NationStates Jolt Archive

i/c

The Government has recently declared that church revenues are now taxable.The expected howls of protest arrived on schedule and were greeted with an indifferent smirk from the Minister of Revenue and Taxation,Harley Trousermouse.

Bishop Fred,the Catholic representative,stated that if his church revenues were taxed a significant drop in aid to the destitute would result and assistance to missions overseas would virtually cease altogether.

A representative of The League of Infidels,as yet unidentified,replied,"So I guess you'll have to start selling all that fancy gold plated religious paraphanalia,then!"

The Bishop,apoplectic with rage,threw his gold covered bible at the LI representative but missed hitting instead a tour guide who was at that moment leading a group of schoolchildren on a field trip to one of our government buildings.

The tour guide suffered a nasty head wound but was listed in stable condition in hospital at the time of this writing.

Bishop Fred was subdued and led away in restraints.

Maureen Lizardlady,president of the Agnostic Synod,spoke up in favour of the tax declaring,"God,whoever it is,doesn't need money and couldn't care less if it was taxed.It is a Supreme Being,after all.It's just that established churches,having had this tax exemption in many countries for many decades,if not centuries have managed to amass great amounts of wealth and are reluctant to part with any of it.I believe the time has come for this free ride to end."

Barney Asshat,representing the Armed Baptists,declared that he and his followers had no such wealth and was outraged at Ms Lizardlady's remarks.
"We don't have no big piles of money nowhere,"he said sullenly,"but if'n we did we'd be sure to put it where y'all couldn't git it."

"That's because you spend whatever you get on ammunition,"replied Ms Lizardlady.

An investigation will be launched shortly into the financial records and business dealings of the Armed Baptists.

Msgr Juan Alvarez,Representing the Church of Christ the Redeemer(Militant) was notably absent from this meeting and efforts are being made to determine where he and his group are at the present.

Flogiston the Relaxed,our Benevolent Despotic Leader,not looking very relaxed during this near riot erupting around him,finally pulled a pistol from a shoulder holster and fired a shot into the ceiling silencing the chamber in short order.

His remarks follow:
"I have decreed that this tax is legal and effective immediately.There is no reason that ordinary citizens of this country should pay taxes while groups who claim sponsorship from a being as ephemeral as 'God' should pay nothing.As a matter of historical fact,churches have in fact acted as their own tax agencies,seeking tithes,passing collection plates and soliciting money not only from their own congregations but from people outside them as well.I am not outlawing this practice - yet.What I am saying is,if you take money in,the government seeks only its share of the proceeds.Crying poor is not an acceptable response.Lands,buildings,businesses and other assets owned by various religious groups have been researched and documented and assessments of these properties will be sent out at the next business day.Failure to pay the assessments will result in hefty interest and penalty charges of up to 75% compounded weekly.
That's it,that's all;debate is concluded.

The Jeruselem Catholic Church does not pay taxes due a special law which has not changed since it was introduced.

God bless

The Jeruselem Catholic Church does not pay taxes due a special law which has not changed since it was introduced.

God bless

i/c

We feel that religious organizations have had this special exemption for too long.We see,in our nation at least,massive cathedrals staffed with entirely too well-dressed clergy.Our tax reform package will broaden the tax base and measures taken thus far have resulted in tax redutions for many of our citizens.Churches are always saying that charity is blessed by the Lord - well,let them think of this as a type of enforced charity.

We don't seek to drain the coffers of religious organizations;we only want them to pay their fair share of the country's taxes.

Some members of these organizations have accused the government of 'religious persecution' - this is,of course,pure crap.We have not outlawed any religion and take an extremely dim view of any and all hate crimes committed in the name of God by members of one faith against another.

i/c

We feel that religious organizations have had this special exemption for too long.We see,in our nation at least,massive cathedrals staffed with entirely too well-dressed clergy.Our tax reform package will broaden the tax base and measures taken thus far have resulted in tax redutions for many of our citizens.Churches are always saying that charity is blessed by the Lord - well,let them think of this as a type of enforced charity.

We don't seek to drain the coffers of religious organizations;we only want them to pay their fair share of the country's taxes.

Some members of these organizations have accused the government of 'religious persecution' - this is,of course,pure crap.We have not outlawed any religion and take an extremely dim view of any and all hate crimes committed in the name of God by members of one faith against another.

We offer our services to calm the situation and to counsel the affected organisations to they can continue to perform their religious duties while paying the taxes the country requires of them. It is a heresy to suggest all churches are rich like the Catholic Church as most live and die by the support of small communities.

God bless

The Brotherhood advises Apathilazia to ban any and all religion whatsoever and to seize the holdings of any religious organizations. It is a threat to a nation's stability and safety and should be dealt with accordingly.

The Brotherhood advises Apathilazia to ban any and all religion whatsoever and to seize the holdings of any religious organizations. It is a threat to a nation's stability and safety and should be dealt with accordingly.

i/c

This was considered,albeit briefly,but history shows that religion is a very powerful rallying point and can explode into fanatical violence,particularly if oppressive measures are taken to eradicate it.
Better to let the religion(s) exist openly where monitoring can take place than force it underground and deal with the subsequent guerilla attacks that will surely occur.

That is partially correct, although we think this is mainly because Apathilazia is a relatively small nation whose policy an spending habits in the field of Defense and National Security is clearly lacking. Improved spending and more strict policy can largely eliminate this problem.

