(Australia) Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster loses bid for legal recognition as incorporated entity

Forums › Off topic › (Australia) Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster loses bid for legal recognition as incorporated entity

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#2732758 22-Jun-2021 16:51

deadlyllama:

Wheelbarrow01:

Don't get me started. It irks me everytime my quarterly rates bill arrives and I see the Christchurch cathedral earthquake rebuild levy - which I and every other ratepayer in Christchurch must pay for the next 10 years, to rebuild a building that arguably few people wanted rebuilt (at least in its current form).

The Anglican Church wanted to demolish the Cathedral and were sued to stop this happening. If there's any religion to blame for your shouldering of the costs, it's the religions of nostalgia and heritage building preservation.

They also wanted to rebuild a cathedral which was an architectural hideosity. The plans selected as "best of three" by the Anglican church looked like something "modern" designed for Salt Lake City in 1950 something. I can't find drawings on the net.

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Batman

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#2732792 22-Jun-2021 18:55

I'd like to register my religion of Jedi, Crusaders super rugby, and Manchester United.

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

dafman

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#2732798 22-Jun-2021 19:02

When I become Prime Minister, my first task before morning tea will be to strip religious entities of their tax free status.

Why should we who pay our fair share have to tolerate snake oil salesmen (you know, ageing old men dressing like teenagers, giving themselves self aggrandising titles) thumbing their nose at the rest of us while they strut though a tax free life.

And then there’s family first - currently at the Supreme Court trying to preserve their charitable status to avoid paying any tax. They are 100% religious political lobbyists (primarily, one old man) spouting 1950’s ignorance, 0% charity IMHO. At the very least, they can pay tax.

Sigh, rant over.

Rikkitic

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#2732801 22-Jun-2021 19:17

My first act as PM will be to introduce the Flying Spaghetti Monster incantation for the opening of Parliament.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

sxz

738 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2732804 22-Jun-2021 19:23

Fred99:

The Satanic Temple has achieved tax-free status in the US.

The mission of The Satanic Temple, a religious organization, is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits. The Satanic Temple has publicly confronted hate groups, fought for the abolition of corporal punishment in public schools, applied for equal representation when religious installations are placed on public property...

Amen.

I think you mean: Ramen.

sxz

738 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2732806 22-Jun-2021 19:25

dafman:

When I become Prime Minister, my first task before morning tea will be to strip religious entities of their tax free status.

Why should we who pay our fair share have to tolerate snake oil salesmen (you know, ageing old men dressing like teenagers, giving themselves self aggrandising titles) thumbing their nose at the rest of us while they strut though a tax free life.

And then there’s family first - currently at the Supreme Court trying to preserve their charitable status to avoid paying any tax. They are 100% religious political lobbyists (primarily, one old man) spouting 1950’s ignorance, 0% charity IMHO. At the very least, they can pay tax.

Sigh, rant over.

I'd back you on that. There is 100% no good reason for religion to be a charity. If religion are meant to do good, what better way than to CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY and pay tax to help pay for roads, hospitals, schools, pools, libraries, mental health support, maternaty leave and all those other lovely things we like to enjoy in our society.

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#2732807 22-Jun-2021 19:38

sxz:

I'd back you on that. There is 100% no good reason for religion to be a charity. If religion are meant to do good, what better way than to CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY and pay tax to help pay for roads, hospitals, schools, pools, libraries, mental health support, maternaty leave and all those other lovely things we like to enjoy in our society.

There are a lot of registered charities who are not religious who are tax exempt for their charitable activities - some genuine, some questionable.

Involuntary autocorrect in operation on mobile device. Apologies in advance.

sxz

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#2732811 22-Jun-2021 19:50

Batman:

sxz:

I'd back you on that. There is 100% no good reason for religion to be a charity. If religion are meant to do good, what better way than to CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY and pay tax to help pay for roads, hospitals, schools, pools, libraries, mental health support, maternaty leave and all those other lovely things we like to enjoy in our society.

There are a lot of registered charities who are not religious who are tax exempt for their charitable activities - some genuine, some questionable.

