City Harvest Church members should read bible more often.

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Title : City Harvest Church board in discussion over S$310m Suntec stake
Date : 21 March 2010 2305 hrs (SST)
URL : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stori...045026/1/.html
SINGAPORE: City Harvest Church said its management board is in discussion with the relevant parties and a statement will be issued shortly regarding its S$310 million stake in Suntec Singapore.


The church was recently asked by the Commissioner of Charities about this business venture.
City Harvest did not create a separate business entity for the purchase.
There are concerns regarding this arrangement because the church's income as a registered charity is non-taxable.
During its Sunday service, the church told its members it would update them on the progress of its fund-raising for its new premises next week.
"I think it's definitely okay because it's sort of like an additional revenue for the church," the church said. "It's not an issue for the congregation, because everything is properly audited, so there's no conflict of interest whatsoever."
- CNA/yb

• "I think it's definitely okay because it's sort of like an additional revenue for the church,"

Render unto Caesar...

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Luke 20 (New International Version): 
Paying Taxes to Caesar
20. Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 
21. So the spies questioned him: "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 
22. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
23. He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 
24. "Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?"
25"Caesar's," they replied.
He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
26They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

Mark 12 (New International Version) 
Paying Taxes to Caesar
13Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." 16They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?" 
"Caesar's," they replied.

17Then Jesus said to them, " Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."
And they were amazed at him.

• "It's not an issue for the congregation, because everything is properly audited, so there's no conflict of interest whatsoever."

No matter what audit you do, if by the law, taxes aren't paid, then that is 'stolen money'- money stolen from the state. Are the auditors Christians or just an apparatus to 'satisfy' the congregation?

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exodus 20:2-20:17 - The Ten Commandments
2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3you shall have no other gods before* me.
4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation* of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9For six days you shall labour and do all your work. 10But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
12 Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 You shall not murder.
14 You shall not commit adultery.
15 You shall not steal.
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
17 You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.