5 Million dollars for a new church in Laurel county KY.

[focusfan]

I was at work last night and was listening to some freepers that I work with talk about the new church that cost $5,000,000.00 to build.Laurel Co.Ky.is a small town with less than 50,000 people where $10.00 an hour is a high paying job and a lot of people work from 60 to 100 hours a week just make ends meet.My question is where does that kind of money come from?This place also has more churches than fast food restaurants,I mean you can`t throw a dead cat without hitting a church.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Possibly it is a church being planted by a denomination that

has the money to do such a thing.

[focusfan]

3. But why they sure don`t need another one

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. If they don't already have a church in the area, then most likely they would not agree. You know

how some exclusivist denominations can be toward other churches who "teach the wrong thing".

[LanternWaste]

34. Then we may safely assume...

Then we may safely assume that you know what the precise number of churches needed for any given denomination are?

[msongs]

2. keeps the $$ out of the hands of poor people nt

[liberalnurse]

11. In more ways than one.....

since churches are tax-free.

[ShaneGR]

5. Depends on how many of those 50,000 will go to that church

Lets say for example that they are able to draw an average of 2000 weekly worshippers. Studies have shown that most chuches raise an average of around $10 per week for every adult member. So $20,000 per week. $80,000 a month. $960,000 per year. Subtract salaries and expensives you're still sitting on at least a half million in profit. TAX FREE.

So 2000 would justify a 5 million investment and would pay for itself in no less than 10 years with a limited draw from the investors.

[skepticscott]

8. But I'm SURE

that this new church, if it exists, would be doing TONS of charity and social service work to repay the public for subsidizing their hallelujahs with tax money...

[kath]

33. Oh, yeah, you betcha - after the money in the donation plate goes to pay off the humongous mortgage

on this place, I'm sure there'll be LOTS left over to feed the poor, clothe them, etc, etc. Good works all over the place, you betcha!!

Good thing that this expensive property is tax-exempt, and that the money donated to the church to pay off the fuckin' thing is considered a "charitable donation" and therefore also tax-exempt. Charity, my ass. Megachurches (and many other churches) are mainly tax-exempt social clubs.

[Toots]

28. You say two thousand worshipers and then later say adult members.

You must be considering all two thousand to be adult worshipers..:shrug: I would also suggest that the figure of ten dollars is also likely to be a family total as well.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. I've long suspected that a lot of the "non-denominational" megachurches

that spring up instantly are "planted" by right-wing foundations, or at least heavily subsidized by them.

[focusfan]

7. A lot of right wingers in the area

[Chovexani]

10. It could be an existing megachurch trying to find cheap land

To build a bigger megachurch for an existing congregation. The one my mom goes to did the same thing.

[Vinca]

9. Sadly, many of the hard working people putting in 60 - 100 hours

a week have bought into the "new" religion. The one with the gospel about if you believe you get rewarded with wealth . . . literally. So people who should be getting help from the church, pony up their tithe every week and keep some of these "pastors" in mansions, limousines and private jets. It's called the "prosperity" gospel. Uh huh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology

[Initech]

13. "That's right, there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over." - Frank Zappa

And if these words you do not heed
Your pocketbook just kinda might recede
When some man comes along and claims a godly need
He will clean you out right through your tweed

That's right, remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over . . .

He's got twenty million dollars
In his Heavenly Bank Account . . .
All from those chumps who was
Born again
Oh yeah, oh yeah

He's got seven limousines
And a private plane . . .
All for the use of his
Special Friends
Oh yeah, oh yeah

He's got thousand-dollar suits
And a Wembley Tie . . .
Girls love to stroke it
While he's on the phone
Oh yeah, oh yeah

At the House of Representatives
He's a groovy guy . . .
When he Gives Thanks
He is not alone . . .

He is dealin'
He is really dealin'
IRS can't determine
Where The Hook is

It is easy with the Bible
To pretend that
You're in Show Biz
(And a-one, and a-two, and a . . . )

They won't get him
They will never get him
For the naughty stuff
That he did
(No no no no, no no no no . . . )

It is best in cases like this
To pretend that
You are stupid
(DOH . . . )

He's got Presidential Help
All along the way
He says the grace
While the lawyers chew
Oh yeah
They sure do

And the Governors agree to say:
"He's a lovely man!"
He makes it easier for
Them to screw
All of you . . .
Yes, that's true!

