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[entremet]

On the eve of his visit to the United States, Pope Francis blasted religious institutions who are exploiting tax loopholes to make money instead of helping the needy.

In an interview with a Portuguese Catholic broadcaster, the Pope discussed the need for Christians to fight the temptation of the ‘God of money’, into which many religious institutions often fall. He then called out those institutions that have opted to enter into the hospitality industry while exploiting a legal loophole to keep from paying taxes on their business enterprise operating under the guise of doing “God’s work.”

US Megachurches on blast?

http://usuncut.com/world/pope-franc...-status-of-churches-that-dont-help-the-needy/

 

[Link]

Best pope.

 

[epmode]

I kinda like this pope.

 

[Gabriel_Logan]

Probably going after Scientology.

 

[Air]

I don't mind that.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Does that include the NFL?

 

[Orbis Tabula]

Now I have this mental image of Pope Francis watching Last Week Tonight every Sunday night.

 

[entremet]

Does that include the NFL?

lol.

I thought they were going to start paying taxes? The franchises pay taxes. It's just the New York offices that don't. They're considered a non profit lol.

 

[backflip10019]

GOAT Pope.

 

[Ensirius]

Best pope ever.

 

[mj1108]

Now I have this mental image of Pope Francis watching Last Week Tonight every Sunday night.

Praise Be!

 

[Azih]

That's one amazing pope.

 

[RumblingRosco]

This seems like a fair middle-ground to me.

 

[Mr. Poolman]

He is totally right.

 

[entremet]

For those not aware, the Catholic Church in Rome started paying taxes on buildings it owned that didn't have have any religious affiliation in 2013.

I wonder if the Pope was behind that switch.

 

[Inferno313]

Seems fair to me. As someone who wasn't raised Catholic, how well does the Church do with regards to helping the poor and other kinds of social work?

 

[phileep]

Seems fair to me. As someone who wasn't raised Catholic, how well does the Church do with regards to helping the poor and other kinds of social work?

Raised a Catholic but have not been a practicing Catholic for better part of a decade, and I will say they do a lot to help the poor and homeless. There are always charity drives, donations, and social work that goes on to help.

Hopefully someone with a brain listens to the Pope in this case because this is a great idea.

 

[Slayven]

Pope Francis says a lot of things. What does the Church do, is the real answer

 

[DUFFMCWALIN]

Seems fair to me. As someone who wasn't raised Catholic, how well does the Church do with regards to helping the poor and other kinds of social work?

I would say the Catholic church is probably the best in the world when it comes to helping the homeless (when it comes to the Christian religion).

 

[Beartruck]

I hope he just walks into a megachurch and just starts flipping tables Jesus style.

 

[entremet]

Pope Francis says a lot of things. What does the Church do, is the real answer

I posted above. The Catholic Church started paying taxes on non religious buildings it owns in 2013.

The Catholic Church is also very charitable in terms of helping the poor.

I hope he just walks into a megachurch and just starts flipping tables Jesus style.

That's a lot of coffee and donuts spilled!

 

[Mariolee]

Making his namesake proud.

 

[Placiibo]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

http://www.businessinsider.com/gods-bankers-financial-scandals-at-the-vatican-2015-2

 

[The_Hitcher89]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

http://www.businessinsider.com/gods-bankers-financial-scandals-at-the-vatican-2015-2

Does the Church still spend significant money on things like that?

 

[diffusionx]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

There's a ton of things in the CC worth criticizing. But seriously, it's been around for 1500 years and owns some of the most valuable things in history. Of course it's rich. Doesn't mean they don't spend a ton on charity, because they do.

 

[samn]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

http://www.businessinsider.com/gods-bankers-financial-scandals-at-the-vatican-2015-2

If they weren't being used by the church then the only other place they would belong is a museum. It's not right to melt down priceless pieces of art and history, even to help the poor.

 

[loki 16]

I'm agnostic, but this pope seems cool.

 

[AlteredBeast]

This Pope is a good guy. I agree with him, by the way. Megachurches and churches that are leeches on their members are disgusting.

 

[Mr. Poolman]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

What do you suggest they do with all those invaluable treasures to humanity?

