The fucking churches? Unfortunately, more often than not the people they're fucking are underage. Yet they usually get away with that, even when they work actively to shield their pastors and "youth ministers" from the law. They need not only to be taxed but also held to every other requirement of the laws that make civil society possible and viable. We all know they hate the very concept of civil society (or civil anything else), but if they want to exist among us they should be made to play by exactly the same rules as the rest of us.
I'd be fine if they had exactly the same status and commensurate responsibilities/requirements as all other 501(c)(3) organizations....and were actually required to comply (rendering into Caesar, as it were).
Conservative Christians are the first people to claim they're being persecuted any time they're prevented from forcing their views on others. They are also the people most likely to persecute others if given the chance. If you want to see what genuine persecution looks like, . . . hand power to the preachers.
I had smelling salts used on me after an accident in 'Nam. Since I'd never had a prior experience with them, I breathed deeply. Almost sent myself into orbit.
Would his use of his own pulpit to endorse his own campaign not also constitute some form of election fraud? He's effectively using his church's operating budget as a campaign fund, and there have 𝘨𝘰𝘵 to be at least a couple serious campaign finance violations in the mix somewhere.
"the churches did not know they weren’t allowed to donate to him"
One stupid idea, make the churches who want a non profit status sign a document stating they know the meaning of "non endorsement". They will still claim persecution but they won't be able to say they didn't know.
1. Christian Privilege. People who think that the law must protect only them and not constrain them.
2. Religious favoritism: Christian IRS staff and Christian politicians who let Christians get away with it.
3. Political cowardice: Politicians who know this is wrong but who don't want to be accused of "persecuting Christians, worshipping the devil, and being un-american atheists by their voters and their political rivals.
Which to me means this situation will not change until religion in the U.S. is so depleted by disinterest and attrition that the amount of lost tax money is negligible and the amount of campaign money donated is also negligible. Only then will the utterly ignored Johnson Amendment be quietly tossed out without much if any complaint because there just won't be very many churches.
How many generations will that take? Two? Three? Four? If the average generation is 25 years, that will be 50 to 100 years.
We've seen this sort of thing many, many times both here and at previous iterations of FA. As a rule, putting a religious person into political office doesn't seem to go well, even if most of them could play by the rules.
When you come down to it, though, if he can't follow the rules now by not endorsing himself from his pulpit, what do you think would change if he gained office? Sure, okay, one check might be an accident, but three? (For the record, I suspect that if most of the congregation knew where the money was actually going, the collection plate would be empty, but that's a separate issue.) Handing out signs for the congregation to annoy their neighbors with is never going to look good, either. At this point I'm not surprised he's losing at the polls, seems to me he's pretty badly out of touch in any event.
Good luck to the people of Abilene, sounds like they might need it.
He also contradicts himself and tells his followers to love their enemies and to do good to them. Not to mention that bit about turning the other cheek.
From NPR: "U.S. Rep. Keith Self, whose congressional district includes Collin County, tweeted: "We are devastated by the tragic news of the shootings that took place at the Allen Premium Outlets today. Our prayers are with the victims and their families and all law enforcement on the scene," Self wrote."
From Newsweek: "In an appearance on CNN, host Paula Reid asked Self for his response to criticism that "prayers aren't cutting it" when it comes to preventing gun violence. Self, whose district includes the site of the deadly shooting, replied: "Well, those are people that don't believe in an almighty God who, who has, who is absolutely in control of our lives. I'm a Christian. I believe that he is."
The blind (delusional) are leading the blind (delusional). It's a race to the bottom.
Their goddamned good-for-nothing God can't even stop mass shootings in his own churches and schools. How big a dope do you have to be to think he could stop them anyplace else?
There seems to be a mass shooting every day in Texas alone.
This is what happens when you have one party that is vehemently opposed to any meaningful gun legislation. And yet they consider themselves "pro-life."
Their omniscient, omnipotent, merciful god is making the mass-shootings happen...it's all part of his mysterious plan. His minions (the Republican party) do what he commands.
Is it me, or does the IRS need to grow a pair here? Frankly, I am sick and tired of seeing incident after incident where churches endorse political candidates from the pulpit or support with money, though the bread was returned in this case, or take other actions which are in clear violation of their 501(c)(3) status.
