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Do those people who believe in separation of church and state also believe that religious institutions ought?
to be tax exempt? Why or why not?
@Constitution Hawk: taxes fund government, which is an unfortunate but completely necessary evil. And while it is true that many individual churches do perform charitable acts, they also personally benefit from the monies they collect. Look at the Catholic church is a shining example of that. The definition of 'charitable act' differs from person to person and place to place. What some may consider an abomination, others consider an assistive effort. The Red Cross claims tax exemption status because it aids real people with real problems, and we can see that. Churches get to claim tax exemption because they claim allegiance to an authority we can neither verify, nor keep in check. At the end of the day, it's still private usage of a public lot. No matter how many people I help in my front yard, my property is taxable, even if I own my home.
4 Answers
- Jesus Hates YouLv 51 decade agoFavorite Answer
No. Tax exemption makes them burdens on the community. Other people have to pay more for municipal services. This is why President Garfield-- a Sunday School teacher, by the way-- was strongly against tax exemption for churches anywhere in the world!
- 1 decade ago
Religious institutions are often involved in causes that help the poor and sick in this country, besides, they rely completely on donations. I don’t see the need for the government to tax people’s charity, so they can turn around and give it right back to the people whom religious institutions help on a daily basis.
Why some people feel entitled to other people’s money via taxes is beyond me.
- Huh?Lv 71 decade ago
Depends. Churches should be tax exempt as long as they stay out of politics. If they actively try to participate in politics then their tax exempt status should be reconsidered.
