Dragonfly

Is it time for the USofA to start considering churches as businesses and start making them pay taxes?

Some of these mega-religions are raking in huge sums of money.

Why shouldn't they pay taxes on that just like any other business?

I'm not sure all churches should have equal and protected status from having to pay taxes.

Thoughts?

Lachean

I've never understood the reason for their tax exempt status, or should I say our taxed status.

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imprtnrd

Yes it is time for them to pay and quit this tax free business. Churches are ran like a business and anymore alot of them have political speakers at the pulpit. Seperation of Church and State? NOT!! Of course that is in another thread.

jfuh

If a church sets fire and is ablaze requiring tax payer funded money to go put out the fire as opposed to letting a church, temple whatever, burn down of course they should pay their share.
In particular where many denominations require a specific percentage of an individual's income to go directly into the church's account - which is an income, why shouldn't they have to pay their taxes like all the rest of us?

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UtahBill

I am pretty sure that some churches voluntarily pay local taxes for fire protection, etc., and in some states it is probably required. But income taxes for churches are not required. If they were, certainly the churches would be able to deduct that part of their income that is used directly for charitable purposes. It would be very interesting to find out how little of their income is used for anything even slightly related to charity.

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Cephus

I really don't mind church income being tax exempt so long as the church is doing solely religious activities. Once they start doing other things though, especially when they start preaching politics from the pulpit, they need to lose their tax exempt status and pay their damn entry fee like the rest of us.

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