Wealthy Ministries

Steve Scott isn't happy that the Senate is investigating alleged waste and opulence in six Christian ministries. I agree that churches are nuts for giving up their freedoms in exchange for a tax exemption.

I don't know how these ministries function, but it seems to me that if the leader is a pastor, he should be paid a salary by his church and receive royalties for books he authored as his to keep. If this brings him millions, that's fine. If his services are televised, the television audience should be asked to contribute only to cover production expenses and the cost of purchasing airtime. The money won't go to the church, to its pastor, or to any other ministry.

If the leader isn't a pastor of a church, but the head of his or her own organization such as "Jane Smith Ministries," that definitely shouldn't be tax-exempt.

Regardless of the legalities of it, as a matter of form no one should get rich by working at a non-profit organization.