Should religion be eliminated

[Taz]

You need to explain why and provide a link.

I couldn't care less if you remain ignorant.

You're such a jackass, lol. Constantly making a point but not backing it up. Imbecile.

Why so angry, Taz?

Do you know what "lol" means?

I know what it means when you call me names, Taz.

Even if you did use lol.

Only a jackass never backs up what he says. Do you feel that that applies to you?

 

[ding]

I don't think it would. I don't think people understand that gifts are not taxable unless they are over a certain amount.

The reality is that people would no longer receive a deduction for their charitable contribution. I don't think that would make them stop giving.

But if it did, that would only cause the government to give more. So in the end, the government would be paying 100% of the "charity" instead of giving a tax break on say 20% of the charity.

I think it is an emotional thing. They hate religion so much they can't look at it analytically.

Churches would pay taxes too, just like a company does.

Not on gifts under the threshold, dipshit.

I'm just saying that they should. Just like any other company.

No one pays any taxes on gifts less than the threshold. Even companies. So your wish is granted.

Pay taxes on their revenue. Passing the plate is revenue, call it an entrance fee, or whatever.

Do Cash Gifts Count as Income? • 1040.com Blog

 

[Taz]

Churches would pay taxes too, just like a company does.

Not on gifts under the threshold, dipshit.

I'm just saying that they should. Just like any other company.

No one pays any taxes on gifts less than the threshold. Even companies. So your wish is granted.

Pay taxes on their revenue. Passing the plate is revenue, call it an entrance fee, or whatever.

It's not revenue, Taz. It's a gift. Look it up for yourself.

We're talking about taking away a tax exempt status. Please try to keep up.

 

[ding]

I couldn't care less if you remain ignorant.

You're such a jackass, lol. Constantly making a point but not backing it up. Imbecile.

Why so angry, Taz?

Do you know what "lol" means?

I know what it means when you call me names, Taz.

Even if you did use lol.

Only a jackass never backs up what he says. Do you feel that that applies to you?

The Limits On Tax-Free Gifts: What You Need To Know

 

[ding]

Not on gifts under the threshold, dipshit.

I'm just saying that they should. Just like any other company.

No one pays any taxes on gifts less than the threshold. Even companies. So your wish is granted.

Pay taxes on their revenue. Passing the plate is revenue, call it an entrance fee, or whatever.

It's not revenue, Taz. It's a gift. Look it up for yourself.

We're talking about taking away a tax exempt status. Please try to keep up.

Can you show me something that shows that churches will be taxed on charitable gifts below the gift tax threshold?

I know how big you are on backing up things, right?

 

[ding]

If no God exists, then there is no accountability to God. Do you agree with this logic?

So their belief that God exists - in and of itself - does not make them accountable. Do you agree with this logic?

So maybe you are trying to say something else.

Because a generic god doesn’t care what u do? That’s true

I don’t know what you mean by generic. I believe all people pray to the same God. Logically there is only one. They may have a different perception of who God is and I don’t see anything wrong with that. I believe our Founding Fathers got that part right.

In the context of what you are discussing the question is whether God is a personal or impersonal God. For all our sakes I pray he is a personal God.

Just because there's only one God doesn't mean everyone is automatically praying to him.

How do you know there's only one god?

Or any "god" at all, for that matter.

From what was created.

 

[ding]

There is no ‘opposition to religion’ on USMB.

No one advocates for religion to be ‘eliminated.’

If it is bad as everyone says it is the logical conclusion would be to eliminate it. Right? Am I missing something?

Yes, you're missing the fact this fails as a straw man fallacy.

How so?

Given that they only see the bad and ignore the good is the logical fallacy I am trying to expose with this thread.

 

[ding]

There's quite a bit of opposition to religion here. I am just wondering how many of you people believe religion should be eliminated. It's been tried before and failed, but don't let that deter you in your quest.

Learn from their mistakes and give it another try.

Why the Soviet attempt to stamp out religion failed | Giles Fraser: Loose canon

I am truly sorry that the people you listen to have convinced you that liberals hate the christian god and want to destroy christianity.
LOTS of liberals ARE practicing christians. MOST Atheists merely don't believe in god and don't care if you do or not. Part of the problem is that when liberals try to deny conservatives the right to impose their religion on every one conservatives claim it is persecution. I am not actively trying to destroy religion. I am actively ignoring it.

Yes, lots of Christians are liberals. No argument there.

I hear a lot of people say that conservatives want to oppose their religion on them but I don’t see that. What I do see are citizens exercising their civic rights in a secular society.

No one is forcing religion on you. That’s an emotional statement.

And lastly the vast majority of militant atheists are liberals.

"No one is forcing religion on you. That’s an emotional statement."

There are elements of the evangelical community called DOMINIONSTS. They actually exist. They believe they should have dominion over the country, the government and the people. Newt Gingrich said (back in the 1990s) "we must change the laws of the land to reflect our religious beliefs and see to it that they can never be changed again". Mike Pence said "I am a christian first, a conservative second, and a republican third"....Never mentioned his patriotism. If he has any.

