what's the combined income of all the churches in the US?

[mojobadshah]

what's the combined annual income of all the churches in the US and how much do they they spend to stay maintained and what do these maintainance costs include? I've heard of preists that take an oath of poverty and are able to suppirt entire families, so what does oath of poverty really mean these days?

 

[IowaGuy]

Here in rural Iowa you will drive through many small, simple towns with median family income in the $30k range, with a spectacular church or two (that look out of place compared to the humble surroundings) somewhere in that little town. The town nearest my farm has a population of 1,400 and a median household income of $33k. There are 6 nice churches in town, all Christian denominations of some sort! In some ways, reminds me of college days with all the different social fraternities...

Most of the churches around here have no missionary programs, so their funding is presumably used for overhead expenses. I know religious donations are tax-deductible, but some of these lower-income famillies likely don't itemize enough $ to surpass the standard deduction so aren't even able to write any of it off.

I can't help thinking, wouldn't those people be better off keeping a little of their 10% tithe for themselves and improving their situation or directly helping their neighbors/relatives/other people in need? After all, Jesus didn't need a fancy church to teach out of, did he?

 

[wil]

what's the combined annual income of all the churches in the US

I would guess enough to balance the budget this year and eliminate the debt completely.

and how much do they they spend to stay maintained and what do these maintainance costs include?

at my church we make ends meet, and are growing a building fund. We are currently in borrowed space, if we had a mortgage to pay and a building to maintain we wouldn't make it.

I've heard of preists that take an oath of poverty and are able to suppirt entire families, so what does oath of poverty really mean these days?

Some do, this varies. I personally have no issues with my preacher having a nice life, taking exotic vacations, being able to care for his family and have a wonderful home....but to each their own.

 

[NiceCupOfTea]

what's the combined annual income of all the churches in the US and how much do they they spend to stay maintained and what do these maintainance costs include?

God knows

I've heard of preists that take an oath of poverty and are able to suppirt entire families, so what does oath of poverty really mean these days?

please tell us more about this.

 

[mojobadshah]

I would guess enough to balance the budget this year and eliminate the debt completely.

I wonder about that. I saw one guy's estimation of the catholic churches income in the US and it came out to like 400 billion a year, and the protestant churches make up the other half of the churches in the US so their combined income may just come out to 1 trillion and that alone could pay the national debt off in 14 years. Why aren't religous institutions taxed anyhow?

 

[bob x]

New York Times Review of Books article on two books covering money's corrupting role in Scientology and the Roman Catholic Church.

 

[Amergin]

I wonder about that. I saw one guy's estimation of the catholic churches income in the US and it came out to like 400 billion a year, and the protestant churches make up the other half of the churches in the US so their combined income may just come out to 1 trillion and that alone could pay the national debt off in 14 years. Why aren't religous institutions taxed anyhow?

The US Constitution's first amendment supposedly prohibits the official establishment of religion in America. The Catholic Church and Protestant (especially the yelling, screaming, skip dancing fundamentalists) may well earn $1,000,000,000,000 per year. It would be wrong to confiscate that (although I would like to see that).

However, they should and must be taxed at corporate rates. They are corporations who escape taxation because of failure to adhere to the First Amendment. Having large corporations entirely free of taxation means that they are part of the Government. That is not separation of Church and State. It is de facto establishment of religion. The UK does not have separation of church and state. America does not have separation of church and state either.


But America violates its Constitution in many respects.

1. Tax free status makes a Church part of Government. Government provides police, fire, burglary, road access, and vandalism protection. And you hard working and decent Americans are paying extra taxes to support all of the Churches and the taxes that Churches do not pay. That is the same way Hitler did it when he abolished the Weimar Republic's Separation of Church and State, making Catholicism and Lutheranism the established religions of the Reich.

2. The So-Called Defence of Marriage Law instigated by homophobic fanatics defines marriage in terms of Christian dogma. One man, one woman is not in the Islamic Sharia, Mormon Doctrine, Hindu rules, and many Native and foreign Pagan Religions. Again this violates the First Amendment separation of church and state clause in two ways:
a. It established the Christian definition of Marriage.
b. It violates non-Christian's freedom of worship and expression of their religions.

Amergin

 

[mojobadshah]

However, they should and must be taxed at corporate rates. They are corporations who escape taxation because of failure to adhere to the First Amendment. Having large corporations entirely free of taxation means that they are part of the Government. That is not separation of Church and State. It is de facto establishment of religion. The UK does not have separation of church and state. America does not have separation of church and state either.


But America violates its Constitution in many respects.

1. Tax free status makes a Church part of Government. Government provides police, fire, burglary, road access, and vandalism protection. And you hard working and decent Americans are paying extra taxes to support all of the Churches and the taxes that Churches do not pay. That is the same way Hitler did it when he abolished the Weimar Republic's Separation of Church and State, making Catholicism and Lutheranism the established religions of the Reich.

2. The So-Called Defence of Marriage Law instigated by homophobic fanatics defines marriage in terms of Christian dogma. One man, one woman is not in the Islamic Sharia, Mormon Doctrine, Hindu rules, and many Native and foreign Pagan Religions. Again this violates the First Amendment separation of church and state clause in two ways:
a. It established the Christian definition of Marriage.
b. It violates non-Christian's freedom of worship and expression of their religions.

Amergin

So true.

But, I thought that Hitler had an aversion to Christianity because of its connection to Judaism, and instead encouraged society to look back to Indo-Germanic mythologies. Himmler kept a personal copy of the Baghavad-Gita on him at all times.