I'm beginning to think that a letter-writing campaign, aimed at the director of the IRS, is in order to let him or her know that their failure to act has been noticed and that we strongly disapprove of their lack of enforcement of the rules governing the behavior of not-for-profit organizations.
I've got a Red Coat gig today, so I won't be doing that right away ... but after din-din tonight? Don't put it past me!
Red Coats are ushers and assistants for the theaters of the Cleveland Playhouse, and I'm here to tell you, it's a GREAT GIG! Today it was "Tina:" the story of Tina Turner, told in song, and I'm here to tell you, IT ROCKED!
A great time, and I feel privileged to have been a part of it.
Oops, I should have said: "Playhouse Square." The Cleveland Playhouse went under very recently, and it's a damned shame. It was a good house that hosted a lot of great performances.
Churches are the original libertarians. They want to be absolutely, 100% free to do any damn thing they want TO anyone they choose to target. Lie, cheat, swindle, rape children, whatever the activity they choose to engage in, if you try to punish them or hold them accountable to any degree at all, you're violating their goddamned religious freedom. As libertarians they make even Ayn Rand look like a piker.
An airline? That's PURE stoopidity. Pot farm I can live with although it ain't very christian. Christ, just finished reading it. That's a LOT of unpunished crime there.
I'm not sure where Dubuque is, (or how to pronounce it so my dictation software has to be sidelined for at least one word) but it doesn't sound like the sort of place I might want to fly to. However in a spirit of enquiry and fairness I will check it out.
Edit: In fairness, there does seem to be enough museums and historical stuff to keep me going for a few days.
The fact that there are thousands of Christian sects who can't agree with one another on who the true Christians are leads me to believe that there ARE no true Christians.
TAX THE FUCKING CHURCHES.!!!
The fucking churches? Unfortunately, more often than not the people they're fucking are underage. Yet they usually get away with that, even when they work actively to shield their pastors and "youth ministers" from the law. They need not only to be taxed but also held to every other requirement of the laws that make civil society possible and viable. We all know they hate the very concept of civil society (or civil anything else), but if they want to exist among us they should be made to play by exactly the same rules as the rest of us.
I'd be fine if they had exactly the same status and commensurate responsibilities/requirements as all other 501(c)(3) organizations....and were actually required to comply (rendering into Caesar, as it were).
Conservative Christians are the first people to claim they're being persecuted any time they're prevented from forcing their views on others. They are also the people most likely to persecute others if given the chance. If you want to see what genuine persecution looks like, . . . hand power to the preachers.
just like the Spanish Inquisition
Well, that was unexpected. 😉
No one ever expects it.
Following the law is for the little people. Besides, if Jesus wanted his followers to obey civil authority, he would have said…… Never mind.
A dishonest christian? Someone help me find my smelling salts.
Next to the fainting couch.
Keep your clutching pearls close.
One of my pearls is secretly a locket and I keep smelling salts inside.
I enjoy smelling flowers but not smelling salts.
I had smelling salts used on me after an accident in 'Nam. Since I'd never had a prior experience with them, I breathed deeply. Almost sent myself into orbit.
If it's the same thing I was given years ago, it do tend to clear the sinuses.
Lily of the valley.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G9pPJQSzaA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNNcHoCDllw
Why is Beard running for a seat on the city council when his scripture tells him to set his sights on things above and not earthly things.
He's a pastor, damn it. He's supposed to know this stuff.
You don't expect him to play by the rules, do you? Well, there's your problem. Silly NOGODZ, rules are for other people, not pastors!
/s
When will I ever learn? ;)
You will learn, about the same time I learn to not sing offkey. In about 20 years or more.
I'll be 90 then. Assuming I make it. :)
Knowing it doesn't preclude ignoring it.
Would his use of his own pulpit to endorse his own campaign not also constitute some form of election fraud? He's effectively using his church's operating budget as a campaign fund, and there have 𝘨𝘰𝘵 to be at least a couple serious campaign finance violations in the mix somewhere.
"the churches did not know they weren’t allowed to donate to him"
One stupid idea, make the churches who want a non profit status sign a document stating they know the meaning of "non endorsement". They will still claim persecution but they won't be able to say they didn't know.