Because you are emotionally stunted and the truth scare you you can't admit the truth.

Keep trying!

Research the founders beliefs on natural law and get back to me.

yawn.

Don't need to.

I've been following the antics of conservative fascists christians since roger ailles put limbaugh on radio stations all over the country back in the late 1980's.

We appear to be talking about people imposing their beliefs on everyone. SOME people DO want to impose their religion on EVERYONE and it is not my fault that you are either unaware of it (no doubt you watch too much conservative misleading/lying news stations) or you're too obtuse to see it.

Did I mention roy moore? conservative, christian, republican, just lost out on a senate run?
He said he would legislates from his bible and he would criminalize gays,

THAT is IMPOSING your bible.

Would YOU vote for moore?

No one is imposing anything on you.

Can you show me how you are being forced to do anything?

 

[ding]

How can I concede someone else's argument? What ding says or believes is on him.

Fair enough, I took the way you jumped into the conversation to imply that you were agreeing with him.

My point was, and is, that Western Civilization derives its moral structure from its Judeo-Christian foundations, and that non-Judeo Christian cultures certainly have moral teachings, but they derived them from their own primary religious foundations.

If you're using a similarly broad definition of religion as the one I've explained, then we are in furious agreement, as the saying goes. For example, would you accept Confucianism in China as a "primary religious foundation?"

I am a big fan of Confucius.

 

[ding]

Because a generic god doesn’t care what u do? That’s true

I don’t know what you mean by generic. I believe all people pray to the same God. Logically there is only one. They may have a different perception of who God is and I don’t see anything wrong with that. I believe our Founding Fathers got that part right.

In the context of what you are discussing the question is whether God is a personal or impersonal God. For all our sakes I pray he is a personal God.

Just because there's only one God doesn't mean everyone is automatically praying to him.

How do you know there's only one god?

Or any "god" at all, for that matter.

All they have is stories from their ancestors that they couldn't imagine are made up. Impossible they say but the truth is, their religion was made up by some 11 dudes 2000 years ago. Or, the stories were turned into facts 1500 years ago. Whoever did it someone lied.

So we should be able to say hold on a minute. Who is this god creature you are referring to? And unless this creature can pass the 5 simple rules of science, it should be thrown out as bullshit.

(1) Question authority. No idea is true just because someone says so, including me.

(2) Think for yourself. Question yourself. Don't believe anything just because you want to. Believing something doesn't make it so.

(3) Test ideas by the evidence gained from observation and experiment. If a favorite idea fails a well-designed test, it's wrong. Get over it.

(4) Follow the evidence wherever it leads. If you have no evidence, reserve judgment.

And perhaps the most important rule of all...

(5) Remember: you could be wrong. Even the best scientists have been wrong about some things. Newton, Einstein, and every other great scientist in history -- they all made mistakes. Of course they did. They were human.

Science is a way to keep from fooling ourselves, and each other.

If you believe science is so important, what have you done to further your understanding of science?

 

[ding]

Yes, well, that brings us to the question of whether or not things which are far less like religion than Confucianism is, and which have filled the place - if not precisely the role - of religion, are as effective or desirable in that place. And because filling that place certainly does mean that they will also end up defining cultural morality, the assessment of their efficacy and desirability will hinge largely on the quality and effectiveness of the cultural morality they define.

Definitely, and to be clear I don't think that having more secular institutions will lead automatically to more moral cultures (given my particular moral assumptions, of course). I don't think it's very easy to predict outcomes. In some sense I think changes to extant religions are inevitable purely in response to changes in knowledge, technology, and in response to greater cultural and economic exchange, and I think those changes are necessary simply because traditional religious worldviews no longer function adequately as worldviews for many people, including myself. I can't believe in the Christian worldview of an 4th century (or 18th century, for that matter) monk, no matter how aesthetically appealing I find it. I can't ground an ethic very easily in a view of the world which I find implausible.

But there's also plenty of evidence from history that more secular worldviews are not automatically better, or immune from social problems or institutional failures. My view is that we're all kind of in this struggle together, religious and non-religious, and there is plenty of wisdom (and beauty, and truths) to be gleaned from many traditions, both religious and secular.

What kind of secular institutions?

 

[ding]

Good thing I am neither.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Because you’re a weak individual.

ALL people are weak in some way and at some point in time. To require yourself to be completely strong, all the time, all by yourself is to set yourself up for failure by setting an impossible standard to meet.

Every relationship we have in life is intended exactly for the purpose of providing a support structure for those times when we cannot function and achieve individually. Why would our relationship with God be different?

You're weak too, apparently, so you invent in invisible being that you thing give a shit what you do. Totally deluded. And without foundation.

Jesus did not come for the strong, he came for the weak. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

The exalted will be humbled and the humble will be exalted. Word.

