1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Crystal Cathedral megachurch files for bankruptcy

Discussion in 'Money Talk$' started by 4ever4Jesus, Oct 18, 2010.

  1. 4ever4Jesus

    4ever4Jesus New Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2010
    Messages:
    107
    Likes Received:
    0
    Crystal Cathedral Ministries, an Orange County landmark and megachurch founded by television evangelist Robert H. Schuller, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Monday morning.

    The cathedral owes about about $7.5 million to unsecured creditors. The bankruptcy filing seeks court protection from its creditors.

    In a statement issued Monday, Senior Pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman said the bankruptcy filing was a necessity because a "small number of creditors chose to file lawsuits and obtained writ of attachment."




    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39728662/ns/us_news-life/?gt1=43001
     
  2. GFlanagan3

    GFlanagan3 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 10, 2010
    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    0
    I saw that on Foxnews and I thought they said more was owed...in any case the problem don't simply start with fiscal irresponsibilty here-Pastor Sheilia? ::tonofbricks:
     
  3. billwald

    billwald New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2000
    Messages:
    11,414
    Likes Received:
    2
    It is a private enterprise under the guise of a charity. Most BIG "charities" are a taxpayer rip off.
     
  4. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Then you would support the Electonic tax - which has no execptions, including churches, charities, schools, ect

    Opps, off subject....bad boy Salty:tonofbricks:
     
  5. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,248
    Likes Received:
    9
    Faith:
    Non Baptist Christian
    actually that would be a good idea because with out tax breaks churches could do and say what ever they want with out any restrictions (apart from normal civil).
     
  6. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2009
    Messages:
    6,156
    Likes Received:
    78
    Your church can do this now. No one is forcing them to take a tax exempt status. If you church wants to "do and say what ever they want" tell them to start paying taxes and do it.
     
  7. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2003
    Messages:
    38,982
    Likes Received:
    2,615
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Keep in mind, that if you do that (not be taxed exemped) them members will not be able to deduct offerings from their income tax.
    I realize that is not the reason to give, but if an individaul is giving a sizeable amount to the church, then why give extra to the govt?

    generally, I would say that restrictions placed on the church are not that unreasonable. If it came to that point - ie no preching against abortion, homsexu@al , ect - that is a different story.
    And that is as why as Christians, we need to get involved with local politics.
     
  8. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,248
    Likes Received:
    9
    Faith:
    Non Baptist Christian
    Sure they can. Its the same consept. But isn't taking the governments breaks no more than aquiessing to being a "state Church"?
     
  9. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2009
    Messages:
    6,156
    Likes Received:
    78
    No, there's quite a difference in being a "state church".
     
  10. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,248
    Likes Received:
    9
    Faith:
    Non Baptist Christian
    Not much when you are told what you cannot discuss in your services.
     
  11. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2009
    Messages:
    6,156
    Likes Received:
    78
    So, according to your logic, all churches in the US are "state churches". That's quite a claim.
     
  12. billwald

    billwald New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2000
    Messages:
    11,414
    Likes Received:
    2
    Many US churches are not registered with the IRS.
     
  13. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,248
    Likes Received:
    9
    Faith:
    Non Baptist Christian
    If the government can put restrictions on what they say then what would you call it?
     
  14. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,248
    Likes Received:
    9
    Faith:
    Non Baptist Christian
    I'm not sure how you mean this.
     
  15. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2009
    Messages:
    6,156
    Likes Received:
    78
    I would say that the churches have made a choice to trade away some of their autonomy in return for tax breaks. If they choose to go the other way, they can. This certainly doesn't illustrate a "state church".
     
  16. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,248
    Likes Received:
    9
    Faith:
    Non Baptist Christian
    I disagree. If the pulpit can be monitored by the government and sermons modified to be agreeable with the government I don't know what else to call it. Just because Our government is benelvolent with our churches doesn't mean its less so. What happens when they want furhter restrictions? And so it goes.
     
  17. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2009
    Messages:
    6,156
    Likes Received:
    78
    A "state church" is one that has no choice in the matter. Every church in our country has a choice. If they feel the restrictions are too heavy handed, they can give up the tax benefits and say what they like.
     
  18. Thinkingstuff

    Thinkingstuff Active Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2008
    Messages:
    8,248
    Likes Received:
    9
    Faith:
    Non Baptist Christian
    And once you take the benefit of having tax relief you have no choice in deciding whether or not you will speak about homosexuality or some other politically incorrect idea.
     
  19. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2009
    Messages:
    6,156
    Likes Received:
    78
    We can agree to disagree. In my opinion a "state church" is one that has no choice in the matter. All churches in the US have a choice so they are not a "state church". Your definition obviously isn't the same. We will continue to go in circles, so we might as well stop.
     
  20. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2005
    Messages:
    9,031
    Likes Received:
    2
    Back to the OP.

    Does anybody have any idea how Crystal Cathedral suddenly finds itself 50 million (so so) in debt? Didn't anybody there see this coming?
     
Loading...