NationStates Jolt Archive

I feel that churches (and synagogues, mosques, etc.) should be treated no differently than other businesses. Yes, many people believe that their religion should get preferential treatment, but what about others? Do you really think that (say) Anton LaVey's Satanist Club should get privileges that Honest Joe's Used Hubcaps shouldn't?

I feel that churches (and synagogues, mosques, etc.) should be treated no differently than other businesses. Yes, many people believe that their religion should get preferential treatment, but what about others? Do you really think that (say) Anton LaVey's Satanist Club should get privileges that Honest Joe's Used Hubcaps shouldn't?
You're right, other religions shouldn't get preferential treatment, only mine.
In all seriousness though, I agree with you. If a church has a soup kitchen or outreach program, they should be allowed to make deductions like anyone else. Similarly, if a church owns land, they should pay property tax on it, just like anyone else.

So when do you bring the controversy?

...oh, right. They use country names, so I'm South Lorenya here, not DragonAtma. Oops.

But unlike a business, the point of a religious institution isn't to provide a good or service for the profit of the owners; they may generate revenue, but that revenue is given as a charitable donation by the parishioners for the benefit of the community and the church it supports.

You seem to forget that there are plenty of non-profit organizations that also benefit from tax breaks that have no relationship to religion. Are you suggestingthat they too should be taxed like any other business?

So when do you bring the controversy?

I was hoping the post would read "All babies should be left in the wild to be raised by wolves and come back to civilization so a proper militaristic civilization can be formed."

But unlike a business, the point of a religious institution isn't to provide a good or service for the profit of the owners; they may generate revenue, but that revenue is given as a charitable donation by the parishioners for the benefit of the community and the church it supports.
I agree religions buildings should not be treated like businesses, but they shouldn't get preferential treatment. For example, where I live, there is little to no property tax for churches, which doesn't make any sense. A non-profit organization would be a good taxing category.

no i dont not agree with dragonAtma.

churches should be mostly free from govt interference.

although i would support a limitation on tax free church property and what churches can do to generate revenue without paying income taxes.

They should follow the same rules as charities and such, I'd say. I don't know the specific tax and property laws regarding charitable organizations, but whatever it is, religious centers should have to fulfill the same requirements and receive the same treatment.

I mean, honestly, major religious centers began as a method of redistributing wealth, and generally still hold to that. How is that not simply a charity?

Unfoertunately, it reached the point where you HAD to "donate" ten percent of your income (tithe) or you'd wind up in the dungeon. Can you imagine what would happene if the government ordered a ten percent donation of all your income to (say) your local McDonalds?

So do you support the banning of the veil in schools with school uniform codes?

US Schools are run by the government.

US law establishes separation of church and state. Whew!

Therefore, religious icons (bibles, veils, etc.) are banned by US law.

Not sure who Dragon is, but I've heard that opinion before. Churches shouldn't have to compete under the same restrictions as corporations, I don't think. The purpose of a church is to support the members of a community who chose to worship there, not to turn a profit. If you force heavy taxes on them (and our corporate taxes are fairly heavy, compared to other Western countries), you make profit a primary goal for the church overnight. I don't think that would be a good thing.

US Schools are run by the government.

US law establishes separation of church and state. Whew!

Therefore, religious icons (bibles, veils, etc.) are banned by US law.

That's not true at all. Not sure where you got that. :p

who is this Atma and does he have the same opinion as the OP?

US Schools are run by the government.

US law establishes separation of church and state. Whew!

Therefore, religious icons (bibles, veils, etc.) are banned by US law.

Really? I think you might want to double check on that. The separation of church and state prevents the state from establishing or endorsing a state religion, and presumably therefore prevents schools from mandating that students follow a particular religion. It doesn't mean that the students can't practice their religion within the school, nor that religion needs to be ignored as a thought-crime and all information or items based on religion banned from the premises. That'd be ridiculously oppressive.