Heard this today.

[cornermouse]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4794609&sourceCode=RSS

Panel Weighs Requiring Church to Reveal Finances

In Boston, hearings are under way to determine whether churches should be forced to disclose their financial records, as other charities do. In the wake of the child sex-abuse scandal in the city's Catholic Diocese, Monica Brady-Myerov reports.

The really odd thing about it is the fact that they were claiming...
separation of church and state.

...:rofl:

[Sgent]

1. I personally don't think we should require them

to reveal finances.

For instance, a member club (lik a country club) doesn't have to reveal finances -- either to the public nor to the membereship -- if the membership votes that way.

Of course, country clubs don't recieve most benefits of being tax-exempt -- they are exempt from income taxes but otherwise are like any other business.

[cornermouse]

2. If they're taking government/public/tax money, they need to give a public

accounting. If they want to keep their financial matter private, then they better not take our money.

Its called responsibility and accountability.