Oh, charties are great. I 100% support charities for advancement of education, releif of poverty, supporting sports teams (etc.) - but there is just no room for a specific category for advancement of religion in a modern society. If a religion wants to run a charity to relieve poverty - great! that aspect will be tax free. Same if they promote education. But their strictly relgious activities should not be tax free. It's worth noting that tax is only paid on profit - so removing tax exempt status wont affect the ability to operate, wont affect costs to run at all. It will just mean they contribute their fair share to society, just like every other business in NZ

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#2732832 22-Jun-2021 20:59

Charities registration (in general) needs to be tightened up and better regulated, as noted there are many questionable ones out there.

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it.

Kiwifruta

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#2732898 23-Jun-2021 08:56

Rikkitic:
Here's a hoax for you: Someone claims an angel gave him some inscribed golden plates he won't ever let anyone else see but dictates a 'translation' of them. Or a pulp science fiction author goes into the mental health business by convincing people they can be 'audited' and 'cleared'. I wonder what the South Australia commission thinks of Mormonism and Scientology.

He did show those plates to eleven others

Kiwifruta

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#2732900 23-Jun-2021 09:02

Wheelbarrow01:
Lias:

Never mind registering more of them, it's time to start taking away the financial support base of the ones we already have. Religions need to be stripped of their tax free status.

The fact the state and the taxpayer continue to help fund these giant scams for weak minded fools is beyond belief.

Don't get me started. It irks me everytime my quarterly rates bill arrives and I see the Christchurch cathedral earthquake rebuild levy - which I and every other ratepayer in Christchurch must pay for the next 10 years, to rebuild a building that arguably few people wanted rebuilt (at least in its current form).

The costs were first estimated in 2016 at $104m, then in 2020 it was revealed that it had blown out to $154m - and this was before any meaningful work had actually started. At this stage the extra $50m is yet to be found, so I assume their hand will be firmly out to rate payers and others for even more cash very soon.

Don't get me wrong - it was a nice building, and I even sang in the cathedral choir for 5 years - therefore I have a closer association with the building than most people. Even still, I don't believe it's a good use of tax and rate payers cash to blow it on nostalgia. I fully predict the cost will be over $200m when all is said and done. The church got a circa $50m insurance payout - the rest is coming from you and me.

What a wonderful world it would be if you and I could under-insure our houses and then get taxpayers to pick up the tab for 2-3 times that amount....

I have to agree with you and I am Christian. I don’t see why rate payers need to pay for this.

SheriffNZ

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#2732904 23-Jun-2021 09:22

One of my favourite quotes on the topic: "... they were lookin for God, but found religion instead" - Held Down, by De La Soul.

Fred99

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#2732921 23-Jun-2021 09:40

sxz:

Fred99:

Amen.

I think you mean: Ramen.

It would have been, but my faith lapsed, I became spagnostic then apostate. I like The Satanic Temple, they seem more focused on using the system for good - to oppose non-secular lunacy.

Given the penetration of the pentacostal/evangelical cult movements into politics, there needs to be a strong secular response. There's much more at stake than being allowed to wear a colander on your head for your driver's licence photo.

Gurezaemon

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#2732923 23-Jun-2021 09:46

sxz:

I'd back you on that. There is 100% no good reason for religion to be a charity. If religion are meant to do good, what better way than to CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY and pay tax to help pay for roads, hospitals, schools, pools, libraries, mental health support, maternaty leave and all those other lovely things we like to enjoy in our society.

But ... but... (pearl clutchingly) Religion and churches provide solace and comfort to people!

So does alcohol, but I don't see any politicians wanting to remove taxes on booze.

Get your business seen overseas - Nexus Translations

Bung

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#2732928 23-Jun-2021 09:53

dafman:
When I become Prime Minister, my first task before morning tea will be to strip religious entities of their tax free status.

Sigh, reign over.

When you become Prime Minister it will be because you've become an expert sucking up to large groups of voters and you'll be wary of upsetting any of them. Get one of the minority parties or a backbencher to float the idea and let them deal with the fallout.

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