Clivebenss

17 Mar 10, 08:22

Mar 17, 2010 - ST Forum

Look into investments by religious groups

IT IS time the authorities looked into the matter of huge donations being received by religious organisations, which are tax-exempt and should, therefore, not be used to invest in commercial properties.

Religious organisations should not become large property conglomerates. They should not be involved in the business world and become commercialised.

Rightfully and morally, the huge funds donated by followers should go towards providing scholarships for deserving bright students from lower-income families or towards building shelters for children from broken homes and so on.

Jeffrey Tan

the Bear

17 Mar 10, 08:38

he's right you know?

so.. whatever the heck "church" is now investing in Suntec...

something is seriously wrong there...

the God they claim to worship doesn't need their money

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

17 Mar 10, 09:37

Originally posted by the Bear:

he's right you know?

so.. whatever the heck "church" is now investing in Suntec...

something is seriously wrong there...

the God they claim to worship doesn't need their money

+1 +1

However, it seems some of our mini star is their sheeps...

Mr Milo

17 Mar 10, 20:15

Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:

+1 +1

However, it seems some of our mini star is their sheeps...

Baa!

and Moo Moo too

Cash Cows

Mason H

18 Mar 10, 02:18

Animal farm.

Veggie Bao

20 Mar 10, 22:57

In news recently,

Some authority body has started to ask CHC about the Suntec deal.

Clivebenss

20 Mar 10, 23:00

Mar 20, 2010 - The Straits Times

City Harvest questioned

By Melissa Sim, Esther Teo & Yen Feng

City Harvest Church is now a co-owner of Suntec Singapore, and has said it will use two floors in Suntec to house a 12,000-seat auditorium for worship services.

THE Commissioner of Charities has questioned City Harvest Church (CHC) about its $310 million stake in Suntec Singapore.

The 33,000-strong megachurch announced two weeks ago that it had become a co-owner of the downtown commercial property, which houses a convention and exhibition centre.

The complex's full name is Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Mason H

25 Mar 10, 04:11

Mar 24, 2010 - ST Forum

Check on charity status of religious groups

I REFER to the letters about commercial investments by mega churches and last Saturday's letter, 'Drawing the line on commercial deals', by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports; Urban Redevelopment Authority; and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

As an auditor of several charitable groups, I wonder if significant involvement in commercial activities by mega churches, through investments in properties, still qualify the churches as charities under the Charities Act and their Constitutions.

According to the Charities Act, the purposes/objects of the charities must be exclusively charitable, which, in the case of religious groups, is the promotion of their respective religions.

The authorities, including the Registrar of Societies and Commissioner of Charities, should look into statutory compliance and evaluate if such religious groups still qualify as charities.

New Creation Church and City Harvest Church are registered as charities but not Institutions of a Public Character. This means that donations to these churches are not tax exempt, so donors do not enjoy tax deductions of 2.5 times.

Nevertheless, I am impressed by the ability of these churches to obtain significant donation income, which is a feat few organisations can match.

Tan Saw Bin (Ms)

laurence82

25 Mar 10, 07:12

I am worried that such groups worm their way into everyday life of Singapore, whether its political attempts to take over civic organisation such as AWARE, having huge stakes in our economy by buying their way into malls and buildings or use their huge following to perhaps stage an uprising

Mr Milo

25 Mar 10, 10:01

A religious coup!

Prepare for war!

the Bear

25 Mar 10, 10:04

Originally posted by Mr Milo:

A religious coup!

Prepare for war!

remember WACO..

noahnoah

25 Mar 10, 10:06

hmm

Clash of the titans?

303?

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

25 Mar 10, 10:09

Originally posted by Mr Milo:

A religious coup!

Prepare for war!

A giant chicken coop liaox la... -___-

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

25 Mar 10, 10:10

Originally posted by noahnoah:

hmm

Clash of the titans?

303?

300 la...

simi 303... we here no play number de hor... no seiko, rolex or casio also~

Clivebenss

25 Mar 10, 13:24

Wrong objective.

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

25 Mar 10, 13:31

Originally posted by Clivebenss:

Wrong objective.

eh?

arent brainwashing humans to become money making bots part of the objective?

charlize

25 Mar 10, 13:36

Which investment will be next?

Ngee Ann City? Great World City? Harbour Front?

Clivebenss

25 Mar 10, 13:38

Originally posted by charlize:

Which investment will be next?

Ngee Ann City? Great World City? Harbour Front?

How about MBS or RWS?

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

25 Mar 10, 13:41

Originally posted by Clivebenss:

How about MBS or RWS?

Might be parliment house or istana too...

Clivebenss

25 Mar 10, 13:44

Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:

Might be parliment house or istana too...

Those not for sale leh...

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

25 Mar 10, 13:53

Originally posted by Clivebenss:

Those not for sale leh...

sales? who said anything abt sales~

they are going to convert the whole government into sheeps~~~

Clivebenss

25 Mar 10, 13:59

Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:

sales? who said anything abt sales~

they are going to convert the whole government into sheeps~~~

Money can buy almost everything; if not can convert them to sheep.

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

25 Mar 10, 14:01

Originally posted by Clivebenss:

Money can buy almost everything; if not can convert them to sheep.

then their influence is going to spread slowly like plague... then they convert malaysia, indo... then soon china... asia...

good to see singapore expanding in a way...

Clivebenss

25 Mar 10, 14:03

Originally posted by ^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~:

then their influence is going to spread slowly like plague... then they convert malaysia, indo... then soon china... asia...

good to see singapore expanding in a way...

then oversupply of mutton.....

^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~

25 Mar 10, 14:06

Originally posted by Clivebenss:

then oversupply of mutton.....

reminds me of the vatician... few months ago, they were discussing abt whether aliens are god creation anot... if aliens are, can the vaticians convert them???

A giant cross in space (maybe as solar space station) or mars might not be far away~