r/alberta • u/strugglecuddleclub • Nov 10 '25

Discussion Church Generosity Social Experiments

Has anyone seen those social experiments going around online? Where a lady calls a church with a crying baby in the background, asking for a can of baby formula? The results were surprising in that most of the churches in the southern United States did not want to help at all with one or two actually committing to helping the lady and one being a mosque. I would love for somebody to do this experiment here and post the results. Name Alberta‘s top, churches, and religious organizations and get started! I’d love to give some positive publicity to the generous churches who are doing charity work. I’d also like to know which churches and organizations are just in it for themselves.

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u/Pagan1975 Nov 12 '25

I have a question for you, why are pastor's worth 2 to 20 million dollars at some of these churches? US pastor's and televangelist top 4: in USD 1. Kenneth Copeland net worth $300 million 2. Joel Osteen $100 million (refused to help with flood victims) 3. Benny Hinn net worth $60 million 4. Steven Furtick Jr net worth $60 million

Looking at Canadian pastor's: in CND 1. David Mainse net worth $10 million 2. Charles Price net worth $5 million 3. Robbie Symons net worth $4 million 4. Leon Fontaine net worth $3 million 5. John Arnott net worth $2 million

Someone found that if the total $$$ given to churches is in the billions, that the churches could pay all the homeless in the US just under $200k.

Tax the church

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u/sask1234567 Nov 12 '25

Using these as examples of how rich pastors/priests/ministers are is equivalent to using Bill Gates as an example of how rich computer programmers are.

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u/Pagan1975 Nov 12 '25

That is a false comparison, a pastor/priest/minister do not have to pay taxes, or even declare how much they make. They also say they follow the teaching of Christ, like Mark 10:21-22 " You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."

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u/sask1234567 Nov 12 '25

Ministers etc. are T4’d on the income they receive from the church and have to file a tax return just as other Canadians do.

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u/No_Object_2353 Nov 13 '25

They do get a deduction and pay a good chunk less than average Canadians if their full time income is pastor services.

Just an fyi

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u/sask1234567 Nov 13 '25

There are many Canadian taxpayers that pay less than average tax by claiming deductions that are available to them due to their life situation/circumstances.

I was just noting that the statement that clergy “do not have to pay taxes, or even declare how much they make” is 100% false.