The churches knew, they just lied about it.
Churches? 𝘓𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨? Must be another day ending in y.
Dontcha know lying for Jebus is the greatest virtue? 😇
Christianity itself is built on a lie.
Zackly
None of the days end in why. They all end i g. Mandag tirsdag onsdag torsdag fredag lørdag søndag.
Sorry, I just could not let it go.
This is a combination of:
1. Christian Privilege. People who think that the law must protect only them and not constrain them.
2. Religious favoritism: Christian IRS staff and Christian politicians who let Christians get away with it.
3. Political cowardice: Politicians who know this is wrong but who don't want to be accused of "persecuting Christians, worshipping the devil, and being un-american atheists by their voters and their political rivals.
Which to me means this situation will not change until religion in the U.S. is so depleted by disinterest and attrition that the amount of lost tax money is negligible and the amount of campaign money donated is also negligible. Only then will the utterly ignored Johnson Amendment be quietly tossed out without much if any complaint because there just won't be very many churches.
How many generations will that take? Two? Three? Four? If the average generation is 25 years, that will be 50 to 100 years.
We've seen this sort of thing many, many times both here and at previous iterations of FA. As a rule, putting a religious person into political office doesn't seem to go well, even if most of them could play by the rules.
When you come down to it, though, if he can't follow the rules now by not endorsing himself from his pulpit, what do you think would change if he gained office? Sure, okay, one check might be an accident, but three? (For the record, I suspect that if most of the congregation knew where the money was actually going, the collection plate would be empty, but that's a separate issue.) Handing out signs for the congregation to annoy their neighbors with is never going to look good, either. At this point I'm not surprised he's losing at the polls, seems to me he's pretty badly out of touch in any event.
Good luck to the people of Abilene, sounds like they might need it.
Except for fundies, their goal is to impose a theocracy.
I swear, Romans 13:1-5 is invisible to Christians.
Not that they obey any other scripture that's inconvenient to what they want.
Caught again. The only words of jesus they follow are his words to hate.
He also contradicts himself and tells his followers to love their enemies and to do good to them. Not to mention that bit about turning the other cheek.
Boy, Christians sure hate THOSE.
From NPR: "U.S. Rep. Keith Self, whose congressional district includes Collin County, tweeted: "We are devastated by the tragic news of the shootings that took place at the Allen Premium Outlets today. Our prayers are with the victims and their families and all law enforcement on the scene," Self wrote."
From Newsweek: "In an appearance on CNN, host Paula Reid asked Self for his response to criticism that "prayers aren't cutting it" when it comes to preventing gun violence. Self, whose district includes the site of the deadly shooting, replied: "Well, those are people that don't believe in an almighty God who, who has, who is absolutely in control of our lives. I'm a Christian. I believe that he is."
The blind (delusional) are leading the blind (delusional). It's a race to the bottom.
https://www.newsweek.com/texas-republican-prayers-not-enough-shootings-1798861
https://www.thoughtsandprayersthegame.com/
Ted Cruz to the rescue! Rafael and his wife are praying--that should help! https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/07/texas-mall-shooting-ted-cruz-response-backlash
"You're worse than useless."
George Takei has just defined Ted Cruz in 4 words.
Their goddamned good-for-nothing God can't even stop mass shootings in his own churches and schools. How big a dope do you have to be to think he could stop them anyplace else?
There seems to be a mass shooting every day in Texas alone.
This is what happens when you have one party that is vehemently opposed to any meaningful gun legislation. And yet they consider themselves "pro-life."
Their omniscient, omnipotent, merciful god is making the mass-shootings happen...it's all part of his mysterious plan. His minions (the Republican party) do what he commands.
Wondering how Dem. Rev. Sen. Rafael Warnock will respond. Another elected Christian pastor.
Is it me, or does the IRS need to grow a pair here? Frankly, I am sick and tired of seeing incident after incident where churches endorse political candidates from the pulpit or support with money, though the bread was returned in this case, or take other actions which are in clear violation of their 501(c)(3) status.
I'm beginning to think that a letter-writing campaign, aimed at the director of the IRS, is in order to let him or her know that their failure to act has been noticed and that we strongly disapprove of their lack of enforcement of the rules governing the behavior of not-for-profit organizations.
