Mormon Church Loses Over Payment of Property Tax

[stromboli]

http://www.mormoncurtain.com/index.html#pub_1572881221

The Mormon Church complain that forcing them to pay local property taxes on their temple is religious discrimination.

 European judges have rejected the Mormon Church's human rights complaint against the British Government, forcing it to pay local property taxes on one of its English temples after a nine year court battle.

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a religious organisation registered as a private unlimited company in the UK, was told in 2005 that it was not exempt from paying business tax on its temple in Preston, Lancashire.

 Because the public were not allowed access to the temple, which was reserved for the most devout Mormons, the High Court dismissed their appeal in July 2008.

 However, the church refused to accept the decision, claiming that it amounted to discrimination on religious grounds and taking their battle all the way to Strasbourg.

 Now the European Court of Human Rights has upheld the ruling of the British courts.

There is another case pending brought by a former church member in Britain, Thomas Phillips, who is an ex-Mormon and was a highly placed church authority. The charge is fraud against Thomas Monson, the president of the Mormon Church. Both case are significant.

The first because it identifies Mormon temples as private property and not available for public use, hence taxable. This sets a huge precedent because the Mormon church has temples all over the world. The second case is significant because the charges have been upheld in British Magistrates court; this is an important precedent.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... t/5216645/

This is significant in another sense. Thomas Phillips was a highly placed individual in the church, a Stake President in England, which is a very important mission for the church. He also received the "second anointing" which is a secret ceremony that sets him apart as a potential future Apostle or in the Quorum of Seventies. This is the first time someone so highly placed has turned against the church.

I personally know 2 Mormon Bishops who have left the church, and 2 Stake Counselors. A Stake President amounts to upper middle management and the next step up is to the church's General Authorities. It is a big deal and very hard for the Mormon PR geniuses to shove under the rug. The Mormon rug is becoming very lumpy indeed.

[aileron]

I think the way to go is tax all property.  All property benefits from fire and police protection, street maintenance, etc., so all properties should be subject to property tax.  It seems strange that in most rural and suburban areas the properties most costly to protect are the ones not paying anything for that protection.

[SGOS]

I visited the grandeur of Mormon Salt Lake City compound (whatever you call that area) a few years ago, with my Mormon cousin.  It was fun looking in the buildings, but the most impressive building was off limits said my cousin.  Is that what they call the Temple?  Whatever.   It was off limits to Mormons too, except for a few high members of the organization.  It seemed like a waste of architecture for just a few guys.  The first question that came to my mind was, "What they Hell do they do in there that has to be so secret?"

My cousin replied, "Well, we don't know.  It's a secret."

It hardly seems like a good way to build confidence in your church.  Secrecy is a scary thing when you are giving 10% of your income to these people.  I say tax them, and make the taxes retroactive to the 19th century.  And then tax 'em some more.  Make it sting.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Well god works in mysterious ways you know.

[stromboli]

I visited the grandeur of Mormon Salt Lake City compound (whatever you call that area) a few years ago, with my Mormon cousin.  It was fun looking in the buildings, but the most impressive building was off limits said my cousin.  Is that what they call the Temple?  Whatever.   It was off limits to Mormons too, except for a few high members of the organization.  It seemed like a waste of architecture for just a few guys.  The first question that came to my mind was, "What they Hell do they do in there that has to be so secret?"

My cousin replied, "Well, we don't know.  It's a secret."

It hardly seems like a good way to build confidence in your church.  Secrecy is a scary thing when you are giving 10% of your income to these people.  I say tax them, and make the taxes retroactive to the 19th century.  And then tax 'em some more.  Make it sting.

I did Endowments in the Ogden and Salt Lake temple so I've been inside. Look up Masonic temple ceremonies and they are very similar. There is also a video of Mormons doing endowments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms6ny86rXU4

which you will tl;dr because it is long, boring and lame. The updated ceremony is different than the one I did. The earlier endowments included taking oaths that you would sacrifice your life with throat cutting and disembowelment if you revealed the secret covenants. Trust me, weird doesn't describe it.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I visited the grandeur of Mormon Salt Lake City compound (whatever you call that area) a few years ago, with my Mormon cousin.  It was fun looking in the buildings, but the most impressive building was off limits said my cousin.  Is that what they call the Temple?  Whatever.   It was off limits to Mormons too, except for a few high members of the organization.  It seemed like a waste of architecture for just a few guys.  The first question that came to my mind was, "What they Hell do they do in there that has to be so secret?"

My cousin replied, "Well, we don't know.  It's a secret."

It hardly seems like a good way to build confidence in your church.  Secrecy is a scary thing when you are giving 10% of your income to these people.  I say tax them, and make the taxes retroactive to the 19th century.  And then tax 'em some more.  Make it sting.

I did Endowments in the Ogden and Salt Lake temple so I've been inside. Look up Masonic temple ceremonies and they are very similar. There is also a video of Mormons doing endowments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms6ny86rXU4

which you will tl;dr because it is long, boring and lame. The updated ceremony is different than the one I did. The earlier endowments included taking oaths that you would sacrifice your life with throat cutting and disembowelment if you revealed the secret covenants. Trust me, weird doesn't describe it.

I'll wait for the movie version of you getting your throat cut and getting disemboweled for telling us about this.  [-X

[Thumpalumpacus]

As much money as the Mormons have poured into state campaigns regarding gay marriage, I'd say that their tax-exempt status here in America is long overdue for a review.  They have in the last ten years acted to influence the political landscape.

[stromboli]

As much money as the Mormons have poured into state campaigns regarding gay marriage, I'd say that their tax-exempt status here in America is long overdue for a review.  They have in the last ten years acted to influence the political landscape.

Yeah, no shit. Not to mention that a number of other religious church leaders openly campaigned against Obama.