Does being a furry make you go to hell? Christian

[Aetius]

The fact that churches are tax-exempt makes me want to become a violent anti-government rebel. That's just unacceptable from a government.

You do realize that if churches were made to pay taxes, then they would more or less have greater justification in becoming much more involved in government. Does "taxation without representation" remind you about anything?

 

[Lucy Bones]

You do realize that if churches were made to pay taxes, then they would more or less have greater justification in becoming much more involved in government. Does "taxation without representation" remind you about anything?

They ALREADY stuff their nose in the government like it's nobody's business. They just do it for free.

 

[Aetius]

They ALREADY stuff their nose in the government like it's nobody's business. They just do it for free.

However, taxing them simply opens the floodgates and allows religious organizations to try to have a greater control of government policy, as they are now considered taxpayers. Nice job breaking it hero.

 

[Lucy Bones]

However, taxing them simply opens the floodgates and allows religious organizations to try to have a greater control of government policy, as they are now considered taxpayers. Nice job breaking it hero.

So? It's not gonna change a damned thing. It'll be the same exact thing that's going on today, except they'll have to pay taxes.

 

[Day Coydog]

Which is why I only really accept agnosticism as a viable concept. Nobody knows if there's a God or not, and nobody can prove it. Full on atheists are just as full of shit as Christians.

Hey, hey, hey, now. Agnosticism is not a stance on religion, it is a stance about every concept, there are both Agnostic Atheists and Gnostic Atheists, just as there are both Agnostic Theists and Gnostic Theists.
I, personally am a Gnostic Atheist... I don't believe in any gods in the same way that I don't believe that leprechauns exist.

 

[Lucy Bones]

Hey, hey, hey, now. Agnosticism is not a stance on religion, it is a stance about every concept, there are both Agnostic Atheists and Gnostic Atheists, just as there are both Agnostic Theists and Gnostic Theists.
I, personally am a Gnostic Atheist... I don't believe in any gods in the same way that I don't believe that leprechauns exist.

Agnosticism is to have no stance on theism.

 

[Day Coydog]

Agnosticism is the state of not having knowledge or not knowing that something is true.

[h=2]ag·nos·ti·cism[/h] [ag-nos-tuh-siz-uh

m] Show IPA
noun1.the doctrine or belief of an agnostic.

2.an intellectual doctrine or attitude affirming the uncertainty of all claims to ultimate knowledge.

 

[Lucy Bones]

Agnosticism is the state of not having knowledge or not knowing that something is true.

Exactly why I say it's the only viable option. Because nobody knows anything about what's real when it comes to theism.

 

[Day Coydog]

when it comes to theism or when it comes to both theism and atheism?

Also... do you believe that it is more probable that there is or is not a god?

Atheism can be caused because of lack of evidence for a god or indoctrination, Theism can be caused because of evidence for god or indoctrination, so have no any evidence for a god, if yes, then you may be an agnostic theist, if no, then you may be an agnostic atheist. There is no in-between, the answer on if you believe is a yes or no question, just like a belief in leprechauns, do you believe in them? "I don't know." is not a very good answer.

 

[Aetius]

So? It's not gonna change a damned thing. It'll be the same exact thing that's going on today, except they'll have to pay taxes.

Having the idea that the status-quo would remain the same after a rather tremendous event (In this case, completely changing the IRS non-profit tax codes) is simply a fools thought.

 

[Lucy Bones]

when it comes to theism or when it comes to both theism and atheism?

Theism is a subject word describing the belief or disbelief in God. It applies to both.

 

[Lucy Bones]

Having the idea that the status-quo would remain the same after a rather tremendous event (In this case, completely changing the IRS non-profit tax codes) is simply a fools thought.

There will be no change, because there's nothing TO change. Churches already have all of the privileges of tax-payers, and abuse them all the time, they simply don't pay the taxes. All taxing them would do is charge them for the privileges they already have.

