I just missed out on the first topic you posted

I really cannot understand why you dont join a religon based forum. Lets be honest here, you may have feelings about the subject, but its clear you dont know anything about how it works in the UK. Quoting US sources (and in many cases just forwarding their comments) has little to do with the way it works over here.

If you are going to argue the point, at least do some reseach and give us a REAL argument, instead of spouting crap.


Ministers of any church get a salary, (or stipend) that is Income Taxed, they buy goods and food, both of which are subject to Value Added Tax. If they drive they are subjec to Road Tax and Fuel Tax, same with gas and electric.

Of course they are Taxed, we ALL are!

Sorry, I don't agree that he's a no brainer, I think he has a lot of interesting points that may or may not be correct.
They are without doubt views shared by many people in the world.

Re:tax
I don't know how the churches manage to maintain such expensive buildings and pay wages for people to live.
Churches are some of the most magnificent buildings in this country, real buildings not girders and concrete with fake bricks. You use one of the most contraversial churches as an example, I use St pauls, london or the anglican at liverpool. The anglican costs a fortune each day never mind over a year. So what would happen to these buildings which are far more than churches, they are beautiful magnificent works of art, History, tributes to great people who designed them, and to the many who payed for them and built them.

A religion based forum would have him banned before his second post lol .

You are wrong. Religions don't pay income tax, corporation tax or capital gains tax on their income.

This is because they are "charities" and one of the criteria for being a charity is the "advancement of religion" which includes preserving religious places.

They should be taxed like any other business IMHO. To think the state actually allows people who spread superstition, racism and homophobic views is bad enough. That they get financial benefits is disgusting.

I think some of you need to research this rather than make rash statements.

Lets take the follwing link from the HMRC itself shall we?

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pdfs/2002_03/religion/sa101m_notes.pdf

To quote another souce "All churches who have a payroll need to comply with the regulations relating to the deduction of income tax and national insurance from stipends and salaries."

I think some of you need to research this rather than make rash statements.

Lets take the follwing link from the HMRC itself shall we?

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pdfs/2002_03/religion/sa101m_notes.pdf

To quote another souce "All churches who have a payroll need to comply with the regulations relating to the deduction of income tax and national insurance from stipends and salaries."

I have no problem displaying this file on the PC and have just been to the RISC OS where, though the process is different, it still opens the pdf file and displays the contents.

Um, I think it helps if you know what you're talking about.

You're talking about the salaries of employees of churches. Religions, as charitable organisations, are excempt from Capital Gains tax and Corporation Tax in the UK. They also get other benefits.

[color="Red"]Ministers of any church get a salary[/color], (or stipend) that is Income Taxed, they buy goods and food, both of which are subject to Value Added Tax. If they drive they are subjec to Road Tax and Fuel Tax, same with gas and electric.

Of course they are Taxed, we ALL are!

[color="Red"]Why should the income of a priest or rabbi etc be exempt from income tax?[/color]

I know I am. It was clearly pointed out in my post that I was talking about ministers. I also refer to Jobee's first post.