Not So Sweet Charity

Like everyone else who aspires to call themselves human beings, I have been horrified by recent events in the Middle East.

And I cannot say on this forum, where anyone who says the Middle East disputes are NOT about religion are talking from, but it is definitely not out of their mouths.

The troubles in the Middle East are 120% about one religion trying to destroy another, nothing more and nothing less. You only need to listen to recordings the terrorists – for terrorists is what they are - shouted as they made their invasion to know that.  

That such vile acts can still be committed in religions name in the 21^st Century, clearly tells me that we must now privatise religion.

It is time to bring to an end ‘the advancement of religion’ as a cause for which one can claim charitable status. We also need to stop giving religions privileges like, lower VAT rates on building works, council tax exemptions, business rate waivers, and above all, automatic seats in Parliament. Britain is the only country outside Iran that has clerics in its legislature.

Those who want religion, can pay for it with Netflix-style subscriptions that can be opted in and out of as required.

What amazes me is that our government, which is so in favour of market forces, has never thought of doing this before. After all, religions are extremely rich institutions and selling them off, like they have done with so many other institutions, should be a no-brainer to them.  

Taking away the charitable status of religions, and all the other charities associated with it, will generate billions of pounds a year – and that’s without the corporation tax we can charge on any profits the purveyors of prophets make.

I cannot think of a better time do it than now, and I urge the government to change the charity rules immediately.