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The Swedish government has already called out the fundie group I belonged to. The UK will be next up to examine their charity status. Will this ever happen in the US?
The Swedish government has already called out the fundie group I belonged to. The UK will be next up to examine their charity status. Will this ever happen in the US?
The only time it has happened in the past was when Scientology's tax exempt status was revoked, and the IRS reinstated that, mainly because Scientology was more bellicose and intimidating and indefatigable in its campaign to reacquire its tax exempt status than even the IRS could manage.
So no, I don't see it happening soon.
Many small churches claim they are holding on by a thread and loss of tax exemption would cause them to fold. I actually believe that many times; often they are not compelling enough propositions to compete on a level playing field with other non-profits much less for-profits.
Just as churches cry "persecution" when they have to compete in the marketplace of ideas the same as every other ideology, they do so when it is suggested that they pay their share of taxes.
I think we have to pick our battles. I think for example that marriage equality was more important than taking the churches off the government teat. THAT will be quite a battle, even to the limited extent of making them non-privileged non-profits, which per this video would still save $16 billion annually.
The $71 billion savings should they have to be considered for-profit is probably overstated, some of the churches / organizations would simply close and we still wouldn't be collecting taxes from them.
It's easier to grouse about this than to come up with a way to tax them fairly without it becoming an enforcement nightmare. I think churches should be tax exempt on the same basis as any non-profit when they actually provide no-strings services. The problem is how do you determine the value of services and the absence of strings? Imagine the arguments and disputes. Most churches of any size are mixed bag of real social services, dubious services that include, or just are, thinly veiled proselytization or self-promotion, pure indoctrination (worship services, prayer meetings, bible studies) that add little to no value to society, facilities to house worship and religious instruction that get very low utilization but might at times be rented out to actual social service agencies, and so on.
Most small churches probably are just a building and worship / sunday school / prayer meeting and those are the ones who in my view probably least deserve to be tax-free.
I have an idea that, if churches paid taxes, some of the struggling ones - if they could demonstrate a real reason to continue - could have taxpaid assistance and I would not have a problem with that.
I might also observe that the big bucks churches who don't pay taxes don't seem to be doing much to save their struggling members. How would taxing them make them any worse off? The government or council could see the tax -money goes where most needed.
I have some similar back to front argument at the back of my mind ..I think it was about CCTV cameras argued on the way to London on a coach. When looked at it was an argument to ban people from the street, rather than surveillance cameras.
[youtube]f6KLFJeMRwU[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6KLFJeMRwU
The Swedish government has already called out the fundie group I belonged to. The UK will be next up to examine their charity status. Will this ever happen in the US?
I hope. But I dislike the fact that we do not get to chose where our taxes go either.
Yes, religious institutions should pay taxes on everything that is not demonstratively and direct true charity.
Growth and prothlisizing their own belief system is not charity.
No exceptions.
Agree with this completely.
Tax exemption should be reserved for those things which are necessary but more effectively performed by the private sector.
Religions are far from necessary .
I think there will come a day for the US. It will be a while but it starts with more people being open about being atheist. To the point where it is no longer a huge deal in politics. We aren't there yet but we're inching there...albeit pulling the knuckledraggers.
When a religious organization pays taxes it will almost always be giving financial aid to something it does not approve of. However when a religious organization does not pay taxes the tax burden becomes the financial obligation of everyone who does not agree with their beliefs.
When a religious organization pays taxes it will almost always be giving financial aid to something it does not approve of. However when a religious organization does not pay taxes the tax burden becomes the financial obligation of everyone who does not agree with their beliefs.
Agreed. Some of that money goes to advance their own agenda's. We saw that with the same sex marriage debate. I don't want to chip in for that. I actually see that as hate speech. If they take in money to help someone through a rough patch, even if it's only one of their own, fine.
When a religious organization pays taxes it will almost always be giving financial aid to something it does not approve of.
Actually that is true of any person or organization that pays taxes. But I'm sure many religious organizations feel if they paid taxes they should get a special line-item veto for how their taxes are used. It takes hundreds or thousands of years of accustomed entitlement to think that way.
(Not saying you are guilty of this BTW).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodrow LI
However when a religious organization does not pay taxes the tax burden becomes the financial obligation of everyone who does not agree with their beliefs.
Location: In a little house on the prairie - literally
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mordant
Actually that is true of any person or organization that pays taxes. But I'm sure many religious organizations feel if they paid taxes they should get a special line-item veto for how their taxes are used. It takes hundreds or thousands of years of accustomed entitlement to think that way.
(Not saying you are guilty of this BTW).
That is a good point.
Just like any corporation or person is part of the greater society, why should a religious organization get a special exemption to where their tax dollars are spent? They use Society services which include roads and other infrastructure, they use Society Service such as policing and fire, and they use Society Service of safety which armed forces may provide. Why should they not contribute to the services that they have the benefit of.
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