Dear Foxy,

Rehctub asked a moral question (to which I have no clear answer so I did not reply).
How possibly could a legal investigation answer moral questions?

Dear Yuyutsu,

A not for profit organisation in order to
continue with its tax exemptions has to
meet certain legalities (morals aside).
And therefore it isn't a question of morals
as such - but legalities, whether or not
it still qualifies as a not-for-profit
organisation or not.

Dear Foxy,

Rehctub asked about how things OUGHT to be, in the future: "should not for profit organisations be allowed to accumulate assets when those assets are purchased with tax free income?", which is a moral question - not about how the law stands now.

Dear Yuyutsu,

The laws would still apply in the future.
Unless they are gotten rid of - which I don't see
happening. You see it as a moral issue.
I see it primarily - as a legal one.

Most Christian Churches run hospitals and health clinics around the world. Health clinics especially in third World Countries because of shortage of staff to run hospitals, but hospitals do exist. They run schools and universities in many countries.

Of course there are those here that believe Churches schools should be seated under trees and not in buildings. The Church I attend support teachers in Cambodia, schools and tech training in Nairobi under basic shelter. Yet the mean minded want to tax churches who support such development in third World countries.

Josephus, if churches are so generous in the third world as is claimed, ( not spending NGO funds on behalf of first world Govts) then why don't they come clean and open their financial books, so we all know exactly what happens to the money.

I seem to recall that Cardinal Pell has gone to Rome to clean up the mess which is Vatican accounts and it seems hundreds of millions are missing. The Vatican is an enormously wealthy organisation, why should we contribute even more to their piggy bank by granting them tax free status on their Australian income? As far as I know, their hospitals here don't operate for nothing, but typically charge 900$ a day for a bed. How much of that is tax free profit, we really don't know.