An idea guaranteed to make money...

**pentupentropy** · 11-24-2004 10:45 PM

Start your own religion. Call it .. cult of the canadian gray squirrel. Avoid taxes on all properties and make your followers give you 15% of their income every year, same as the catholic church expects =)

**deleon** · 11-25-2004 01:14 AM

Actually that idea can work. Leaders of major cults and "minor" religous groups are actually very rich. I remember a few months ago, A Current Affair did some vague thing with a cult leader who lived in an expensive Sydney (or was it Melb?) property. Falun Gong leader is also very wealthy.

Funny thing is, a lot of cults don't actually make sense if you pick it apart. Their beliefs are generally taken from other spiritual movements (ie. Buddhism combined with Christianity).

Say....does anyone want to redeem their soul? I've got a spare ticket to...er....the Mothership, and for $100 I'll give it away for almost free!!!!

**Karen** · 11-25-2004 11:08 AM

Gads, I tell this to someone all the time.

This person sees a problem with all religions, finds ways to improve them, tears them apart, and thinks he could make a better system.

So I say..... ummmm, yah, lets start a cult.

Karen

**Frozenfox** · 11-25-2004 09:58 PM

Originally posted by deleon
Say....does anyone want to redeem their soul? I've got a spare ticket to...er....the Mothership, and for $100 I'll give it away for almost free!!!!

Oooooh OOOoooooh ! Pick me pick me!! ... uh, do you accept Canadian Tire Money?

**Cheeto** · 12-11-2004 08:12 PM

One of the most interesting classes I've taken this year --> the Underground Economy. Basically the prof. spins all our preconceptions of the Black Market on their selected heads.

Anyway, he had a very interesting lecture regarding the abuse of religious tax exemptions including various stories about cults started solely out for monetary reasons.

Intersting stuff, check out his book Wages of Crime by Naylor.

**Steve** · 12-11-2004 08:35 PM

Start a fight club style cult in your house...

Get the guys to work and give you their income (or make soap), than during the night send them on lucrative missions.

**pentupentropy** · 12-11-2004 08:39 PM

Originally posted by Cheeto
Anyway, he had a very interesting lecture regarding the abuse of religious tax exemptions including various stories about cults started solely out for monetary reasons.

Maybe many religions didn't start out for the sole purpose of this, but I would have to say they aren't afraid to use it to their advantage. I live in upstate NY. In my county.. and this is NO exaggeration... 1/3 of our land is tax exempt ... over 95% of that is hasidic jewish summer camps. It's nutty.

**dpakman91** · 12-12-2004 09:55 PM

Originally posted by Steve
Start a fight club style cult in your house...

Get the guys to work and give you their income (or make soap), than during the night send them on lucrative missions.

now there's an idea.