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Yeah...they should also share the burden members are put through!
Simply put...practice what you preach...
The church where I was active and worked with every group or committee must have been a little stingy. Only about 35% tithed. About half gave about half a tithe and the rest gave very little or nothing.
The church where I was active and worked with every group or committee must have been a little stingy. Only about 35% tithed. About half gave about half a tithe and the rest gave very little or nothing.
Matthew 23:13-23 "The Guilt Trip"
16 ....Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the "gold of the temple" he is a debtor!
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Taking it from a Constitutional point of view: Whether or not churches should be paying taxes isn't the real issue. The underlying issue is, "Are Church and State separate or aren't they?" Religious dogma is not allowed to become law in this country. In the nation of Pakistan for instance, the death penalty is instituted for insulting Islam. Here in the USA you don't have to worry about that sort of thing because the Supreme Court long since said it's not allowed. In many European nations, the "tithes" for the churches are taken out of your paycheck without your consent. Again, you don't have to worry about that here because the Supreme Court determined that Church and State should be separate. The local, state and federal government do not have any right to collect on behalf of religions in the USA. Fight as they might, the religious majority gets booted out of the classrooms time and again.
So exactly what does "separation of Church and State" mean and what do the religions get out of the deal? It hardly makes sense to slap a gag on religion in the public space, lock them out of any official role in government, but to then make them pay taxes. If you tax churches then "separation of Church and state" turns into a one-way street where religion can't meddle in government nor in the public space, but government can meddle with religion all it wants. So once again, what is religion getting out of the deal?
I'm not saying that some churches aren't run like a business. I'm not saying that it taxing them makes sense from a "it makes a profit" standpoint. Right or wrong is not the issue. Is it Constitutional??
It's not 'meddling' with belief in a deity, it's taxing the churches and their income and properties. I regard it as only fair. One may believe whatever he wishes and pay nothing.
Taking it from a Constitutional point of view: Whether or not churches should be paying taxes isn't the real issue. The underlying issue is, "Are Church and State separate or aren't they?" Religious dogma is not allowed to become law in this country. In the nation of Pakistan for instance, the death penalty is instituted for insulting Islam. Here in the USA you don't have to worry about that sort of thing because the Supreme Court long since said it's not allowed. In many European nations, the "tithes" for the churches are taken out of your paycheck without your consent. Again, you don't have to worry about that here because the Supreme Court determined that Church and State should be separate. The local, state and federal government do not have any right to collect on behalf of religions in the USA. Fight as they might, the religious majority gets booted out of the classrooms time and again.
So exactly what does "separation of Church and State" mean and what do the religions get out of the deal? It hardly makes sense to slap a gag on religion in the public space, lock them out of any official role in government, but to then make them pay taxes. If you tax churches then "separation of Church and state" turns into a one-way street where religion can't meddle in government nor in the public space, but government can meddle with religion all it wants. So once again, what is religion getting out of the deal?
I'm not saying that some churches aren't run like a business. I'm not saying that it taxing them makes sense from a "it makes a profit" standpoint. Right or wrong is not the issue. Is it Constitutional??
The whole point is that some half witted minister has no right to be selecting a candidate and getting onto his pulpit and preaching to a congregation supporting that candidate and talking about the candidates religious views. They're getting a free ride in this great republic they damn sure shouldn't be allowed to go political. If that's what they're going to do...tax 'em.
The whole point is that some half witted minister has no right to be selecting a candidate and getting onto his pulpit and preaching to a congregation supporting that candidate and talking about the candidates religious views. They're getting a free ride in this great republic they damn sure shouldn't be allowed to go political. If that's what they're going to do...tax 'em.
If a minister wants to support one candidate over another and tell his congregation all about it, he has the right to do that. If people want to discuss politics at church, I don't see where the US government has a right to exempt them from their first amendment rights.
Basically, the minister needs to be breaking the law before making him an exception to "separation of church and state" makes constitutional sense. At minimum he should have to be found forcing his congregation to vote how he thinks they should -- and that certainly ain't legal.
The KKK and Neo-Nazis are allowed to publish their garbage via meetings, pamphlets, etc. These actions are protected under their right to free speech. Action can only be taken against them when they do something illegal. And even then, those who did not break the law are allowed to continue to do what they do. A big part of me would like such groups to be made illegal -- but at the end of the day it would violate their constitutional rights so it can't happen.
So whether you like what churches do or not, you're still talking about a violation of the Constitution of the United States when you say "just tax em." There are some religions that I think deserve to be taxed, but at the end of the day my opinion doesn't change the fact that it violates their constitutional rights. Like I said, it's not really a question of right or wrong. It's a question of Constitutionality.
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