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OP: The problem is, in targeting big, politically-active religious organizations... you’d also be taking down the tiny little churches that aren’t hurting anyone. Take my husband’s church: a small, socially-liberal, open and affirming congregation, with an operating budget of about $20k per year. He does not draw a salary, and all donations are used for building related expenses not covered by the historical society, and to keep the soup kitchen running.
I’m a member of a Quaker congregation, with an operating budget just big enough to keep the meetinghouse lit and heated on Sunday. You want to tax us for promoting peace and social justice?
IDK, if you can find away to penalize the Christian Taliban without collateral damage to everyone else, rock on.
Just as those who make under $20K/year are taxed at a minimal or zero rate, it would seem that the small churches could be in a similar category.
If the soup runs a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter, ... those expenses would be deductible as charitable expenses.
But there is no reason on God's green earth that the Catholic church or the Prosperity Churches with their pastors flying around on private jets should not be taxed.
Just as those who make under $20K/year are taxed at a minimal or zero rate, it would seem that the small churches could be in a similar category.
If the soup runs a soup kitchen, a homeless shelter, ... those expenses would be deductible as charitable expenses.
But there is no reason on God's green earth that the Catholic church or the Prosperity Churches with their pastors flying around on private jets should not be taxed.
My yardstick for taxing or not taxing a church is whether or not the buildings/property are open to the public. When we give churches a tax break we are assuming some of their debt and wealth; we are now part owners and deserve to share in their wealth. There should be no private retreats for only the elite members. The classic example would be the Houston church that did not willingly allow those seeking refuge from the flood waters use of their property (they did rethink and opened the doors).
If my taxes are covering water, why do I still have a water bill?
SOME taxes are needed, but NOWHERE REMOTELY close to the amount we are required to pay today, majority of this goes for stupid things like the war on drugs!
You pay for the water you use. The taxes cover infrastructure and maintenance or lack thereof.
If they want to play in the political sandbox, the Catholic church needs to be taxed. Let's just start with income and property taxes.
Claiming that this was just one Catholic church and it can be addressed is disingenuous. There are a lot of Catholic churches actively promoting anti-abortion legislation and candidates, actively opposing Democratic candidates.
The Catholic church should have lost its tax-exempt status over the way it protected child abusers and child molesters for all those years.
Of all the churches claiming to deserve tax-exempt status, the Catholic church has the least ground to stand on.
Thousands? Can you be more specific? I pay $7K a year for my average sized burb house. A house like Joels would seem to be in the 10's of thousands per year.
But if he pays the same as you or I would pay for the same house in the same location...then that it totally fair.
I have NO idea but if Osteen owns his own home, he pays property taxes just like anyone else.
I used to be against it. However, no organization should be this powerful, this influential on our politics, and this wealthy without being taxed. I think the church's political activism is going to result in, sooner or later, the inevitable. I think now is the time to start talking about it since the church shoulders most of the responsibility for Donald Trump and the current political environment. Maybe that tax money could help pay for universal health care, you know, something Jesus actually would be for?
The church doesn't hold any responsibility for why The Donald is president. Hillary Rodham Clinton bears the responsibility -- for being who she is, and for the awful campaign she ran. Divisive and incompetent, and personally repugnant -- that's HRC to a tee.
I haven't read all of the responses yet, but I do believe that profits should be taxed.
There are a couple of businesses near me that are fronted as churches to get tax exempt status, when clearly that isn't their purpose.
One is a dance studio, but they call all of their dance classes "worship" sessions (from what I've heard, they pray before and after each class)- and are registered as a church, even though they pretty much operate like any other dance studio, but with prayer.
The other is a Martial Arts and Daycare business, which is also registered as a church. They operate their daycare and martial arts, then one afternoon a week, the family of the owner come in for 30 minutes of "church". It is seriously shady.
It is clear that these places have really stretched the definition of 'church' in order to operate for profit businesses with 'church' tax breaks.
So explain to me, how do they pay out these "profits"? Is there stock you buy into? A mutual Fund? The employee's get paid? They are taxed on that.
I see them too. But how often do you hear about churches being busted for tax fraud or audited? They have minimal tax filing requirements and seem to get a pass.
You can organize a church and not even need to get a 501-C3 designation from the IRS and receive tax deductable donations legally.
Anyone can get a deduction for giving your money away if you can prove it. You do not get an exemption from paying income taxes by simply stating you are a church.
According to all scriptures regarding tithes, tax exemption is not even scriptural! Just one more example how phony and man-made religion is!
If churches actually practiced what they(sometimes) preach, there would be no need for government social programs! All most use their income for is to make a nicer social club for their members.
The Founders created the system because they didn't want the government involved in religion. Who exactly claimed anything about it being scriptural?
The churches and Govt are in collusion today, have you ever noticed how 'buddy-buddy' churches are with the cities and states they are located in? thats a big red flag!
If churches were really teaching Gods laws, cities and states would hate and despise them, and aggressively try to shut them down.
Wow. To note though, there are cities that go after churches that feed the poor.
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