60 Minutes Australia: "Cooking the Book of Mormon"

[Craig Speechly]

1 minute ago, Calm said:

Each law does not exist in isolation.  Laws were also made by the government to incentivize charitable donations to approved charities, including Developing Countries’ Relief Funds.  Why is it not in the spirit of the law to give money to these chosen organizations rather than the Australian government when the government itself set up the process to do so?

It's the avoidance of paying taxes on the day to day operating cost that the church incurrss that is at issue. 

 

I'm done for the day, I've addressed each of these questions throughout my participation on the thread.  I'm sure that as you read my posts your questions will be addressed..  happy holiday

[Calm]

57 minutes ago, Craig Speechly said:

It is clear what the church is doing by setting up these funds to provide cover for member to get the 100% deducitiblity on tithing donations.

And yet apparently the organization the Australian government set up to oversee taxes and donations is clueless about these documents that are posted on their own website that are so easily deciphered.

It seems to me the issue is whether or not the government prefers what is quite significant funding be spent on its chosen charities rather than making a drop in the bucket of tax revenue.  I don’t live in Australia and I have never worked in a government tax office, but if even I can decipher documents it doesn’t seem to be that hard of an issue to investigate.  That no challenges have been made by the government in 7 years and that the candidate that was making a big deal about it went silent when he was elected and actually may have had access to any behind the scenes info indicates to me the government is happy its incentive program is working the way it is meant to.  What the Charitable Trust Fund money can achieve through being spent on charities rather than whatever it was spent on before likely has a much bigger bang for the buck with this setup than the previous one…again what the government obviously intended by providing the incentive rather than just donating the funds itself out of tax revenues.  Add to that Australia gets extra overseas funding being brought in by the global Church covering the Australian Church’s costs as needed (do we know for sure this is how costs are being handled or is this something assumed?), it is very reasonable to me to see the Australian government as happy with the arrangement.  They need people to donate to DGRs to fulfill the government’s goals in this area or they wouldn’t be giving a significant tax break.

Edited November 24, 2022 by Calm

[Stormin' Mormon]

2 minutes ago, Craig Speechly said:

 It's using these humanitarian charity loopholes to provide cover for the Australian members of gain 100% tax free donation on their tithing that is at issue.  It's brilliant but to an outsider rather dodgy.

A "loophole" that is easily accessible to every single citizen in Australia (simply donate funds to an approved charity). A "loophole" which is accessed by doing the exact thing that the Australian government wants its citizens to do. A "loophole" that doesn't benefit the organization exploiting it.

 

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 hour ago, Calm said:

Because they will be honest with you when they weren’t honest to the public?

My thought exactly!

[Craig Speechly]

1 hour ago, Stormin' Mormon said:

A "loophole" that is easily accessible to every single citizen in Australia (simply donate funds to an approved charity). A "loophole" which is accessed by doing the exact thing that the Australian government wants its citizens to do. A "loophole" that doesn't benefit the organization exploiting it.

 

This scheme is currently only available to anyone who donates funds to the lds church. If found compliant I have no doubt other religious institutions will implement something similar 

[Stormin' Mormon]

1 hour ago, Craig Speechly said:

This scheme is currently only available to anyone who donates funds to the lds church. If found compliant I have no doubt other religious institutions will implement something similar 

The LDSCA is the only charity in Australia for which donations are 100% deductible? That would be pretty sus. If it were remotely true.

[Craig Speechly]

2 minutes ago, Stormin' Mormon said:

The LDSCA is the only charity in Australia for which donations are 100% deductible? That would be pretty sus. If it were remotely true.

That is not remotely close to what I said. I’m out. Have a Happy thanksgiving 🦃 

[Stormin' Mormon]

Just now, Craig Speechly said:

That is not remotely close to what I said. I’m out. Have a Happy thanksgiving 🦃 

To you as well. May your Thanksgiving be full of yummy foods, loving family, and joyous moments.

[Hamba Tuhan]

Last month's hit pieces on the Church in Australia appear to have been such a PR disaster that even local governments have taken notice:

Quote

The first “Giving Machine” in the Southern Hemisphere will be in Brisbane, Australia, this Christmas season, hosted by the Logan City Council at the Logan Hyperdome Shopping Centre.

Elder Peter F. Meurs, of the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Mayor Darren Power, Logan City, will officially launch the Giving Machine on Saturday, 26 November.

Oh, wait ...

Mayor Power and his fellow councillors clearly don't read the Sydney Morning Herald or watch 60 Minutes; otherwise, they would know how bad it looks to be publicly supporting a greedy corporation that only pretends to be a church, one that actively seeks out hidden 'loopholes' to allow its members to engage in 'tax evasion' under the guise of charity whilst 'funnelling the money' ... somewhere ... thereby ripping off the average Aussie.

Quote

Donations made at the Brisbane Giving Machine this Christmas season will be used by Australian and Queensland charities to help individuals, families and communities.

I call BS. Donations made at the Brisbane Giving Machine will almost certainly be used by the Church to further 'cook its books', and everyone knows that.

I can't believe the Church, still reeling from last month's devastatingly bad publicity, was able to con six reputable charities into partnering with them on this project:

• Angel Flight Australia
• Children's Hospital Foundation
• Community Involvement Solutions
• GIVIT
• Rosies -- Friends on the Street and
• the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Queensland.

Shocking. Mr Southerton, Mr Rochow, and Mr and Mrs Given really need to up their game.

And the Australian Government really needs to get its act together and shut down this charade now that they have all the insider information, instead of just relying on the Church's audited tax and charity documents.

Edited November 29, 2022 by Hamba Tuhan

[JustAnAustralian]

1 hour ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I call BS. Donations made at the Brisbane Giving Machine will almost certainly be used by the Church to further 'cook its books', and everyone knows that.

Don't forget to deduct a pair of shoes from your income.

Edited November 28, 2022 by JustAnAustralian

[Hamba Tuhan]

3 hours ago, JustAnAustralian said:

Don't forget to deduct a pair of shoes from your income.

No, thank you. I don't engage in tax evasion!