"Word"?, what are you, black for a day?

Jesus is your crutch, thanks for clearing that up.

Yes, Jesus is my "crutch."

What's the problem with that?

 

[Taz]

Churches would pay taxes too, just like a company does.

Not on gifts under the threshold, dipshit.

I'm just saying that they should. Just like any other company.

No one pays any taxes on gifts less than the threshold. Even companies. So your wish is granted.

Pay taxes on their revenue. Passing the plate is revenue, call it an entrance fee, or whatever.

Gift Tax: Do I Have to Pay Tax When Someone Gives Me Money?

If churches are a business, the money they collect is revenue, like McDonald's can't say "get a free burger with every donation". Geez, you're especially thick today.

 

[Taz]

You're such a jackass, lol. Constantly making a point but not backing it up. Imbecile.

Why so angry, Taz?

Do you know what "lol" means?

I know what it means when you call me names, Taz.

Even if you did use lol.

Only a jackass never backs up what he says. Do you feel that that applies to you?

The Limits On Tax-Free Gifts: What You Need To Know

Too bad it's the wrong link for the thread, lol.

 

[Taz]

Because you’re a weak individual.

ALL people are weak in some way and at some point in time. To require yourself to be completely strong, all the time, all by yourself is to set yourself up for failure by setting an impossible standard to meet.

Every relationship we have in life is intended exactly for the purpose of providing a support structure for those times when we cannot function and achieve individually. Why would our relationship with God be different?

You're weak too, apparently, so you invent in invisible being that you thing give a shit what you do. Totally deluded. And without foundation.

Jesus did not come for the strong, he came for the weak. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

The exalted will be humbled and the humble will be exalted. Word.

"Word"?, what are you, black for a day?

Jesus is your crutch, thanks for clearing that up.

Yes, Jesus is my "crutch."

What's the problem with that?

Crutches don't make you stronger, they simply prop you up when you're broken. Good of you to admit, though.

 

[Taz]

I'm just saying that they should. Just like any other company.

No one pays any taxes on gifts less than the threshold. Even companies. So your wish is granted.

Pay taxes on their revenue. Passing the plate is revenue, call it an entrance fee, or whatever.

It's not revenue, Taz. It's a gift. Look it up for yourself.

We're talking about taking away a tax exempt status. Please try to keep up.

Can you show me something that shows that churches will be taxed on charitable gifts below the gift tax threshold?

I know how big you are on backing up things, right?

Gawd, you're stoopid.

 

[ding]

Not on gifts under the threshold, dipshit.

I'm just saying that they should. Just like any other company.

No one pays any taxes on gifts less than the threshold. Even companies. So your wish is granted.

Pay taxes on their revenue. Passing the plate is revenue, call it an entrance fee, or whatever.

Gift Tax: Do I Have to Pay Tax When Someone Gives Me Money?

If churches are a business, the money they collect is revenue, like McDonald's can't say "get a free burger with every donation". Geez, you're especially thick today.

No. The money that people donate are considered a gift.

Can you back up your belief that the money people donate are considered revenue?

Only a jackass never backs up what he says.

 

[Taz]

Because a generic god doesn’t care what u do? That’s true

I don’t know what you mean by generic. I believe all people pray to the same God. Logically there is only one. They may have a different perception of who God is and I don’t see anything wrong with that. I believe our Founding Fathers got that part right.

In the context of what you are discussing the question is whether God is a personal or impersonal God. For all our sakes I pray he is a personal God.

Just because there's only one God doesn't mean everyone is automatically praying to him.

How do you know there's only one god?

Or any "god" at all, for that matter.

From what was created.

But how does that tell you the number of gods involved?

 

[ding]

No one pays any taxes on gifts less than the threshold. Even companies. So your wish is granted.

Pay taxes on their revenue. Passing the plate is revenue, call it an entrance fee, or whatever.

It's not revenue, Taz. It's a gift. Look it up for yourself.

We're talking about taking away a tax exempt status. Please try to keep up.

Can you show me something that shows that churches will be taxed on charitable gifts below the gift tax threshold?

I know how big you are on backing up things, right?

Gawd, you're stoopid.

Gawd, you're stoopid.

^ dunning effect

 

[Taz]

I'm just saying that they should. Just like any other company.

No one pays any taxes on gifts less than the threshold. Even companies. So your wish is granted.

Pay taxes on their revenue. Passing the plate is revenue, call it an entrance fee, or whatever.

Gift Tax: Do I Have to Pay Tax When Someone Gives Me Money?

If churches are a business, the money they collect is revenue, like McDonald's can't say "get a free burger with every donation". Geez, you're especially thick today.

No. The money that people donate are considered a gift.

Can you back up your belief that the money people donate are considered revenue?

Only a jackass never backs up what he says.

We were talking HYPOTHETICALLY IF A CHURCH LOST ITS TAX EXEMPT STATUS! Sheesh, I give up.