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Should taxpayers help restore old religous structures?

Zadok

Zadok
...

I of course assume that the various congregations in churches described as "public assets" will desire to have preferential treatment. These congregations will expect the government to pay for the repairs, but will want to prevent any gay architects or contractor personnel from working on the building because well, obviously you can't be gay and swing a hammer for the lord. Or some junk.

I assume that if someone has a live and let live attitude but does not believe gay ideology is beneficial and does not want gayness forced upon them - that you do not have a problem with their desire to live without forced gay influences?

Zadok
 

Wandered Off

Sporadic Driveby Member
I also believe that not paying taxes is not public funding.
Economists call it "opportunity cost." If taxes had been paid, the public would collectively have more money. The difference between what the public would have and what it actually has can be thought of as public funding.

The public is passing on the opportunity to have that money, so other public projects draw from a smaller pool of money. This means that an individual taxpayer has to pay more money than he would have otherwise. In effect, the public is paying more for other things - and that is how it is public funding, albeit indirectly.
 

Duck

Well-Known Member
I assume that if someone has a live and let live attitude but does not believe gay ideology is beneficial and does not want gayness forced upon them - that you do not have a problem with their desire to live without forced gay influences?

Zadok

So, what exactly is a "gay ideology"? Perhaps it is Equality for all under the CIVIL Law? How is that not beneficial to all? Is it perhaps that you feel that your right to verbally, and physically, harass people for who they date will be in some way curtailed?

As things stand in the US right now, it is permissible for one's employer to fire an employee for being gay in more than half of the states. The same cannot be said of an entirely voluntary condition such as religious affiliation.

The point I was originally trying to make, is that regardless of religiousness, religious affiliation, or membership in the particular congregation in question, many of those congregations in dire need of church repair would raise objections to the presence of a gay construction worker, gay architect or gay secretary to the architect. Those congregations would object to the presence of the gay worker because his mere presence would be considered an affront to their religious freedom. Regardless of the gay person's status as an employee or congregant of the church. Also regardless of the fact that that congregation (in the proposed situation of public monies going toward the renovation of a church) is now sucking off the public teat and should otherwise be subject to CIVIL non-discrimination laws.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
I agree - if it is publically funded then it belongs to the public. I also believe that not paying taxes is not public funding.
No, it's not. Not by itself, anyhow.

It becomes public funding when the church or organization receives public benefits of value without paying taxes.
 
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