 

[NeOak]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

http://www.businessinsider.com/gods-bankers-financial-scandals-at-the-vatican-2015-2

Yes, because old things that are considered historical heritage should be used to judge the people living now, right?

 

[Fishlake]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.
/Popemobileimg_2216.jpg[/IMG]

Whataboutism at its best.

I'm glad he is saying these thing but he probably has a lot of enemies from all these waves he is making. Since he is in public so often I hope he can remain safe. This time was probably aimed at Scientology but also may be a slight at Protestants.

 

[Limited Edition]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

A lot of the stuff you see like that is often hundreds of years old, sometimes even older.

Also, of course they don't spend it all on the needy. Running the oldest observatory in Europe and a giant scientific research center ain't cheap.

 

[wildfire]

I was going to say why he doesn't reign them in but after reading the example he's right and this is about more than Catholics.


Hardest Pontiff of the last century going all in.

Seems fair to me. As someone who wasn't raised Catholic, how well does the Church do with regards to helping the poor and other kinds of social work?

It depends on the Parish. Some could do a lot better. Others have regressed. Most are doing exceptional work. I hope this Pope is lighting a fire under the under-performing churches.

 

[Trojita]

High Sparrow.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Seems fair to me. As someone who wasn't raised Catholic, how well does the Church do with regards to helping the poor and other kinds of social work?

Extremely well. Sisters of the Church (nuns) run many homeless shelters and do amazing charity work.

At least in my experience, Catholic schools are top notch as well.

Does the Church still spend significant money on things like that?

I guess if you count maintaining them as a cost, since these things are expensive to keep in good repair. Maybe we should let priceless artifacts of the past fall into ruin.

 

[Nephtis]

Because reasons

Or you could, y'know, read up on what Francis has been doing. He has explicitly made changes in the church to make them more humble, and to help the needy.

We're talking about a man that would leave his post as the Pope and go feed the homeless at night. Come on.

 

[Barbacoatl]

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest non-government provider of health care services in the world.[1] It has around 18,000 clinics, 16,000 homes for the elderly and those with special needs, and 5,500 hospitals, with 65 per cent of them located in developing countries.[2] In 2010, the Church's Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers said that the Church manages 26% of the world's health care facilities.[3] The Church's involvement in health care has ancient origins.

There.

 

[massoluk]

Yup, still the best Pope.

 

[Hari Seldon]

You can criticize the Catholic Church for hiding pedophiles but you absolutely cannot criticize it for charity. That is at every level from the Vatican on down to individual church men and women's groups.

 

[Shuggananas]

then how will they buy condoms

 

[demosthenes]

Best pope.

GOAT POPE

 

[Inuhanyou]

Francis is truly putting in that work.

You can criticize the Catholic Church for hiding pedophiles but you absolutely cannot criticize it for charity. That is at every level from the Vatican on down to individual church men and women's groups.

IIRC, he's cracked down on that as well

 

[Inuhanyou]

.

 

[wild wild rice]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

He has acknowledged and made changes in the way the Vatican handles money to the dismay of many of his fellow Vaticanites.

All according to an article I just read in the New Yorker.

 

[Fenderputty]

Because the Catholics are so clean on money matters and only use it on helping the needy.

http://www.businessinsider.com/gods-bankers-financial-scandals-at-the-vatican-2015-2

Thanks for reminding me how awesome ST. Peters was to be inside of. The Vatican was cool too.

 

[phazedplasma]

This dude must watch john oliver

 

[alba]

Best pope stay winning. Love this guy!

 

[Placiibo]

A lot of the stuff you see like that is often hundreds of years old, sometimes even older.

Also, of course they don't spend it all on the needy. Running the oldest observatory in Europe and a giant scientific research center ain't cheap.

If you read the article I posted, you will see modern history. They're just as decadent and debauched as ever, they just show it differently now.

Regardless of that or his comments, I think religions are headed toward loss of tax exemption status. It's pretty clear lots of religions are for-profit and not so much for he people.

 

[BFIB]

I'd like to have a beer with this pope.

 

[Subxero]

I agree. I think they should pay taxes on all the money they raise. Especially when they are running restaurants and businesses.