Man's home is castle-and church
When George Michael placed a cross on the side of his lakefront mansion, neighbors assumed the decoration was simply a display of the man's religious faith.
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what a load.
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You would think that the Revenue Dept. would have check out if it was even possible for a "church" to be in that location, before it waived it's magic no tax wand.
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Just another rich guy $cumbag. Kind of sounds like something a Daley associate would think up.
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I think I'm going to get my "on-line" pastoral degree and turn my house into a church too! How about we all do that - we sure can save on property taxes! I sincerely believe his is the "humanist" religion - pretty human to try and hold onto your wallet. What a scam!
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Actually, I think they should tax all churches, and only exempt property taxes for those facilities that actually provide a legitimate charity function (schools, shelters, etc.).
This guy is obviously abusing the system, but so are many other "legit" churches in more subtle ways. |
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So, if anyones' business is in financial difficulty and their spouses' unspecified disability makes it hard for her to attend church services, they can covert their residence to a church and blow off taxes? This has to be a tax dodge as I am sure that the church that they are still shown as members of would gladly send a clergy member to attend to a disabled person. Also, the internet is his source of validity? Michael should pay the property taxes or he if he cannot afford to do so he should do like many others have had to do: sell the house and downsize. |
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This is an example of why the property tax exemption should be discontinued for religious institutions (exempting religiously oriented homeless shelters and other similar used buildings). If a church is a viable part of a community, its members should fulfill its obligations for the property it holds - not rely on the entire population to cover for it.
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I'm kind of amazed that no Texans around here have thought of this. We've got the big televangelists currently embroiled in a tug of war with Congress over lavish lifestyles (Benny Hinn,Kenneth Copeland), but not the average real estate guy figuring out the loophole.
You at least have to give the guy a nod for ingenuity. Impressive. |
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This is a sham at it's highest level.
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Abusing the system, pure and simple.
I know of large estates from the Gilded Age which have small private chapels on site. Those owners do not seeking any asinine religious exemption nor even a carve out of the portion of the property containing the on-site religious function. |
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I would like to register as a member----probably the closest that I will get to a mansion. On-line degree---wow!!! That is impressive---not!!! And here in Country Club Hills is another mansion for R. Wright. Lots of money to be made being a "minister".
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Did Armenian Apostolic Church Armenia sanctioned the so called Armenian Church of Lake Bluff? No! He is lying and he never attended the St Gregory the Iluminator Armenian Church, does he even do mass in Armenian? No!He is just pulling a fast one. Enough said! Put him in jail.
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I've got a Buddha in my house, can I call it a temple? This is just a way to avoid the tax man and bill collectors.
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First, we have to start asking how is giving religious institutions tax breaks, because they are religious, not a clear violation of the 1st Amendment establishment cause? Second, we need to ask how much more money would all county governments have, if religious institutions were paying the same property taxes any non-religious entity would be paying for owning the same property?
Internet/Rev George Michael, like all American Christian clergy that seeks tax breaks, seems to be forgetting Jesus' injunction in Matthew 22:21 to, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's". |
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What a scam - shame on you lawyers for helping this guy screw the government. If this mansion is a 'church', they need to move out! No one lives in a church - what's the ordinance for THAT? Even Jesus said 'pay to Caesar what is Caesars' and pay to God what is God's. Meaning, your tithes to God and your TAXES to the government.
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it would be pretty funny if a bunch of Armenians started showing up at this guy's house on Sundays for services as a result of this publicity. come on, Armenians, we need you to call this guy's (Lake) bluff.
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WWJD?
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good for him - we are overertaxed anyway.
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I do have to laugh everytime I see one of those tv preacher jumping up and down, sweating "in the name of the lord" then getting into their new mercedes to head off to the airport to jump on their leir jets - YES, "Churches" must be taxed. I wonder how many would continue to jume up and down and continued to sweat if they earned $50K/year? |
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Put him in jail for a few years before others begin to think they can get away with paying their taxes.
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Judge it!
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