18 minutes ago, Ace Nova said:

I've seen fringe groups from both sides that seem to believe some of the same conspiracy theories, so it wouldn't surprise me. 

What conspiracy theories. It pretty simple here. The church rightly does not pay taxes yet here they are lobbying for, and getting relief from tax money. No one here is making a serious argument to tax the church. We just went the separation to work both ways. 

I guess I'm confused as to why they needed it? Did their constituents all stop donating?  Kinda weird for a church to ask for this and I mean any church. 

37 minutes ago, Tnt4philly said:

What conspiracy theories. It pretty simple here. The church rightly does not pay taxes yet here they are lobbying for, and getting relief from tax money. No one here is making a serious argument to tax the church. We just went the separation to work both ways. 

Understood.

34 minutes ago, greend said:

I guess I'm confused as to why they needed it? Did their constituents all stop donating?  Kinda weird for a church to ask for this and I mean any church. 

I can't speak for other churches but logic would dictate that the loans given to the Catholic Church (since the Church needs to show them being used primarily for payroll costs) would likely go to teachers, maintenance people, bus drivers, administrative people, social workers, healthcare workers, etc.  Those same people would have claimed unemployment benefits, had they been laid off. 

When you have a 3 month quarantine and people lose their jobs, one of the first things that gets cut (more than likely) would be donations to the church/charity.   People will feed their families first, etc.

8 minutes ago, Ace Nova said:

Understood.

I can't speak for other churches but logic would dictate that the loans given to the Catholic Church (since the Church needs to show them being used primarily for payroll costs) would likely go to teachers, maintenance people, bus drivers, administrative people, social workers, healthcare workers, etc.  Those same people would have claimed unemployment benefits, had they been laid off. 

When you have a 3 month quarantine and people lose their jobs, one of the first things that gets cut (more than likely) would be donations to the church/charity.   People will feed their families first, etc.

Well since schools and churches weren't open during those times then yes they should have been laid off and they would have collected the 600.00 stipend. And while some of the parishioners would have likely lost their jobs some "essential" workers wouldn't have and even the ones that did still collected the 600.00 so............ feeding their families probably wasn't an issue.

I like some others (and I am a Christian but not catholic ) like to keep the state out of the churches business and the church out of the states business.

Just seems wrong and weird but I'm not going to die on that hill for sure 

54 minutes ago, greend said:

Well since schools and churches weren't open during those times then yes they should have been laid off and they would have collected the 600.00 stipend. And while some of the parishioners would have likely lost their jobs some "essential" workers wouldn't have and even the ones that did still collected the 600.00 so............ feeding their families probably wasn't an issue.

I like some others (and I am a Christian but not catholic ) like to keep the state out of the churches business and the church out of the states business.

Just seems wrong and weird but I'm not going to die on that hill for sure 

Separation of Church and State is agreed upon by both the Church and the State (Albeit for different reasons).

I can't speak for other Churches but the Catholic Church has a large portion of lay people (Nuns, brothers, monks, deacons,volunteers, etc) that subsidize a good portion of the costs of their school and healthcare systems through working at below minimum/near minimum wages and in some cases for nothing but room and board.   (Vows of poverty by Nuns, Brothers, volunteers, etc)

Most of those couldn't even be "technically" laid off by the Church.  If they were, they would be likely making more money than they are allowed to make because of their vows of poverty, etc.  So instead of getting the $600 per week, they likely received much less (individually) through what they received from the Church and could have likely saved the government money.  

That's just one aspect.  Long story short, when it comes to the Catholic Church specifically, it isn't as simple as "separation of church and state" since the State may have actually benefited (as well) by giving those loans out to the Catholic Church.

Is it safe to say that the catholic church is the largest charitable organization ever known to mankind?   

Trump Administration Must Disclose Full Details of $7.3 Billion Church Bailout, Federal Court Rules

Today, the church/state watchdog organization praised the United States District Court for the District of Columbia’s ruling that the Trump Administration must disclose the full details of the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loan recipients. This program includes approximately $7.3 billion used to bail out churches.

 

https://www.atheists.org/2020/11/church-bailout-federal-court-ruling/

On 7/14/2020 at 12:21 PM, SNOORDA said:

Is it safe to say that the catholic church is the largest charitable organization ever known to mankind?   

Easily

 

9 minutes ago, DaEagles4Life said:

Trump Administration Must Disclose Full Details of $7.3 Billion Church Bailout, Federal Court Rules

Today, the church/state watchdog organization praised the United States District Court for the District of Columbia’s ruling that the Trump Administration must disclose the full details of the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) forgivable loan recipients. This program includes approximately $7.3 billion used to bail out churches.

 

https://www.atheists.org/2020/11/church-bailout-federal-court-ruling/

Lol "church bailout"