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Churches that genuinely help the poor and needy through charitable status should be exempt from tax, but theor accounts should be checked, and there should also be a limit on how much money charities spend on administration and wages.
I certainly personally don't see why the Church of Scientology should be given charitable status in the US thereby having a high degree of tax exemption, however the Church of Scientology engaged in a lengthy legal battle and campaign againt the IRS who eventually negotiated a deal with the Church and recognised it as a religious organisation for tax purposes. Therefore other organisations would just want similar deals to the Church of Scientology as a precedent has now been set by the US Authorities.
If donors have to show proof in an audit that they have given money to a charity, then the least the charity could do is show proof when audited that they used those donations, in a charitable way. Also there should be a limit to the amount of administrative costs to run the charity.
Our economy could sure use the money and religion is a lucrative business.
I'd love to see a revenue (gross donations) threshold established where larger churches become taxable entities. The presumption is that these organizations are charitable. However, these mega churches are about lining the pockets of their leadership.
I want churches to start holding voter registration drives and to start holding big voting rallies where the church members gather for a party and then head to the polls to vote.
If donors have to show proof in an audit that they have given money to a charity, then the least the charity could do is show proof when audited that they used those donations, in a charitable way. Also there should be a limit to the amount of administrative costs to run the charity.
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Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
There is no earthly reason for all of us to subsidize either the Church of Scientology or the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church is one of the richest organisations in the world, however no politician is going to risk upsetting the Catholic population in the US which has increased in recent decades due to the influx of immigrants. It has also increased in the UK due to the influx of Polish and East Europeans.
Personally I think Scientology is little more than a money making scam rather than a real religion, and is based on complete and utter nonsense, but people are free to disagree and the Courts have deemed it a religion in a number of countries, which sadly means virtually anything can be deemed a religion and church.
Man, I really have mixed feelings about this. I briefly attended a mega-church, years ago, and I have no doubt that a lot of the money was making that pastor much richer than he should have been. They guilted people into giving more than they could afford, he preached "prosperity gospel," and had a private jet. I didn't go there long, as the whole thing was a huge turn-off to me.
On the other hand, my housemate goes to a church (and I sometimes go with her), that, while small, gives 50% of every dollar collected to charity, mostly local. During Advent and Lent, special collections are taken that all go to charity. No one working at this church is getting rich, and the priest's house is a modest one.
Before moving here, I went to a church that, sizewise, fell in the middle, although closer to the small end. This church fed anyone in the neighborhood who cared to come, twice a week, without regard to whether or not they were members. They even allowed people to take home carry-out meals to tide them over until the next time. They also regularly helped people with utility bills, and even rent. I don't want to get into too many details about my own life, but I will say that I came across this church when I found myself in a terrible situation (former housemate, NOT my current one, had been arrested for things that shocked me, leaving me out in the country with no car, knowing nobody, and desperate to move), and a friend who knew the pastor suggested that I call them, even though they were in another town, over an hour away. They sent a van and some men and helped me move all of my stuff, and asked me for nothing. They didn't even press me to start coming to services, I did that later.
So...should churches be taxed? I don't know. Some certainly deserve it. Others do not. The problem is figuring out which ones are which, and finding a legally sound way to distinguish between the two.
Tax all churches and allow them to deduct the amount of funds that are devoted to bona fide charitable endeavors.
Those that give out everything they bring in will be home free.
Those that devote their donations to maintaining their minister and their social center will be paying taxes.
There is no reason why all taxpayers should be subsidizing churches. With the exception of Salvation Army, most function as little more than a social center for the parishioners.
The Catholic Church is one of the richest organisations in the world, however no politician is going to risk upsetting the Catholic population in the US which has increased in recent decades due to the influx of immigrants.
...
I suppose this means Trump will be bad mouthing the Catholic church today.
Tax all churches and allow them to deduct the amount of funds that are devoted to bona fide charitable endeavors.
Those that give out everything they bring in will be home free.
Those that devote their donations to maintaining their minister and their social center will be paying taxes.
The money paid to the minister is taxed. This has been pointed out many times.
Quote:
There is no reason why all taxpayers should be subsidizing churches. With the exception of Salvation Army, most function as little more than a social center for the parishioners.
Most all social centers are non profit and not taxed.
Like the idea of Churches paying their taxes on profits, minus charity, and on all their real estate holdings, but prefer the governments involved (just about all) take that money to pay down deficits or cut taxes on people. I have always hated that my tax money goes to support a religion of fantasy.
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"“If a thing loves, it is infinite.”"
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Location: Great Britain
27,185 posts, read 13,469,799 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
I suppose this means Trump will be bad mouthing the Catholic church today.
Well he does like upsetting people so you could be right.
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