I've got a Red Coat gig today, so I won't be doing that right away ... but after din-din tonight? Don't put it past me!
Red Coat gig?
Losing side of a Revolutionary War reenactment?
See my reply to Mal. :)
Red Coats are ushers and assistants for the theaters of the Cleveland Playhouse, and I'm here to tell you, it's a GREAT GIG! Today it was "Tina:" the story of Tina Turner, told in song, and I'm here to tell you, IT ROCKED!
A great time, and I feel privileged to have been a part of it.
Oops, I should have said: "Playhouse Square." The Cleveland Playhouse went under very recently, and it's a damned shame. It was a good house that hosted a lot of great performances.
It's a stage musical thing at the Cleveland Playhouse Square.
I think the IRS needs to learn what a pair is before they can grow one.
WHY? Others here have been ostracized and muted for suggesting such.
And this is from the most gun friendly state in the US. Especially after what happened yesterday in Allen, TX.
Yet another mass-planting of Freedom Seeds™.
Allen is the next burb east of me. My wife has shopped at that mall several times.
DAMN! That'll put a butterfly convention in your gut!
Is she ok?
Yes. She was actually flying back from Minnesota when the shooting took place.
Glad to hear she's okay. Would that her welcome home had been nicer.
AND THEY actually expect us to tour that hell/shit hole? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They are pro-life, after all.
Churches are the original libertarians. They want to be absolutely, 100% free to do any damn thing they want TO anyone they choose to target. Lie, cheat, swindle, rape children, whatever the activity they choose to engage in, if you try to punish them or hold them accountable to any degree at all, you're violating their goddamned religious freedom. As libertarians they make even Ayn Rand look like a piker.
Holding them accountable is considered PERSECUTION! to them.
Jesus died for their accountability.
Either that or listening to his followers bored him to death.
OT: How Christians rip unsuspecting people off.
A Christian health nonprofit saddled thousands with debt, built pot farm, a bank, and an airline
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/5/7/2167331/-A-Christian-health-nonprofit-saddled-thousands-with-debt-built-pot-farm-a-bank-and-an-airline
An airline? That's PURE stoopidity. Pot farm I can live with although it ain't very christian. Christ, just finished reading it. That's a LOT of unpunished crime there.
Messiairways?
"Rooted in Chrisitan principles." Ripping people off is certainly a Christian principle. Promising everything and giving nothing.
A wing and a prayer...
And those wings are the wings of angels, I'll bet. Would you trust Michael or Raphael to fly you to Dubuque?
I'm not sure where Dubuque is, (or how to pronounce it so my dictation software has to be sidelined for at least one word) but it doesn't sound like the sort of place I might want to fly to. However in a spirit of enquiry and fairness I will check it out.
Edit: In fairness, there does seem to be enough museums and historical stuff to keep me going for a few days.
Da-byook. :)
If you ever make it to Dubuque, stop by. I'm about 100 miles due west of there.
Where are the Judeo-Christian principles? [Insert cheap/haggling joke here.]
Let me cherry pick here, regarding Cannabis farms.
"Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth ..." (King James Version)
Actually, my herb has not contained seeds for years, but that is another issue.
My herbs have come back from the dead. Except for my basil, I have to replace that.
I lost a basil recently too – spooky! But my parsley has gone to seed and started coming back thank goodness.
Don't plant mint. That crap will take over the garden.
Couldn't even finish reading this. The first few paragraphs detailing the fraud sent my blood pressure into the stratosphere.
And Christians will still ask "Why do they hate us so?"
Or – and here me out here – not true™ Christians
The fact that there are thousands of Christian sects who can't agree with one another on who the true Christians are leads me to believe that there ARE no true Christians.
Where did I leave my bagpipes?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9e6ff44c5696527dd42f0b3cbbef24b473fe22a1387a9d0a87ac49607287d5e7.jpg
Warning: reality is hazardous to your health. Objects appear closer than they seem. Filling is hot.
Just like their Donuhld. https://scontent-ord5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/344307283_259415743328553_3772908205977589506_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=JRydMBa3_DcAX_2dxme&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.xx&oh=00_AfAiywXs9mneT6bISB2neVHbEuwg_jLTw_nYm_rCiwwlNA&oe=645C3859