Worlds greatest scam- brilliant really

by Skinnedsheep 12 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Skinnedsheep

  Form a religion that promises people everlasting life if they do what you tell them. Self appoint yourself as god's spokesman. convince your members that they need to contribute money and years of time to build a high class lake front resort for "god's work". Tell them that when they do contribute time, money, and energy that they are making God happy. They feel fulfilled and you get your resort at no cost. Convince them that the project is necessary and proves that god is behind the effort. God needs volleyball courts, swimming pools, tennis courts, and a sauna.

  Sell the development for a massive profit and then start over at another location in 20 years.
• 

  Gopher

  I really wish religions were taxed. When they buy real estate they have such an advantage over taxpaying corporations.
• 

  smiddy

  It beggars beleif really why governments are so slow to wake up to the charlatans who pose as" not for profit "religous organizations ,get all the lurks and perks of tax concessions etc., make millions of $$$$$ in real estate deals , investments , etc.etc.and pay no taxes.

  These past 2 centuries have seen numerous "religions" spring up , and are now worth millions,if not billions of dollars , mostly due to the cocessions they receive from governments.

  smiddy
• 

  steve2

  Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, observed in the 1950s whilst he was "only" a writer of fiction such as sci-fi, that the easiest business in the world would be to start a religion and watch the money come flooding in. The Watchtower is simply one of many money-making organizations trumpeting the message of God's will.
• 

  bytheirworks

  Gopher, do you think it is a good idea to tax the 1st ammendment?
• 

  TheClarinetist

  bytheirworks: Religion is in many cases for-profit industry. It's quite disgusting, really. And "taxing the first amendment" isn't a fair representation of what Gopher said.
  
  Reminds me of this song...
• 

  mP

  Smiddy: Governments and religion are one and the same. its only until recent times that religion has distanced itself as a gov agency. In the old days priests were the local administrators of the king. This is why the French hated the Catholics and did what they did during the French Revolution. We can see the same in the Bible and in places like Iran and Saudi Arabia. In fact even today in the USA, the same is true to some extent in many xian churches. When the IQ and AF question came up did they not act as agents of the government and encourage their young men to join the army etc ? Gov know that religion is very useful and losing a bit of money to tax always gets paid back when they need soldiers.
• 

  stillin

  Speaking for myself, when I "found religion" the public-at-large benefitted greatly. I stopped thieving, reported my income for taxation, treated people better in general. Multiply that by the millions of others who have honestly gotten religious, whatever religion, and I think that the tax break for religions is a pretty good deal. Sure, there are other incentives to be a productive member of society, but religion is a biggie. I'm All for catching the charlatans and dodgers, but it seems like, in the big picture, religion still plays a positive part...when they stay out of the political arena.
• 

  MrFreeze

  bytheirworks, how is it taxing the first ammendment?

  Nobody can give me one good reason why religions should be exempt from paying taxes. Many peform charity works but maybe they could get a reduction on taxes instead of just complete exemption for ones that could be considered performing legitimate charity.

  Could you imagine how much the Catholic church would have to pay for property taxes?
• 

  nonjwspouse

  The tax break is supposed to be backed up by how the religionis giving back tothe community, weith the money. The charitible works. This is a huge difference between say the Catholic Church and the WTBTS. I believe I remember reading somewhere it is this rewquirement that lread to the recording of preaching hours, or publisher cards. It is the only" charitible contribution" the WTBTS has to prove they are giving back to the community ( Because it is all they will do for others officially, though we all know there are good hearted individual JWs that will do more).