We have no desire for bloody confrontations with religious organizations.
We believe peaceful coexistence has been achieved between many religions that are,in other nations,hostile to each other.As stated in our Leader's address to the Meeting of the Minds,Penalties for hate crimes are severe.
Why upset the apple cart by armed conflict against religious groups?
That being said,the Church of Christ the Redeemer(Militant),led by Msgr Juan Alvarez is still a great concern to us.
Attempts to contact the Msgr have been met with a stony silence and there has been no success at infiltration.They are a monastic order that has very limited contact with what they consider the secular humanist society.Defections are unknown,so any information gleaned about this organization comes from recruitment flyers and extremely brief conversations with their pr department.

We have no desire for bloody confrontations with religious organizations.
We believe peaceful coexistence has been achieved between many religions that are,in other nations,hostile to each other.As stated in our Leader's address to the Meeting of the Minds,Penalties for hate crimes are severe.
Why upset the apple cart by armed conflict against religious groups?
That being said,the Church of Christ the Redeemer(Militant),led by Msgr Juan Alvarez is still a great concern to us.
Attempts to contact the Msgr have been met with a stony silence and there has been no success at infiltration.They are a monastic order that has very limited contact with what they consider the secular humanist society.Defections are unknown,so any information gleaned about this organization comes from recruitment flyers and extremely brief conversations with their pr department.

We have reason to believe the Church of Christ the Redeemer (Militant) maybe a a secretive society based on an extreme Protestant/Calvinist sect driven out of our nation after a purge of unwanted Christian sect. They hide among the common people and look like any other citizen except for their secretive practices unknown to most religious authorities. Secular authorities are unable to penetrate their structure, and only religious organisations like the Jeruselem Inquisition are able to understand their motives.

God bless

OOC

Time to thicken the plot!

i/c

So you have had dealings with this group before or one very similar.We would appreciate any intelligence that you would be willing to volunteer.
As stated before,we would prefer not to engage in an eradication program,a religiously based civil war would tear our nation apart.If it becomes necessary to expel this sect then we will do so using whatever means at our disposal.
Please understand that we are not seeking to give one faith preferential status over others,so,with all due respect do not attempt to proselityze.

*A representitive of The Chameleon enters the room, clothed in A black suit, with A SAS style Gas Mask, so nobody can see his face. He offers his weapon (A pump-action shotgun, make unknown) to the guard as he enters the room. The man turns to the man in charge of this meeting, and nods.
He walks up to A desk, and sets down A laptop, with A large screen. He opens the screen, and "TheChameleon," the leader of the Militant Confederacy of The Chameleon appears on the screen.*

"We the all powerful Confederacy of The Chameleon in our infinite wisdom wish to impart our knowlage upon your country."

*The Chameleon smiles, running his hands over his bald head.*

"Religious groups should not get tax cuts because then the nation is supporting A religion. What is stopping A man from starting his own religion, and claiming it tax exempt? Aren't you wrong for saying that because he doesn't have A certain amout of people who believe what he does, then it does not count as A religion? What about national holidays? Can you say that A man's religion should count for A day off? What if A man made his own religion, and made A holiday, would it be taken off because its his religious holiday? Why do entire countries get to take of certain holidays based on Christianity, whilst somebody who follows another religion can't get his holiday considered A day of rest? To me, at least, that is A crime."

*"TheChameleon" folds his hands.*

"In my powerful country, we have no such holidays, for it would be unfair to those who do not believe in said holiday. National holidays are A joke, and need to be taken care of."

*"TheChameleon" gets back onto subject.*

"My country believes that A religion should be something in the home, or, if supported enough by the community, they should purchase A building for it, and have it treated like any other buisness, because thats what religion is. If you have any questions, my Rep will leave me here, otherwise, he shall leave. Please, I open the floor to you now."

*The man in A black suit, with the gasmask looks at the leader of Apathilazia with a questioning look, which can only be told by the way his head turned.*

The Catholic Church is NOT taxed becasue the Cardinal archbishop is also the ruler of CR. Also, the catholic church is the only legal religion.

i/c

So you have had dealings with this group before or one very similar.We would appreciate any intelligence that you would be willing to volunteer.
As stated before,we would prefer not to engage in an eradication program,a religiously based civil war would tear our nation apart.If it becomes necessary to expel this sect then we will do so using whatever means at our disposal.
Please understand that we are not seeking to give one faith preferential status over others,so,with all due respect do not attempt to proselityze.

We will send an Inquisitor who can enlighten you on how find these people and how they think. As we have said earlier, those who are versed in the Secular religions have problems dealing with such extreme sects. Those who know about secretive religious sects can assist to find these sect among the common people as they are like ghosts. Religious fervour as experienced in Crusades and Islamic Jihads can overcome any shred of humanity a person may exhibit.

God bless

The Military Junta of Wickedville issued a decree recently banning all religious organizations, giving the people the option of either worshipping with the only approved Organized Reglious Body of Wickedville, the Church of Wickedville or remaining avowedly atheist.

The Supreme High Commander of Wickedville, Lord Field Marshall James Monger is a patron of the Church of Wickedville and urges his citizens to woship there too.

The Church of Wickedville enjoys taxes breaks because of the charity services the Church provides to the people that do not enjoy social welfare in Wickedville (social welfare is unheard of). The Church rgularly holds out door cookouts to feed the poor and donates 70% of its income to the poor and destitute. At the same time the Church works as a propaganda front for the Military Junta, in recognizing the leitimacy of the Junta and at the same time diverting the people's attention from the economic woes and sufferings by filling their heads with thoughts about celestial and supreme beings.

The motto of the church: like opium but legal