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| Witchvox Chapter: Wren's Nest News | Chapter Page Views: 59,684,673 |
 Religious Groups Seek Faith-Based Profits Author: Colleen Debaise Source: SmartMoney Title: RELIGIOUS GROUPS SEEK FAITH-BASED PROFITS Most religious groups aren't known for running businesses, beyond the usual bake sale or pancake breakfast. But today a growing number are creating for-profit enterprises, seeking to raise more money for good works or to create jobs in their communities. Encouraging them is the Small Business Administration, which has hosted workshops as part of a faith-based initiative in place since 2001. A recent workshop in the Federal Building in New York's lower Manhattan found a Baptist and an Orthodox Jew, among others, listening to a corporate lawyer tell how a business can be set up by a religious group. Faith-based initiatives -- under President Clinton and more prominently under President Bush -- have been breaking down walls between faith and government, says Rick Martinez, an associate professor of management at Ohio's Cedarville University who has studied such efforts. Some religious groups now see business efforts as "an extra source of funding," he says, at a time when "charitable giving and grants from foundations are a little harder to come by." | |
| Community Thoughts: There are 7 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Necessary?? Evil?? | Apr 27th. at 4:37:19 am EDT |
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Mysteries Child (Garfield, West Virginia) - Email Me I understand that churches need money to do the things churches do. Whether what the churches do is fund community programs ( I work for an afterschool program which receives about half of its funding from the Presbyterian church-- believe me, religion, any religion, is NOT mentioned) ... ...or re-paint and re-carpet the sanctuary... ...or build those terribly tacky megamassive buildings that seem mostly designed to impress both parishoners and passers-by... ...or run media programs (K-LOVE, which I like, is entirely listener-funded. So are a lot of stations I'll only listen to if I need a focus for my anger) ... ...or print up those damned deceitful incendiary tracts... ...or something else entirely, the fact remains. Churches need money to do the things churches do. I'd rather see them get it by business than by sweating it, guilting it, or otherwise coercing it out of parishoners. I also think everything needs to be documented **very**carefully** if they are going to attempt to claim tax-exempt status. As is, every thin dime accounted for. Twice over. And if there's any doubt... ...show a bottom line like a for-profit business, pay taxes like a for-profit business. Trying to sneak it past should bring down the full force of the law. As well as perhaps an apology to the community, contemporaries in the denomination, and the general public for displaying greed, deception, and hypocrisy. Because assuming honesty among churches is kind of like assuming honor among theives. |
| Been Doing It For Years | Apr 26th. at 10:43:17 am EDT |
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Trickster (Kokopeli's Town, Texas) - Email Me Religion to make a profit? I guess the Church of the Subgenius leads the way. Not only that, but the CotSG is up front about it. Praise Bob! |
| Jesus Is Profit??? | Apr 26th. at 9:44:35 am EDT |
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Magick Maven (Bartlesville, Oklahoma) - Email Me That's pretty much how these swine treat their sacred lamb. I loved the quote "You can manage a for-profit business in a Christian manner." Isn't that what all businesses do anyway? the reigning corporate attitude seems to be "if you're not one of us - go to hell." |
| So What's Wrong ? | Apr 25th. at 6:39:39 pm EDT |
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Libertarian (Langley, Washington) - Email Me - Web Unless profits are made, the needs of people aren't met. We all work for profit be it at a job or in business. That's what freedom is all about. A church is a business. If it doesn't meet the needs of it's members (its customers really) it won't survive. If it wants to meet the needs of the poor by providing food, housing, job training and the like, I support it. I just want the government out of the picture. The way that can be done is to allow a dollar for dollar tax credit for contributions that support those efforts. That way no government money is involved and we can all make our free choices work for the benefit of all. That's the good old fashond American Way. |
| Precedent | Apr 25th. at 4:22:44 pm EDT |
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Ahr-Ohn (Bridgeport, Connecticut) - Email Me A side business "might sound jarring, but it's not so out of line with history," says David Miller, executive director of Yale Divinity School's faith center in New Haven, Conn. German monks brewed and sold beer as early as the 14th century. "In our modern times, we distinguish between 'profit' and 'nonprofit,"' he says. "We have modern tax codes, so you have to structure things differently." Let's not forget the Animal Husbandry, and Tourism, of the 12th Century Templars. "The IRS has at times pulled the tax-exempt status of a nonprofit because they are carrying on too much business," Let's start with a Political Party. I'm sure I can come up with Something for the Libertarians, and it would be based on Dagda's Cauldron, which is great for Business. Our Help should always be free, but this makes challenging the profit that our time requires. Arawn |
| I Wonder?? | Apr 25th. at 4:06:39 pm EDT |
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Dennis Deal (Nazareth, Pennsylvania) - Email Me I do wonder what would have been said if it was a Pagan Church?? I bet it would not have been a nice. Oh wait.. My bad I forgot we must stay with in that nonprofit catagory or else... What does it mean "we can do buisness in a cristain way" ? Now that is a new one on me.... |
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