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I totally agree. Churches do a lot of good in the community and are not in business to make a profit. Profits are what is taxed when you run a business. The money a business makes for those of you who are getting a free ride paid for by me. Gee it is sure funny the libs are not asking the same question about Planned Parenthood, Acorn, Unions, but always pick on churches.
Put it this way, I was poor. Flat broke actually. I went to a local church and got help and counseling I needed to find a job. I am employed now. Even looking into taking a few courses to improve my job skills. The help of my church saved me from going on food stamps, Medicaid, and looking to other taxpayer supported programs. Therefore, this church saved the taxpayers money.
Thanks for that. In fact, let's itemize the things my rather small church does.
-- GED/Job training
-- Soup kitchen for the homeless
-- Working in conjunction with 12 other churches, provides shelter for homeless families
-- A nutrition clinic/wellwater drilling operation in Haiti
-- School supplies for 200 rural poor children
-- A summer camp for children in the same location
-- Counseling services
-- An AA chapter
-- Through our attorneys in the congregation, ongoing pro-bono legal advice for poor
-- Building homes for Habitat for Humanity
-- Fixing homes for those who cannot afford it
-- An appliance ministry, restoring appliances and giving it to those who cannot afford them
-- A prison ministry oriented around mainstreaming convicts into productive lives
-- A program that provides the basics for indigent mothers, from baby clothes and furniture to nutrition
And the list goes on. Mind you, this is in a congregation of 1,000.
Even worse, that church, was in Canada, not the US, so these people want to change our tax code, based upon abuse in Canada?
Good catch, that. So now we have Canadians weighing in on how the United States government should write the tax code vis-à-vis churches. I mean, I bet if I got on the Canadian boards and offered my opinion on how their government should operate, I'm guessing I wouldn't get a very polite response.
In other words, you're all in favor of bringing the vast apparatus of government down on the shoulders of any organization with whom you don't agree. Forget that they might be going about their business in a peaceful, constructive manner. Forget that they are operating within the law. Forget that they may represent an unqualified good in their charitable work. You don't like them, so off with their heads.
Hey, I'm not a fan of megachurches, either. But they are operating fully within their rights as a non-profit. And they seem to be far less about the arbitrary and capricious use of power than you.
Please don't put words in my mouth.
Lots of "may" statements. They "may" do no charitable work except for lining the pockets of the con men who run them.
I believe all religions are filled with con men and women.
And all churches should lose their non-profit status.
Since everyone knows that all religion is big business, shouldn't all churches and religious institutions be taxed?
Here is the first sentence in this "article" you cited.
"Tax breaks for religious institutions cost the United States at least $71.1 billion annually, according to a new report by Ryan T. Cragun, Stephanie Yeager and Desmond Vega of the Council for Secular Humanism"
Three anti-religious people, with a secular humanist agenda, find exactly what they set out to find - and do so regardless of facts.
...and people are STUPID enough to believe this kind of nonsense.
Yes. Without question, religious organizations ought to be taxed. They should be allowed to deduct bona fide charitable work (homeless shelters and so forth) but taxed on everything else at the corporate rate.
And all other 501(3) non-profit entities must be taxed equally, as well.
YOU are in no position to make any comments about what is going on in a town you know nothing about.
Here we go again, with big George letting little George do his thinking for him.
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