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Originally posted by halfoldman
reply to post by AQuestion
It's not so much a point as a question, or a discussion for clarification.
When people preach that they are not a religion, should they get tax-exempt status for their organizations?
A belief in God, or love and goodness is not necessary to make a religion.
There are many groups that don't preach these and have religious status.
In fact, it seems that one gets a religious status from claiming it.
Now if groups deliberately rejects that status, they should not be tax exempt on religious grounds.
It's not personal, it just seems logical.
Or maybe they only have very specific aspects of religion they reject?
In that case it can be a dangerous word-game in the long run.
edit on 26-4-2012 by halfoldman because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by TerryMcGuire
reply to post by AQuestion
Whoa there buckeroo. The bible dosen't tell us how to be religious? What bible are you reading cuz? I want to sign up for that one.
Originally posted by halfoldman
While searching for more on such statements, it seems an atheist site gives a reply which would make it very hard for any form of Christianity not to be considered a religion.
It also reminds the reader that many other faiths have denied being a religion in the past (although few do so openly and repeatedly nowadays in tax-exempt countries).
In that sense it's a marketing tool for a certain teaching in religion to set itself apart from the rest.
It can be "a way of life", "a spiritual science", a "righteous path" or whatnot.
But it will always be a religion to the atheists:
www.debunkingskeptics.com...
Isn't that ironic - atheistic arguments on Christianity could keep it tax-exempt, even as it denies being a religion?
Originally posted by halfoldman
reply to post by AQuestion
Dear AQuestion
Before it is up to the government it is up to the organization to approach the government, and if they teach that they are not a religion and still approach such a government for tax exempt status on religious grounds, then it follows that they are a bunch of hypocrites.
Either that, or they are saying we shouldn't take them literally.
edit on 26-4-2012 by halfoldman because: (no reason given)
Let me see here. A book came through the middle ages. Through the fall of it's first empire. Survived when the tomes of other ancients fell by the way through the natural rise and fall of civilizations.
Originally posted by AQuestion
Originally posted by TerryMcGuire
reply to post by AQuestion
Whoa there buckeroo. The bible dosen't tell us how to be religious? What bible are you reading cuz? I want to sign up for that one.
Show me any scripture where it says we are to be "religious". Find the word in the bible and then find where it says to be religious.