I Never Thought It would Happen In The U.S.

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TwoForFlinching

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Churches should be allowed to spread their message without interference from the government

Agreed. My point being there's a difference in what tax status should be between a church and the Baker's Bible Land six flags type theme park or mega-church owned million dollar pastoral home.

For instance, in Canada, if that home isn't open for the people to gather and spread their idea of religion, it's not tax exempt. It's a tax code based on individual properties instead of collective holdings. It's an elimination of the umbrella loophole.
 

TerryMiller

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True, and I admit that such things as you describe are, at the least, unseemly. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that what you can tax, you can control and /or destroy. Churches should be allowed to spread their message without interference from the government and that is the reason behind the tax status. For this reason, caution should be exercised concerning the taxing religious entities.

Which is why part of the 1st Amendment indicates that Congress not interfere with the free exercise of religion. I guess one could say that taxing the churches would be doing just that.
 

kroberts2131

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Agreed. My point being there's a difference in what tax status should be between a church and the Baker's Bible Land six flags type theme park or mega-church owned million dollar pastoral home.

For instance, in Canada, if that home isn't open for the people to gather and spread their idea of religion, it's not tax exempt. It's a tax code based on individual properties instead of collective holdings. It's an elimination of the umbrella loophole.


Oklahoma's Own Life Church reported 143 million in cash and non cash donations in 2018 and 281 million in assets. Blows my mind they don't pay one cent in taxes on that. I'm a little biased due to a bad experience at one of them years ago, but its basically Walmart for religion and a social gathering place, not really a "church" in my opinion. Leave the mom and pop churches tax exempt but set a standard of what classifies as a mega-church and tax it.
 

ignerntbend

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I agree, Terry, as long as the church is not a for profit enterprise like Scientology, or that guy on TV that thinks God wants you to buy him a second airplane.

Edit: Roberts said it better
 
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Billybob

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I'll say it. I think their charitable work should be tax DEDUCTIBLE, but that would apply to EVERY organization and person, not just religious ones.

Sure when it's their "charity" and not taxpayer's funds and they're not lobbying and advocating for, making a business out of providing for, and aiding illegal immigrants...

"Catholic Charities USA, the largest charitable organization run by the church, receives about 65 percent of its annual budget from state and federal governments..."
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/sep/24/catholic-church-collects-16-billion-in-us-contract/

https://fraudscrookscriminals.com/2...helping-to-relocate-congolese-illegal-aliens/

https://vdare.com/posts/catholic-charities-is-expanding-its-taxpayer-funded-illegal-alien-services

"The U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops reported that, in 2011, roughly 92.5 percent of its Migration and Refugee Services — costing $72.1 million — was funded by the federal government".
https://www.commdiginews.com/politi...oney-from-obama-to-help-illegal-aliens-21769/

https://www.alipac.us/f12/catholic-charities-caper;-alms-illegal-aliens-3195-print/
 

Billybob

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Then you have Trinity Church, a major real estate holder and developer with a reported portfolio of $6Bil. and no answers as to whether their "secular" holdings are tax exempt or not.
"Believe it or not, this long feature never really digs into that loaded question. I, for one, wanted to see a church-state professional or two look at the status of the church’s holdings and dissect how the state views the offices and facilities that are clearly used for religious purposes (yes, defining “religious” is a legal minefield) and those that are rented to secular non-profit organizations or even straight-forward business organization".
https://www.getreligion.org/getreli...aises-good-questions-but-contains-a-big-ghost

Also notable is that Trinity has used it's investment clout(and funding for court fights) to push companies into gun control measures...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/clareo...walmart-to-court-over-gun-sales/#3de8b7ea3300

https://www.guns.com/news/2015/12/3...for-shareholder-vote-to-cap-cabelas-gun-sales
 

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