NationStates Jolt Archive

Why don't churches have to pay taxes, like other buisness organizations? it's never really made sence to me. Even from a religious viewpoint, they should pay their taxes like everyone else.

Mark 12: 17 "Give onto Ceaser what is Ceaser's, and give onto God what is God's"

Why don't churches pay taxes? Sure, they do alot of charitable work, but they can deduct that like any other buisness. I really find it hard to justify a bulti-billion dollar industry as being "non-profit"

Exactly. I have always been advocating this - churches and religious organizations should not be exempt. Religion isn't anything special that it doesn't deserve to be taxed.

You guys, common! The churches give energy to the Magna Carta, which protects America with it's Jesus magic!

You guys, common! The churches give energy to the Magna Carta, which protects America with it's Jesus magic!
Huzzah!

By the way, it's spelled "Caesar" (or Cæsar if you want to be ligatural about it).

i think its all because of the seperation of church and state.
same reason you dont pay sales tax on your newspaper

Huzzah!

By the way, it's spelled "Caesar" (or Cæsar if you want to be ligatural about it).

There was nothing in his post about Caesar... :cool:

i think its all because of the seperation of church and state.
same reason you dont pay sales tax on your newspaper

If there was truly a seperation of church and state in the US then they would be paying taxes. The only reason they don't is because they are CHURCHES and RELIGIOUS, which, of course, violates the seperation of church and state since it is giving them favourable preference.

There was nothing in his post about Caesar... :cool:
Not in Goed Twee's post, in the first one:
Mark 12: 17 "Give onto Ceaser what is Ceaser's, and give onto God what is God's"
Sorry, I should've been clearer about that.

If there was truly a seperation of church and state in the US then they would be paying taxes. The only reason they don't is because they are CHURCHES and RELIGIOUS, which, of course, violates the seperation of church and state since it is giving them favourable preference.
...no.


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

The second part is what you are looking at. Taxing a religion gets into the mess of prohibiting the free exercise thereof (what is a fair tax?).

...no.


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

The second part is what you are looking at. Taxing a religion gets into the mess of prohibiting the free exercise thereof (what is a fair tax?).

No, it doesn't. You don't tax one religion or church and not the other. You tax all of them and in the same way. It all works out.

Benny Hinn, for example, is a fraud and makes so much money. Yet he is exempt from taxes and from a search of his accounting. That's just stupid. He should be taxed and his finances looked into.

No, it doesn't. You don't tax one religion or church and not the other. You tax all of them and in the same way. It all works out.

Benny Hinn, for example, is a fraud and makes so much money. Yet he is exempt from taxes and from a search of his accounting. That's just stupid. He should be taxed and his finances looked into.
More the free exercise, as I said. Who is to say that a 20% tax isn't preventing the free exercise of a religion?

More the free exercise, as I said. Who is to say that a 20% tax isn't preventing the free exercise of a religion?
the supreme court?

the supreme court?
Well, given the current slate of justices, I don't see them doing that.

The power to tax is the power to destroy. If government could tax religious organizations, it would be violation of the separation of church and state.

I'm going to proclaim myself Supreme Bishop of the Church of Chodolo.

No taxes!!!

Perhaps because churches aren't businesses. All money given by parishioners is voluntary, is it not?

no i dont either
its not the little 15th baptist church on the quarter acre lot that is the problem. its the big boy churches that have not just a church but a school, college, stores, restaurants, retreat centers, book stores etc that really end up eating into the tax base. id like to see the non-church stuff taxed just like anything else.

I'm going to proclaim myself Supreme Bishop of the Church of Chodolo.

No taxes!!!

I knew I had seen this somewhere: http://www.spiritualhumanism.org/ordained.php

I knew I had seen this somewhere: http://www.spiritualhumanism.org/ordained.php
Wow, that sounds like a really good deal. Is there a list of government-approved religions? Or is any religion protected under the first amendment?

I'm going to proclaim myself Supreme Bishop of the Church of Chodolo.

No taxes!!!

You still pay taxes, but the Church of Chodolo doesn't.

The power to tax is the power to destroy.
Seriously. Look at what they're doing to cigerettes. People are buying them over the internet already to escape the high taxes.

Seems any attempt at all by the government to regulate substances just leads to the black market.

Wow, that sounds like a really good deal. Is there a list of government-approved religions? Or is any religion protected under the first amendment?

Nope! You can be any religion you like. :)

Perhaps because churches aren't businesses. All money given by parishioners is voluntary, is it not?

All purchases from businesses by consumers are technically voluntary, are they not? ;)

Seriously. Look at what they're doing to cigerettes. People are buying them over the internet already to escape the high taxes.

Seems any attempt at all by the government to regulate substances just leads to the black market.

Addiction is a terrible thing.