Peter's Viewpoint

Churches accumulate vast sums of assets and money from people and organizations around the world.  In many countries they are accountable to disclose their funding and the assets owned.  A growing situation is occurring that churches are neglecting their privilege of being a charitable organization due to the fact that they are receiving funds for special projects while at the same time being paid as public employees in some countries because the church is recognized as a church of the state especially in Europe.

When should a church loose its status as tax exempt?
Case in point, a nun after many years meets a man and falls in love.  She therefore respectfully resigns from the church and begins to lead the life that many woman have with a spouse.  What happens though when the ex-nun becomes sick or reaches the age of retirement?  She is left out in the cold by the organization that she originally pledged her life to and the same organization.  The laws governing the privileges of Church and State are not even known anymore by people as with many other laws but if a common employer hired an employee, the government would legally force the employer to pay the employee’s social benefits.  So why is the church allowed to simply cast out there humble servants with shedding a tear?

Another recent issue regarding Church and State is that fact that some churches have accumulated numerous properties and are demanding high rental incomes that are non-taxable to them while at the same time the priests are paid salaries and receive donations from individuals that may or may not be accounted for.

While in a third case, some churches are receiving funding for the restoration and maintenance of church properties classified as historical sites but the churches are charging entrance fees to their “museums”.