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I've gotten "muh roads!" from 3 people so far today.
It's a damn shame that I'm not allowed to rep you repeatedly for each post. I'm sick to death of that "muh roads and services" argument when it comes to taxes. Fricken socialists have no clue.
It's a damn shame that I'm not allowed to rep you repeatedly for each post. I'm sick to death of that "muh roads and services" argument when it comes to taxes. Fricken socialists have no clue.
Sucks people want them and no people are not going to voluntary build them. We have this discussion over and over with no answer as to how we would build a major interstate with another system.
I'm not interested in traveling cross country on two lane dirt rooads.
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.
"They" do not represent any legislator.
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Churches benefit from the infrastructure, support services, and protection the rest of us pay for. Why shouldn't they pay their fair share?
Politicians have made it so they don't pay property tax so they don't represent for any certain legislator. If they pay taxes then the Pastor can get up in front of many every Sunday morning and preach "vote for.........".
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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.
Here is where the ignorance rears its head. There is nothing to tax. There is no profit. Are you advocating we tax everyone based upon gross receipts?
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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.
I am not interested in "reportedly". I have the use of tens of thousands of acres of National Forest. Am I to be taxed on that? All members have the use of church property.
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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.
Good for one, good for everybody. Other 501(c)(3) organizations:
Southern Poverty Law Center
Council on American-Islamic Relations
Planned Parenthood
Everytown For Gun Safety
The Gates Foundation
The Clinton Foundation
In an ideal society I would agree with this. However, the church has been politically active....
You can advocate on issues, you cannot advocate for specific parties or candidates. Other examples of non profits that operate like this are the NAACP, The Sierra Club, etc. Obviously both are very politically active and advocate on issues supported mostly by Democrats.
You can scream about churches until you are blue in the face but at the end of the day tax policy cannot target individuals or groups based on their ideology, political affiliation, religion or any other criteria that specifically singles them out.
You can advocate on issues, you cannot advocate for specific parties or candidates. Other examples of non profits that operate like this are the NAACP, The Sierra Club, etc. Obviously both are very politically active and advocate on issues supported mostly by Democrats.
You can scream about churches until you are blue in the face but at the end of the day tax policy cannot target individuals or groups based on their ideology, political affiliation, religion or any other criteria that specifically singles them out.
"Thou shalt not steal" - good advice for the atheist as well as the christian.
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