'Cause he helps put The Fear of God
In the Common Man
Snatchin' up money
Everywhere he can
Oh yeah
Oh yeah

He's got twenty million dollars
In his Heavenly Bank Account
You ain't got nothin', people
(TAX THE CHURCHES!)
You ain't got nothin', people
(TAX THE BUSINESSES
OWNED BY THE CHURCHES!)
You ain't got nothin', people
Thank the man . . . oh yeah

That's right
You ain't got nothin'
And they got it all
And your miserable ass
Is up against the wall
The only thing you have not tried
It's the sport of chumps
And that's SUICIDE

[lectrobyte]

29. Yeah, watch out for those "abundant living" and "Jabez" prayers.

Doesn't seem to go with the Sermon on the Mount, does it?

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Someone posted a few weeks ago about a church that was sending $1 MILLION

on their Christmas pageant.

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. That seriously freaked me out. What would Jesus NOT do?

[Didereaux]

15. rather silly question actually, there are so many poor, because they give it all to a church!

[Didereaux]

16. The Vatican did not fill its coffers with donations from the rich!

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

17. "you can`t throw a dead cat without hitting a church."

That's funny :rofl:

[Countdown_3_2_1]

18. As long as its private money who cares? The Luxor cost $400 Million.

Vegas, the Luxor cost $400 million to build and was paid in full in two years. Volunteer gamblers beat a path to contribute to the corporate structure. Its been a corporate gravy train ever since.

If some private group wants to build a fancy building for big bucks, then great. It employs local craftsmen who need the work.

Now if this was tax dollars, it would be another mater.
But its not, so it aint.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I care

Whatever happened to helping the poor? Comforting the sick?

Why is it wrong to expect churches to spend money on HELPING people instead of fancy buildings they don't really need? When I was a kid, my church helped us organize fundraisers for missions around the world. We sent our money to feed starving kids in India and to buy polio shots for kids in Africa and we stocked a food pantry here in our city.

People who go to fancy churches are no more likely to go to heaven than a person who attends a smaller church in a poor neighborhood. This is all about ego. My church is fancier than yours. And yes, it upsets me.

Jesus preached on the streets. He didn't even need a building.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

20. OK, for arguments sake, what can be done about it? Nothing.

The constitution prohibits the government from interfering with the free exercise of religion. No one is going to regulate this.

I say, choose your battles. There a lot of stuff in the world I can get upset about. There are things I can't do anything about.

I choose not to get upset about this. I would rather put my passion into something I can affect.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. I can choose not to give any of these fundie churches my money

I am also capable of doing more than a few things at a time. :)

[Countdown_3_2_1]

23. Me no understand.

what do you mean by that 2nd part?

Its their money. You don't give, so you don't pay.
To me its useless to get upset over something you have no control over.

[alfredo]

21. Churches will flock to cities or counties that exclude churches from

having to pay property taxes. Of course the schools lose money by having tax exempt exempt property taking up the revenue base.

[and-justice-for-all]

24. Animal cruelty remarks we can do without, thanks...

and those cults get their money from shrubCOs faith-Based Inititive bullshit and I am sure they would get money from cult Headquarters like the xtian coalition or the SBC.

[Heidi]

25. Shame on you! Don't you recognize economic development when you see it?

:sarcasm:

[Perry Logan]

26. This will all end when we start taxing the churches.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

27. Not going to happen. No politician has the guts to do that. (nt)

[Squatch]

32. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion...

or prohibiting the FREE exercise thereof"

Taking religion does not exactly equate to FREE exercise thereof. :eyes:

[Xenotime]

30. too bad you can't tax them.

[Squatch]

31. Why does this bother you?

These folks have chosen to worship their God in the manner in which they see most fit. Freedom of religious expression is one of our most cherished freedoms, and the faux outrage generated in this thread is comical.

I say good on these people and this church and I hope they find the answers they are looking for.