Monday, December 20, 2010

Religious Tax on Subsidy Cash

I have never tried to interfere in people's spiritual beliefs nor do I ever publicly talk about mine. How people want to make themselves feel comfortable with the mysteries of afterlife and the tragedies that hit us all during our lifetime is a private matter and no one else's business so long as others are not hurt. At the same time I have never concealed my despise for organised religion and men who want to profit from making God into a business.

'Khums', literally meaning one fifth, is a religious tax demanded by the Grand Ayatollahs or Sources of Emulation from the Shiite faithful. Every Shiite faithful is duty bound to pay one fifth of his income to his chosen Source of Emulation.

On Saturday, Ahmadinejad finally announced the removal of subsidies which have been keeping the prices artificially low in Iran's economy. To ease the pain of this move, each Iranian will receive a cash pittance amount in their bank accounts. In his televised announcement, Ahmadinejad, true to his messianic nature, referred to this cash as the Hidden Imam's money. A zero interest loan endowed to the people of Iran by the Lord of All Ages, Imam Mehdi, who will return and rid the earth from corruption and injustice. How far this cash will go and whether this cash injection into the economy will cause inflation or hyperinflation is not what I want to talk about however.

What I want to talk about is what I read on this Iranian news website:
http://khabaronline.ir/news-117343.aspx
The cash subsidy is nevertheless an income and so it has brought up the question to the Shiite faithful, will they have to pay 'Khoms' on this cash subsidy?! Will they go to hell if they don't?



Four leading Grand Ayatollahs are asked this important question. Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a holocaust denier who has offices in Harrow Road, London, has decreed 'Not immediately, but once it has been withdrawn, it will be regarded as income'. In other words Yes.

Ayatollah Moussavi Ardebili, has decreed 'If this money is spent to pay for one's expenditure and some is left over, the Khoms must the be paid'. Another clear Yes.

Ayatollah Javad Amoli, has decreed a similar edict, 'If it is spent then Yes'. What else does anyone imagine will be done with this money but spend?

Ayatollah Hussein Nouri Hamedani, has decreed, 'the hypothetical question has no Khoms'. I have to admit, I did not understand this one.

I am totally bemused after all this. Does this now mean the Grand Ayatollahs are taxing Imam Mehdi's money or was Ahmadinejad just kidding??

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

haha, taxing Mehdi's money.. I love the way you write Potkin!

Waybec said...

I always say if anyone want's to believe in a God, then fine. But believing in a religion - especially orgainized religion - means you just believe in a man or men, telling you what God is! If you do Good for Good's sake, then how can God be angry? But unforunately it's those who think they do good for God's sake when the troubles always start.
When I was once up in some rocky hills of India, a man's devotion to his faith was just having a towel wrapped around his waist and sleeping upon a stoney floor. His body survived simply by the meagre tokens anyone would give him when he gave a little tour about his decaying temple. Therefore, surely such humility and sacrifice is the highest and closest thing to any divine spirit isn't it? Not demanding millions - if not billions, just to keep Khamenei and dusty old Roman Empire like pals in the lap of luxury! Unfortunately organised religion has always been the biggest con on the conscience of mankind throughout the centuries. Thankfully the Vatican can no longer be the pompous robed insanity that used to mock and murder the masses! N0 - that deplorable aspect of history has now been well and truly taken over by Khamanei and his black vulture regime of course!

Homayoon said...

Nouri Hamedani's answer appears to be a no. I'd translate it as, "The object of the question does not have a Khoms."

He probably thought something like, "one fifth of 80000 tomans? Hmff! Small potatoes!"

Anonymous said...

"Every Shiite faithful is duty bound to pay one fifth of his income to his chosen Source of Emulation."

Why not choose yourself as your source of emulation?

There! problem solved.