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Should churches be tax-exempt?

Should churches be tax-exempt?


  • Total voters
    80
No, they have access to services provided by taxation as I do.
 
If given the power, I would make it so that sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. The deciding factor would be if that religion meets a certain minimum thresh hold for charity work. This would prevent those people who want to turn their house into a church for Rastafarianism or some other obscure religion just for the tax break without setting off the "Your persecuting religion!" people. Also, and I'm guessing a bit here, but the tax exemption for churches thing probably came up because they typically do a lot for charity.
 
Pick a choice and post if you care to explain

I can think of no good reason why they should. If they're operating as a for-profit business then they should be taxed like everyone else. Exempting it on the basis of it being a Church is ridiculous.
 
Pick a choice and post if you care to explain

I don't really see why to tax them. The system seems to work okay as it is.
 
What about hospitals? Do they not get the same benefits from taxation?
 
Absolutely not.

Render unto Caesar, etc, after all.

And as another member pointed out churches enjoy the same government services as I do- think roads and police protection. Hence, I am subsidizing the Holy Rollerz of the land, and that pisses me off.
 
Of course. Why should they be treated differently from any other non-profits?
 
I can think of no good reason why they should. If they're operating as a for-profit business then they should be taxed like everyone else. Exempting it on the basis of it being a Church is ridiculous.

churches operating a for profit business are taxed on those proceeds.
 
churches operating a for profit business are taxed on those proceeds.

I didn't say operating a for-profit business, but if the church is itself a for-profit.
 
I voted no... primarily because I very much respect the notion of there being a separation of church and state.
 
I didn't say operating a for-profit business, but if the church is itself a for-profit.

then their business is treated as any other 501c3.

taxing a church is a bit different than taxing the non-profit commercial operation run by a church, though.
 
I voted no... primarily because I very much respect the notion of there being a separation of church and state.

**crap... i actually voted yes in the poll.... ignore that vote, I derped out and cast the wrong vote.
 
then their business is treated as any other 501c3.

taxing a church is a bit different than taxing the non-profit commercial operation run by a church, though.

No, churches are exempt automatically.
 
Of course. Why should they be treated differently from any other non-profits?

Because that bothersome separation of church and state issue.
 
Only for demonstrable charitable work. Trying to sell an ideology to the gullible is not charity.
 
yes, they are... and they are susceptible to lose that tax exemption for engaging in substantial political activities, like any other 501c3.

I'm not talking about political activity, just whether it's run as a for-profit business.
 
Because that bothersome separation of church and state issue.

Not taxing some entity makes it more separate from the taxing agency, not less separate.
 
I'm not talking about political activity, just whether it's run as a for-profit business.

Why does making money somehow mean you should be taxed? Doesn't that seem a little twisted to you? Oh, I see you're making some money over there, here let me just take some of that from you.
 
Why does making money somehow mean you should be taxed? Doesn't that seem a little twisted to you? Oh, I see you're making some money over there, here let me just take some of that from you.

Would you prefer that you were taxed on the money you didn't make?
 
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