Tens of thousands of children have been molested by priests worldwide; hundreds of thousands of lives have been ruined, yet the Catholic Church and the Vatican continue to stonewall on this issue.
Should our government retaliate by having the American branch of the Catholic Church lose its tax-free status?
2007-07-06 20:30:03 · 18 answers · asked by daibato 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm sorry, I meant tax-exempt status.
2007-07-06 21:15:09 · update #1
paczjj15: Instead of removing these rogue priests, Guilfoyle and then Mahoney just moved them around to head different parishes. That's official condonement or an evil attempt to brush it under someone else's rug. The current pope had an opportunity to do something about this problem and did NOTHING! Bush had to pardon Benedict XVI so that he could not be prosecuted in the United States! Apparently pedophile priests in the Catholic Church have been preying on children since the fourth century, when celibacy was imposed on the clergy to avoid church property from being inherited by the descendants of deceased priests.
2007-07-06 21:23:40 · update #2
luteybooty: See the documentary film 'Deliver Us From Evil'; that's where I got the figures from.
You seem awfully worked up about it; take a chill pill.
2007-07-07 08:45:15 · update #3
I believe they have already lost something MUCH more precious than their tax-exempt status...
...and that is their "moral authority"...
Aside from that I believe the Government should stay out of ALL 'religious affairs' and vice versa. Why? Conflict of interest that's why.
No, not a conflict in or with or to THEIR "interests" BUT OURS!!!!
Regards,
2007-07-06 20:35:50 · answer #1 · answered by smithgiant 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not Catholic and I do not condone what some priests have done to some children; however, I don't think punishing an entire religious group for the acts of some sick individuals is appropriate. Moreover, do you really think that priests, pastors, etc. of other religious groups have also not done the same thing? So, do you remove their tax-exempt status as well? Once the tax-exempt status of all churches is gone, will that miraculously stop every pedophile within each church? Of course not. Instead, I think these individuals should be excommunicated and punished according to the laws we have, or else toughen the laws. At least then you are punishing the individuals commiting these horrible acts instead of every member of every church.
2007-07-06 20:45:34 · answer #2 · answered by Michael B - Prop. 8 Repealed! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Touchy subject.
The Catholic Church does not officially condone such actions. It also doesn't seem to have much to say about them, sadly. While I do think that churches, in general, should be allowed to be tax-free, I think that there needs to be some kind of accountability to being effective. Too many singleton churches have popped up around the U.S. that don't really do what the Christian faith is based on. They just end up being secluded chunks of any given city or area that keeps to itself. Essentially, the modern church has become a country club with a 10% price of membership.
2007-07-06 20:44:51 · answer #3 · answered by Jonny aus den USA 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, the Church does not approve of these actions in any way. These people are individually responsible for what they've done. Just because certain people are perverse does not mean that the Church should pay the price. Yes, these actions give the Church a bad image. But it's not the Church's fault. It's the faults of those individuals.
2007-07-06 20:50:18 · answer #4 · answered by CK 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Interesting nobody ask if those priests were punished. Are you saying that you would let them continue with the abuses but with out them getting the tax-free option? It doesnt matter if they get tax-free or not. Abusers will keep on abusing, and we need to stop them first. Don't blame the churches. Blame what they preach about having a physical relation with your wife. We are humans and we need to procreatoe. That is why GOD created men and women and asked us to take care of each other. Why do we say it is a dirty thing when GOD gave it to us a heavenly gifts. Why do those Priest not realize that because of their parents , and the love they shared , they were born. Life would become extinct if we keep saying sex ir a sin. Of course its a sin if not done with your wife. Thats what Islam says. yeah we got pervs too. They all shall burn in the same HELL.
2007-07-06 20:48:50 · answer #5 · answered by s2a_s3z 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
I think the government should provide money to the Church to help analyze and then solve the problem, which is not confined to the Catholic Church, but also occurs in every similar organization in the country ... especially the public school system.
2007-07-06 21:17:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Forcing the Catholic Church to pay taxes, while other religions retain their tax-free status is unconstitutional.
2007-07-07 01:59:09 · answer #7 · answered by Daver 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
>>Should our government retaliate by having the American branch of the Catholic Church lose its tax-free status?<<
That sounds unconstitutional.
2007-07-06 20:35:07 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why should the church lose its status because of what individuals have done?
What you're doing in this case is stereotyping everyone based on what some people have done. Everyone is responsible for their own actions. You might have a case if it was written in the church's laws, but it is not. You can't judge a whole group based on what a small group of people do.
(Have you noticed that everyone that says they should lose it doesn't provide any reason? That's because there is no reason that they should lose it.)
2007-07-06 20:33:55 · answer #9 · answered by Jason P 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Where the heck is your source for those stats? Sounds like you just made up a big number off the top of your head. Am I right? I'm right. I'm right arent I?
Tens of thousands!? Ha! Gimmie a real source- I dare you.
2007-07-07 07:01:59 · answer #10 · answered by Luteybooty 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