Finally they are going after preachers who steal in the name of God

Let's see now, how does this usually go?...

Typical modern day persecution of Christians and religious belief . Unless of course some wrongdoing is proved. Then there were never any real Christians involved nor did they have any genuine religious belief.
 
And if the ministries have complied with tax laws, what will the critics say?

How many think it'll be, "I was a wrong, I'll shut my big mouth".
 
The feds waited untll just a week or two before the due date for everybody that got an extension in April to arrest those tax protesters that were holed up in their property... now they have to flex a little more muscle... their retirements are on the line you know...

What took 'em so long to get after these televangelists?? Some of those people have been around for 30 years... and talking about their private jets on television...
 
Unlike the government, they aren't forcing anyone to send them money. If they are lying about where the money goes, then that is fraud and they should be prosecuted. Kind of like if you make a grant to a university for a specified purpose and they accept it with that stipulation, then years later try to ignore it. Oh sorry, that would be Princeton, not some televangelist so i guess no one in Washington will be upset.

I know that one of these preachers, Kenneth Copeland, is very upfront about having private jets, etc. He makes the case that he is running a multi-million dollar organization, traveling all over the world on revivals, running a TV ministry and that private jets, etc are necessary tools for his ministry, just as they would be for a corporate CEO running a similar operation.

Why the focus on these independent evangelists? Why not have a look at the Catholic Church? Last time I checked, the Pope and his Cardinals were awash in luxury. What's the difference? Or how about Jesse Jackson? Or muslim leaders?

I find the politics of this very interesting. If the democrats were attacking the religious right, i could understand it, but why is Grassley carrying their water? I sense that there is something going on here that is not immediately apparent, some sort of score-settling by Grassley.
 
please send me money.. it's going to a benevolent bearded man in the sky who will absolve you of all your sins and grant you everlasting life in paradise....honest

am i lying? am i a fraud?

my jets and limo caddies and million dolla homes.. that's all for you :p
 
Good - break em I say.

I'm finally seeing a backlash at the local level too - zoning board, loan committees, bizmen. Some of us are fed up with their shitty metal trailer churches going up everywhere, neon signs, in your face advertising... . Bad for real estate values too.
 
Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

I know that one of these preachers, Kenneth Copeland, is very upfront about having private jets, etc. He makes the case that he is running a multi-million dollar organization, traveling all over the world on revivals, running a TV ministry and that private jets, etc are necessary tools for his ministry, just as they would be for a corporate CEO running a similar operation.
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Presumably then, your multimillion dollar jet setting minister friend won't mind being "up front" in paying tax like the corporate CEO running a similar operation.
 
Quote from stu:

Presumably then, your multimillion dollar jet setting minister friend won't mind being "up front" in paying tax like the corporate CEO running a similar operation.
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What makes you think they don't? They both take advantage of every opportunity to minimize taxes. If you don't like religious organizations getting a tax break, complain to congress.
 
Quote from AAAintheBeltway:

What makes you think they don't? They both take advantage of every opportunity to minimize taxes. If you don't like religious organizations getting a tax break, complain to congress.
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I know they don't, and I think you do too..

Ministers with the lifestyle of billionaires receive special tax exemption no others can.
CEO's and organizations can make same or larger contributions to charitable causes, many do, But they cannot take advantage of the same privilaged tax breaks ministers, their church enterprises, and their employees can. Income and housing deduction breaks for example, in gargantuan proportions, billion$ of tax dollars exempted for no special justifiable cause..

Why would you imagine ministers and churches can justify the same lifestyle as billionaires, when they are not responsible for paying the same taxes as billionaires?
 
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