Dorian Gray Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 With an operating budget of $2.3M ($95/mo per member) and his salary a part of that ($9.73/mo per member) it sounds like no big deal...on the surface. When you extend the books out the "10% theme" seems to follow through on numerous angles. What he does for that salary is another question. Like the "friendly note" from the church secretary reminding my folks of the "suggested honorarium" to the Pastor of$75 per visit to my Dad while he was in the hospital (10 visits over 2 years)...I could've choked that they even had the nerve to send that, but my Mom sits in astonishment that I question that....say what?? A long list of like things that simply baffle me for the leader of a flock to do. WARNING WARNING WARNING: DG's personal opinion to follow:I am of the opinion that any minister/pastor that is a full time employee of the church should receive no honorarium under any circumstance save for reasonable expensive if invited to speak outside of their normal service area. A bi-vocational minister (one who does not provide for their family and themselves solely from employment with the church and maintains a "full time" career in addition to their part time post within the church) should receive any honorarium deemed appropriate by the individual receiving services from the minister taking in to account what costs (if any) in terms of travel and lost wages, BUT the pastor should never expect it or ask for it. /WARNING Link to comment
Atwater Vitki Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 Yep...one of the many, many things that lit my radar as well. "Danger Will Robinson, danger!" Link to comment
mark 45 Posted March 5, 2012 Report Share Posted March 5, 2012 WARNING WARNING WARNING: DG's personal opinion to follow:I am of the opinion that any minister/pastor that is a full time employee of the church should receive no honorarium under any circumstance save for reasonable expensive if invited to speak outside of their normal service area. A bi-vocational minister (one who does not provide for their family and themselves solely from employment with the church and maintains a "full time" career in addition to their part time post within the church) should receive any honorarium deemed appropriate by the individual receiving services from the minister taking in to account what costs (if any) in terms of travel and lost wages, BUT the pastor should never expect it or ask for it. /WARNINGthat is what my foster grandfather did when he was an active minister,and worked as a bus mechanic for his local school district.he paid taxes on both incomes,and yes,he also took the allowable deductions.and he passed every audit they did.when he retired from the school district,he went into full time ministry,and his church paid the difference between his pension and his expenses as a full time minister. Link to comment
mererdog Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Doggie, isnt a more of a "if/then" rather then a you can not. If you want to enjoy benefit X,Y,Z, you must conform to the legal standards. If you don't, you are free to do wantever you want.You have it backwards, I'm afraid. Lack of taxation is not a benefit given by the government. This is proven by the fact that lack of taxation is the default position that exists without government. So what is actually happening is that religious institutions are being asked to conform to government-mandated policy in order to avoid a government-imposed burden. Put another way, tax policy is being used to coerce religious institutions into conforming to government dictates. Link to comment
Dorian Gray Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 I would argue that taxation is the default position of any organization in a country that has taxes. Religious organizations are offered an exception. Now personally, I agree with Kirby Hensley...tax the church. Link to comment
mererdog Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 I would argue that taxation is the default position of any organization in a country that has taxes.Only in the same way that being a target of crime is the default position of any retail establishment in a major city.Now personally, I agree with Kirby Hensley...tax the church.Taxing everyone the same way is the only way to prevent discriminatory taxation practices and the use of tax policy as a coercive tool. Link to comment
Dorian Gray Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 tax policy as a coercive tool.That would never happen /sarcasm.... Link to comment
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