Should churches be tax-exempt?

The Reagan administration persuaded the traditionally apolitical fundamentalist religious groups to vote Republican on the understanding that policy would be directed by fundamentalist religious principles (banning stem-cell research, abstinence education, a favourable approach to faith-based education, phased rollback of gay rights) and the Republican party would become the natural party of government.

Any attempt to remove the Churches' highly lucrative tax exemption would destroy the fundamentalist pact with the Republicans, and destroy the Republicans as a credible political force (at least for a generation).

So the Republicans won't do it. The Democrats probably won't do it either (the Democrats prefer an opposition party with which they are familiar).

Ronald Reagan sold out on the separation of Church and State for private political ends.

There is even a famous documentary about it: Adam Curtis' 'Power of Nightmares'.

'The Power of Nightmares' has never received a mainstream viewing slot on any US TV channel.

Americans are happiest when their Broadcasting Corporations are lying to them as hard as their government does.

Greetings!

Churches should be tax-exempt. And its not unconstitutional to exempt religion from paying taxes.

We already know what will happen. The theism would continue to prosper and thrive with little to no concern as to how to continue business as usual. Tax exemption does not promote theism. Just as paying taxes does not promote non-theism.

The Church doesn't "need" the tax exemption to deliver its message. It only helps.

There are many "exempt" institutions and persons. Do you know how an institution or a person get to be tax exempt? The government provides under constitutional law, tax exemption to religions institutions. You would have to convince the government to instruct the IRS to discontinue exemption for churches. And the government is not going to do that unless a super-majority of the voters choose to remove this necessary exemption churches receive. When something does good for a whole nation, and benefits all citizens it is voted into law.

The tax exception status for religious organizations is not going anywhere. And you know that, right?

I'm not financially sophisticated so bear with me.

Taxes might drive many churches out of business. Speaking as someone who attends church, most ppl who go there are not obligated to go and don't "buy" anything- essentially they go there as a form of "entertainment". Giving to churches is essentially a donation.

When I think about it, taxing churches puts more pressure on them to create something that can be purchased. I attend a small church and those ppl drive members for money a good deal ( mostly because we just bought a new building that needed repairs- a stupid move really). All I can think of is how our church would be able to AFFORD a business tax when close to 90% of all income is a donation.

Maybe churches that run businesses on the side should be taxed, but how would my type of church fair in all that?

If all churches and other faith communities (please have some respect for non-Christians, who do not call their communities "churches") lost their tax exemptions, your taxes would go higher, not lower.

These groups run shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries, day care places--a whole host of services that are paid for by virtue of the group not having to pay taxes.

If they all shut down, the government would have to pick up the care for all these homeless, hungry, and sick--and would hardly do it as cost-effectively.

That said, if their purpose is to lobby to have their beliefs imposed on everyone, yes, yank the exemption on a case-by-case basis.

Churches are non-profit organizations.

(and just because there are some corrupt church leaders out there doesn't make it any less true-- the corrupt ones should be prosecuted, but it shouldn't reflect on the rest of them).

No, they should not be taxed.

If you leave the churches that money, it will be distributed to good causes and charities more efficiently than the government ever could. Let Uncle Sam have it, and a huge percent of every dollar will just go to government red tape doing less good.

No church should be tax exempt. They enjoy the benefits of infrastructure too. In fact, they could hardly object to paying tax when it goes towards nobel things such as education, healthcare & clean water.

They should maintain their tax free status, only because if they were taxed, they would be entitled to a say in government and they already have an influence, so let's not make it worse.

Yes

Churches should not be exempt only from the cases when they seek to make money for activities OUTSIDE of the church and not available to the rest of the community.

I will die, before the state taxes my tithe!

You should be more worried about banks and insurance companies, who, rather than simply being exempt from the law, find holes to defy it!

Yet, I don't understand why the 3-5% of american atheists, believe that Christian money should go to supp or them! LOL

Jesus said: Give to ceasar! I am so sure, that Ceasar was not taxing the church of Jerusalem, he was taxing the people... And my money to support the church does NOT belong to the state, or I would have given it to THEM!

Why should I have to pay taxes and then have my support for the church taxed as well?

Nope, they should NOT be exempt from paying tax. Mental health drop-in centres, Youth clubs, and other community projects such as rape crisis centres have to pay tax...

Churches should absolutely not be tax-exempt. The profits generated by tithes alone across all of america breaks into the billions, easily. Tax that money, repair the economy