Is it time to tax Churches?

http://www.greensboring.com/upimages/reg/images/5668crystalcathedral.jpg

Spawned by this, I've often pondered why we don't tax Churches. I think we should. Yes Church & State should be separate, so should the government invading our personal lifestyles, but everyone has to pay taxes to live in this country, and churches should be no different.

There are several reasons to tax churches in my opinion. One, Churches serve a particular minority or majority of the population but not everyone. It is not a service, nor (in general) a benefit to those who don't support the religion.

Secondly what constitutes religion? If Joe the baptist is allowed to set up what is basically a company selling the word of God and get a tax break; why shouldn't I be allowed to set up a church called the followers of Greensboring and also receive a tax break by bringing the word of myself to the public? Even if I could, is this really where we want this argument to go?

The truth is, for every legitimate and in good faith religion, there is another church out there with deep pocketed televangelist and glass super-churches that make the leaders rich, the followers poorer, and can bring an arguably debatable message without having to pay taxes to the government.

I mean should Fred Phelps get away with not paying taxes?

I think not.

Once the government really starts seeing the church as a source of revenue, their tax-exempt status will be history. If the government needs it badly enough they'll just reach out and take it.
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Carl Sagan:
"I don't want to beLIEve. I want to know."

I think perhaps ammending the rules would be more effective.

Some balance between what the church provides vs. what it excepts.

To tax all because a bad few is too arbitrary. That's like condeming all gays because a few are bad.

There are many non-profits that do a lot of good that are non-religious afiliated. Should they be fully taxed too?
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Procrastinate now, don't wait until later.

It'll never happen for several reasons. For one nobody is willing to risk political suicide to make it happen. Another is the fact that most politicians (especially democrats) don't want it to happen because then the church's would feel free to discuss politics in the pulpit (which they should be able to do anyways) because they no longer can be threatened with taxation.

If we tax the churches then we should also begin tax the Red Cross, PTAs, and other community programs.
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"Has it ever occurred to you that nothing ever occurs to God?"

Does a tax on churches mean that you want less to go the poor?
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Have a fantastic day!
meblogin
http://meblogin.blogspot.com/

Would my contributions to churches be tax deductible?

or the tens of thousands of great examples ....

I take it you do not believe in God? What are your beliefs?

thanks

I have to disagree with this. Taxing sanctioned churches should not be allowed. Simply put, taxing churches would give them a more legitimate say in what happens with the government.

Although there is something wrong when you can build a enormous church and infrastructure tax free. Especially when you see where the money that is donated by its followers for charity actually goes. The sad truth is to levy taxes gives a church legitimate voice in matters of the state.

That said, in turn there should be NO religion in government, policy, or law. That means, no 10 commandments in courts, no quotes from the bible or Quran, no religious comments or statues erected, no policies put in place to allow a religious voice, nothing.

You see, we can't have one without the other. I say we respectfully don't tax churches, if they respectfully keep the country's government the way it was meant to be and theocracy free.
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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do" -Mark Twain

^^ My apologies.. so many have responded to posts like that seriously, I jumped the gun. Winky helps to set tone. Wink

Hey... I do that as well sometimes. Wink

On a more serious note you might find it hard to believe that I support the following.

1) I do not want the Christian faith being taught in school. Surprise surprise.
2) I believe that a person has the right to practice their faith in school. I believe that this right is greater than the supposed right of a person NOT to see faith being practiced.
3) I am NOT against preachers teaching certain subjects from the bible in the pulpit even if there are some politicians that that would not approve. There are already instances of some countries presecuting preachers for teaching against homosexuality.
4) I do not believe that churches should be allowed to contribute financially to a campaign.
5) I do believe that preachers should have the right to endorse whoever they want as long as its not done in the pulpit.