Wiccans won't get tax break (tradition, churches, dogma, worship)

[Feathers in Hair]

Originally Posted by Dr. Nosophoros

I don't like taxes anymore than anyone else, but I feel that all religious organizations should pay tax just like every other business.

I think the real issue might be more about whether it is right for a Wiccan organization to have to pay taxes, versus having everyone pay taxes.

[retrorich]

Originally Posted by Dr. Nosophoros

I don't like taxes anymore than anyone else, but I feel that all religious organizations should pay tax just like every other business.

I agree. Especially the churches ruled by the Catholic bishops who told their parishioners that it would be a sin to vote for Kerry--a clear violation of the tax-exempt church rules.

[michel]

I suppose this is a typical occurence of the 'A law had to be made to stop people abusing the sytem' syndrome.

Someone in the past has set up a religious order, in order to evade taxes; a law was passed in order to ensure no one else could do this in the future. From then on, everyone has to PROVE that the religion is a 'legitimate one' and not a 'cover' for an enterprise.

During my 24 years in banking, I saw THE rule book increase from a thickness of maybe two inches to going on for ten inches. Everytime someone is caught 'doing a naughty', a rule is added to prevent a reoccurence of the fraud - whatever.

There was a story about a branch of the bank for which I worked; I think the story is most likely true, and gives a good example of the above.
The rules, for 'tellers' as you call them, included the necessity for a cashier to be sure that when a cheque (OK I'll give up with the American language variations) was presented, he/she would have to ensure that:-
1) The person handing the cheque in to be cashed was - without doubt - the customer. That meant that if you didn't recognise the customer, you had to get up, look at the specimen signature given by the customer when he opened the account.
2) you had to ensure that the customer had the funds available in the account before handing him the cash.

The story was that a passer by saw a cheque on the pavement, made payable to 'cash', and the cheque was drawn on an account of a bank down the road. Being an opportunist, this guy picked up the cheque, walked into the bank, and the cashier gave him the cash. The customer who had lost the cheque then reported it as 'missing'; the cashier was thoroughly chastised for not having observed the rule.

The following Monday morning, the manager of the branch noticed something was awry; there was a great big long queue into the bank, with dozens of customers in the queue outside. The manager went to see what the problem was; the chief cashier said 'We're obeying the rules, checking signatures, the balance of the account; just like the rule book says".

I won't quote the manager's reply, especially since having replied to the thread on swearing - I'll leave that to your imagination!!!