 

[Artillery Spam]

Hey, hey, hey, now. Agnosticism is not a stance on religion, it is a stance about every concept, there are both Agnostic Atheists and Gnostic Atheists, just as there are both Agnostic Theists and Gnostic Theists.
I, personally am a Gnostic Atheist... I don't believe in any gods in the same way that I don't believe that leprechauns exist.

I thought that was just your standard, run-of-the-mill atheist?

 

[Lucy Bones]

Pushing for taxing churches is the only logical thing I can really do. I mean, if I had my way, every last church, synagogue, and mosque would be permanently shut down for being scam businesses.

 

[Ricky]

if I had my way, every last church, synagogue, and mosque would be permanently shut down for being scam businesses.

A lot of churches, synagogues, and mosques give money to the poor.

I'm assuming you would make up for the losses :V

 

[Aetius]

There will be no change, because there's nothing TO change. Churches already have all of the privileges of tax-payers, and abuse them all the time, they simply don't pay the taxes. All taxing them would do is charge them for the privileges they already have.

Let me explain in a a detailed and much shorter manner.

At the present tax codes, you have many religious that actually contribute to society as charitable organizations and some that do as much as they can to become involved in politics (Which I think is fairly wrong).

Now, lets say the tax codes change to where ALL religious organizations are taxed regardless of charitable status. Not only are you going to have a huge amount of churches flood the courts, but now ALL the religious organizations have a justification to become much more involved in government. This goes hand-in-hand with my floodgate analogy that I specified earlier.

 

[Lucy Bones]

Let me explain in a a detailed and much shorter manner.

At the present tax codes, you have many religious that actually contribute to society as charitable organizations and some that do as much as they can to become involved in politics (Which I think is fairly wrong).

Now, lets say the tax codes change to where ALL religious organizations are taxed regardless of charitable status. Not only are you going to have a huge amount of churches flood the courts, but now ALL the religious organizations have a justification to become much more involved in government. This goes hand-in-hand with my floodgate analogy that I specified earlier.

I can really say I don't really give a fuck what churches are doing when it comes to charity, we should all be charitable ANYWAY.

Nothing they'll ever do will make up for spreading idiocy worldwide.

 

[Ricky]

I can really say I don't really give a fuck what churches are doing when it comes to charity, we should all be charitable ANYWAY.

Yeah, but saying that doesn't make people magically give a shit either.

People should be charitable AND LAST I CHECKED Republican states give more to charity than Democrat states.

So we should all become Republicans.

 

[Lucy Bones]

Of course Republican states give more for charity, they have more to give.

To be a Republican is to be the type of person who'll take down whatever competition you can to get ahead and make a shitload of money, and then give a bunch away in a philanthropic manner so the public doesn't hate you.

That's just Conservatism in a nutshell, there.

 

[Aetius]

I can really say I don't really give a fuck what churches are doing when it comes to charity, we should all be charitable ANYWAY.

It is that definition of "charity" that allows the churches to achieve tax exemption status. So I would say that charity is incredibly important in this manner.

Nothing they'll ever do will make up for spreading idiocy worldwide.

I have to say, a rather intellectual and intuitive counter argument.

 

[Day Coydog]

Theism is a subject word describing the belief or disbelief in God. It applies to both.

So what do you believe? Not know, Believe.

 

[Lucy Bones]

Churches are a business. They are in the business of selling hope. They should pay business tax just like every other business in America, regardless of charity.

 

[Lucy Bones]

So what do you believe? Not know, Believe.

I believe that I don't know if God exists or not. Nobody does, and anyone who claims otherwise is full of shit.

 

[Aetius]

Churches are a business. They are in the business of selling hope. They should pay business tax just like every other business in America, regardless of charity.

Really?

 

[Day Coydog]

I believe that I don't know if God exists or not. Nobody does, and anyone who claims otherwise is full of shit.

I also do not know if a god exists (to a point), but what I believe is that a god does not exist because there is not sufficient evidence. I do not know if a god does not exists, but I also do not believe that a god exists. I repeat: Knowing and Believing are not interchangeable.
You are being Sweden right now... and just remember, nobody likes Sweden. :V