Gov't approves bill tightening religious donation rules

including linking donations to spiritual salvation.

How else are they going to get people to donate?

Are they paying tax?

No, and in my opinion, ALL religious related cults should have those tax breaks eliminated. If people want to donate their hard earned money, that's their choice, but the cults should not be given any tax breaks either.

Buddhism is not a religion. Most people define religion as believing in some sort of God or Creator, which Buddhism does not.

https://blog.sivanaspirit.com/understanding-buddhism-10-reasons-not-religion/

When I lived in the countryside before, our village had a big central temple. It was the location for all events and matsuri. On the outside walls were name plaques with everybody's names. They were put in order of how much was paid. It was like a shaming system. The temple doesn’t pay taxes and they have Lexus cars and big shiny motorbikes.

1- ""The proposed legislation would allow religious believers and their family members to ask for the return of donations and prohibits religious groups from soliciting funds through coercive means, including linking donations to spiritual salvation"". Well Done

2- ""Religious figures could face prison sentences of up to a year or fines if convinced of pressuring followers to donate."" 5 yeras or 5,000,000 JPY is reasonable.

3- ""The bill would also allow dependent family members of believers to retract donations made by their relatives."" Well Done.

Better yet all future donations to any group Religious or Non Religious, must be reported to the proper authorities, Japanese citizens report their income and expenses and these groups or cults should be NO Different.

@wallace. You do know buddhists believe there are 88 gods in a grain of rice and it is an insult to the gods to waste even one grain of rice?

At the Temple where I live the father drive a Toyota Crown changes it every 2 to 3 years, the wife drive an Acura changes it every 2 to 3 years, and one kid drive Porsche Cayenne and again changes every 3 to 4 years all paid for by the hard working temple members who mostly drive Kei Cars or trucks and work 10 to 14 hours a day 6 days a week. now if this is what GOD or any faith thinks it's a fair deal then God need to be taken to court I say.

On top of that NO TAXES ( ZERO ) are paid by the temple, it's like a DOUBLE WHAMMY for the city and the followers.

The kingdom of God is within.

Right?

So why the money...

They should be taxed to give no incentives to make a business out of beliefs.

Look at Scientology, completely made up, registered as a religion, no taxes, makes a million.

But isn't everything a business in a capitalist society?

No profit no life.

But organised religion makes the greedy fintech folk hiding out in tax free islands look like saints.

Rodney

@wallace. You do know buddhists believe there are 88 gods in a grain of rice and it is an insult to the gods to waste even one grain of rice?

Japanese people believe there are 7 gods in a grain of rice. Nothing to do with Buddhism.

There are no gods in Buddhism.

Starting a temple in Japan is a great business opportunity, Zero Taxes, the ultimate gift, untraceable cash $ Donation, Free foods and drinks including Alcohol my favorite part, Free medical care, Free or discounted services such as repairs and maintenance, Gifts on weekly bases from new Rice harvest, to Apples, to Mikans, to daily fruits, Vegetables, and flowers, Getting paid for any blessing services including, Weddings, Building a new home, Funeral service, Having a baby, even starting new school year these days gets blessed and these services cost any where between 30,000 to 200,000 JPY per service even if you are a member. and the list goes on and on.

Mark

are you commenting on Buddhist Temples or Shinto Shrines?

LDP politicians don't yet take responsibility at all about that they are accomplices of Unification Church and caused to increase victim.

Many political issues are about to be vague in the shade of World Cup.

The majority of countries have tax-exempt religions, charities, and some nonprofit organisations.

Awa no Gaijin

I practiced and studied Buddhism for 60 years. I don't consider myself an expert or authority. But a practitioner, yes.

My families are Catholic and my country is Christian. I have lived in Japan for 30 years and have gained an understanding of Japanese Buddhism and Shinto.

The original Buddha was Gautama. Born: 564 BC, Lumbini Province, Nepal.

Maitreya (Chinese: Mi-le) 3rd-century CE, (Jan 1, 201 AD – Dec 31, 300 AD). The Buddha of the Future waits in cosmic heaven before descending to earth.

According to Mahayana teachings, a Buddha is first born as a bodhisattva, and then after many lifetimes, progresses on to Buddhahood. The historical Buddha was himself referred to as a bodhisattva before becoming the Buddha.

Mahayana teachings emphasize postponing one's liberation so that one may help, assist and guide all sentient beings to the state of Nirvana. According to Mahayana teachings, a high-level Bodhisattva possesses a mind of great compassion and wisdom.

In the beginning, I studied and practiced Theravada Buddhism and was trained by monks from Sri Lanka.

I believe Buddhahood can be achieved in a single lifetime. You do not need to be a monk to achieve it.

I believe Buddhism to be a philosophy and not a religion.

Anyone who has studied or practiced Buddhism will understand why it's referred to as an atheists religion.

There are references to deities in Buddhist texts but those only refer to the functions in our own life and environment that serve to protect us.

Buddhism explicitly denies existence of an all seeing God because in Buddhism life is the creator as well as the creation.

It is amazing how a nut job murderer can dictate and shape state policies.

I believe Buddhism to be a philosophy and not a religion.

Buddhism involves various supernatural beliefs (e.g. reincarnation), so I'm not sure it can be classed as a philosophy. I think most people would class it as a religion, but I guess that depends on how we define religion.

Buddhism involves no supernatural beliefs. Not all Buddhists believe in reincarnation.

Buddhism involves various supernatural beliefs (e.g. reincarnation)

There are no supernatural beliefs. Buddhism doesn't believe in reincarnation but in the eternity of life (often misconstrued as reincarnation).

Buddhist texts contain various depictions which are also misconstrued as supernatural, but that was because the Buddha lived and preached in a time when science had not advanced and the people were not mature or knowledgeable enough to understand what he was trying to convey.

Understanding Buddhism literally by reading or gaining theoretical knowledge will eventually lead to a dead end. Buddhist teachings are a vast ocean which can only be understood through faith.

The proposed legislation would allow religious believers and their family members to ask for the return of donations 

Church can always deny it right?

prohibits religious groups from soliciting funds through coercive means, including linking donations to spiritual salvation.

If someone wants to donate, the technical reason isn't going to stop anyone.

Religious figures could face prison sentences of up to a year or fines if convicted of pressuring followers to donate.

I imagine this would be very hard to prove.

The bill would also allow dependent family members of believers to retract donations made by their relatives.

This is good. But as a proof of whither this does anything, would they return the donations that lead to the assassination of abe, or was the killer not the "dependent" if the bill is passed.