# Why does the Catholic Church still receive federal funding? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 6, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-catholic-church-still-receive-federal-funding/535207 "2010-04-06T22:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-catholic-church-still-receive-federal-funding/535207/81 "2010-04-09T04:10:18Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > I have no doubt that Catholic Charities do great and needed work. > > But your post gives the impression that Congress can’t do anything to them because of this. So if, for example, they were involved with voter registration fraud, and had illegal videos of their staff saying stupid things, Congress STILL couldn’t cut funding. In effect, they are too big to fail. I don’t see that happening. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-catholic-church-still-receive-federal-funding/535207/82 "2010-04-09T11:13:48Z")
> [@Perciful](#): > > Is Congress going to be responsible for the children in the streets without an orphanage or the poor people in line for food? Do you have any clue how many poor rely on Catholic Charities? > > Congress should remove it and then you will see how many poor there are. I say bring it on. People need a wake up call. Is it really morally superior to say, seemingly rather excitedly, that we should await a situation where many poor people have their situations worsened in order to simply prove a point? Because that’s what you’re saying here. “How dare Congress be responsible for causing a horrible, nasty situation - I say they make that horrible situation happen so that people who disagree with me will be proved wrong!” It’s really quite unpleasant, not to mention somewhat hypocritical, to first outline the unpleasant situation that would take place if your opponents have their way, telling us of how many and how badly people will be affected - and then with baited breath look forward to that situation so that you can… make a point. They’re willing to “sell out” the poor per you in order to try and curb the actions of child abusers and those who would help them; you’re willing to sell out the poor in order, apparently, to make an impressive argument. I’m not so sure you have the moral high ground on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-catholic-church-still-receive-federal-funding/535207/83 "2010-04-09T12:22:11Z")
> [@emacknight](#): > > Wait a second, so ACORN did lose it’s tax exempt status? > > I was told by not one but two very respectable people that they did not lose their tax exempt status. Any chance either of them will apologize? No to both questions. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![emacknight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ec8ea/32.png) [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-catholic-church-still-receive-federal-funding/535207/84 "2010-04-13T20:59:16Z")
And the icing on the cake: [Hartford, Connecticut (CNN) – A bill in Connecticut’s legislature that would remove the statute of limitations on child sexual abuse cases has sparked a fervent response from the state’s Roman Catholic bishops, who released a letter to parishioners Saturday imploring them to oppose the measure.](http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/11/connecticut.abuse.bill/index.html?hpt=Sbin) Classy. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-catholic-church-still-receive-federal-funding/535207/85 "2010-04-13T22:19:08Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > Is it really morally superior to say, seemingly rather excitedly, that we should await a situation where many poor people have their situations worsened in order to simply prove a point? Because that’s what you’re saying here. “How dare Congress be responsible for causing a horrible, nasty situation - I say they make that horrible situation happen so that people who disagree with me will be proved wrong!” > > It’s really quite unpleasant, not to mention somewhat hypocritical, to first outline the unpleasant situation that would take place if your opponents have their way, telling us of how many and how badly people will be affected - and then with baited breath look forward to that situation so that you can… make a point. They’re willing to “sell out” the poor per you in order to try and curb the actions of child abusers and those who would help them; you’re willing to sell out the poor in order, apparently, to make an impressive argument. I’m not so sure you have the moral high ground on this one. Reverand, I was joking! Just as anyone that puts Acorn on the same level as Catholic Charities is joking. Even if Catholic Charities lost it tax exempt status I know that it would still help the poor. They would just cut back on what they could do for the poor. The Catholic church has always helped the poor and they always will. You can have the high moral ground, I’m just a mortal like everyone else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-catholic-church-still-receive-federal-funding/535207.md?page=4)