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You'd need to do something like tax what they make beyond some level of income, expenses, and actual charity. And, no - giving money to right-wing political figures or to fund anti-gay organizations does not count as "charity." Some teaching order or nunnery that does good deeds? Tax exempt. Some hate-mongering mega-church pastor with an executive level income? Tax the BeJesus out of him!
I get so tired of the big churches in this nation. Wealthy frauds in big houses and fancy cars, preaching hatred or outright lies - the "only reason you're not rich is because you don't Buh-LEEV hard enough! Buy my latest book now to get right with God and be rich!" - and they are all tax exempt.
Most of them are run as businesses, selling dreams to the masses, and nothing more. Let them pay taxes as such.
Should’ve beeen taxed a long time ago, too late.
Joel Osteen, megachuch pastor, needs his private jets and McMansions
Well, you know "God" wanted him to be rich, and for you to make him rich. You know... it says it somewhere in the bible... I guess.
Yeah, the megachurch preachers are all frauds, and I haven't much use for many of the more traditional denominations either. From the Catholic sex scandals - while trying to condemn gays at the same time! - to the usual nonsense about "our religion being the only correct one - isn't it convenient it's also the one we were born into!" - I'm just done with them.
If you want your church to NOT be taxed, get out there and DO something charitable, like feed the hungry, teach the poor, and so on. Don't sit around in a grand temple, mouthing off about how everyone else is going to hell... because that just makes you a horrible business at best and a scam at worst.
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?
You are out of your gourd.
If you tax the Church, they will become exponentially MORE powerful. They would essentially become the government.
Go out and find some fool to give you lots of money.. Oh, say like weekly or monthly, or even yearly.
Do you just go on your merry way and ignore them?
Them, "So blahblahblah, it's ummm, Tuesday afternoon. Whatcha up to?"
You, aka blahblahblah, "What's it to you? Why don't you shut up and leave me alone and mind yer biz?"
Them, "Ok, so you're not coming into work today either. How about tomorrow?"
Your experience may be different. However let me assure you that many churches are becoming very political. My sisters facebook feed was full of conversations and comments from church officials encouraging her to vote for trump in order to stop abortion.
And Trump and Pence have been working hard to give churches more rights to be involved in politics. Its very alarming for many people.
Even if every Catholic church priest told their congregation to vote a certain way, only a minority would carry out their wishes. Most Catholics don't care what priests have to say about the way they vote.
But it's a moot point since the OP said he was talking about Evangelicals.
As individuals always have been able to. What is your argument here? That since P.P. is tax exempt, that exemption should be removed if a pro-choice individual campaigns?
My argument is that there is no good reason that churches should be tax-exempt.
Regardless, of which legislation or which legislator they support, they shouldn't be tax-exempt.
Churches benefit from the infrastructure, support services, and protection the rest of us pay for. Why shouldn't they pay their fair share?
If they have honest-to-God charitable deductions, then so be it. In my experience, the Salvation Army would probably be tax free as they walk the talk with soup kitchens, shelters, programs for recovering alcoholics, ...
Most other churches are little more than social clubs with a very small charitable component.
Reportedly, Billy Graham had a $25 million net worth and this didn't count all the church property that he and his family have the use of but didn't outright own.
Now why in the name of all that is holy should the rest of us be picking up any part of the tab for Billy Graham or his flock?
Look at all the property and wealth of the Catholic Church? Even paying off all the people that were sexually abused by priests didn't put a dent in their wealth.
Money changers at the temple.
There is simply no reason that the rest of us should be picking up the tab for Billy Graham's flock, the Catholic church, the Evangelicals, the Baptists, the Methodists, the Unitarians, .... none of them.
Personal experience having lived around a lot of them. Lived in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Las Vegas and California. Pretty large Mormon population in all of those places. In my experience, they're among the most patriotic of Americans you'll find.
Do you disagree? Do you know something I don't?
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