gets in congress.
It was perfectly acceptable, if not desired, that during his speech to Congress Bibi Netanyahu spoke against the policies of President Obama.
It will be interesting this time to see what the reception is if the pope speaks against unfettered capitalism, income inequality, Congress’s turning its back on the poor, the homeless and living children, and our failure to be good stewards of the world we were told by God to care for.
I’m sure those who disagree with his words on these topics will use them as “proof” that Pope Francis does not understand Christianity.
* Note the use of quotation marks and a lower case ‘c’.