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Should churches required to pay tax?

Should churches required to pay tax?

  • Yes

    Votes: 20 50.0%
  • No

    Votes: 20 50.0%

  • Total voters
    40
There should be no special tax category for churches. If they don't want to pay taxes they should be treated like all other non-profit organizations and meet the same requirements.


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agreed, not sure if it varies from location to location and maybe the controls are already in place for non-profit but if not more strict controls should exist for any involvement in the political realm also. If my religion is a religion then they are a religion not a political body, campaign supporter or law maker/supporter.
 
Churches bring in a lot of cash. I've seen members of clergy driving Cadillacs. Some of them make six figures.. even more.

So what? Few make that kind of money, and those that do usually earn it. Somebody on another board was sniveling about Joel Osteen, claiming he was some 'prosperity gospel' preacher, when in fact he isn't, far from it; his millions come from writing some 20 Best sellers and companies like Time Warner paying him up front bonuses of $12 million for the publishing rights for his next book. A few get 6 figure salaries, but they also bring in 10's of thousands of viewers and members, and they also are administrators as well. You're barking up the wrong tree in most cases, and that Cadillac wasn't paid for by any church in most cases either, it was paid for by the pastor, who more than likely also pays more in taxes as percentage of his income than you do. Churches are tax excepted, not pastors, ministers, or any other paid employees, and that goes for taxable perks, too.
 
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I voted yes but want to clarify my vote.

If a Church uses a certain percentage of it's yearly donations/income for community advancement and social work, they should not be taxed. That would apply to probably 95% of religious organizations in America.

There are certain Church's, televangelists etc that don't follow under this criteria and instead we see guys with multi-million dollar mansions, jet planes, etc. These people and their "ministries" should be taxed as a business. And again I want to clarify my position that these folks do not represent the majority of religious institutions in America. Most Church's barely make enough to keep the doors open.
 
Preachers are nothing but Pimps.Absolutely Churches should pay taxes.
 
So what? Few make that kind of money, and those that do usually earn it. Somebody on another board was sniveling about Joel Osteen, claiming he was some 'prosperity gospel' preacher, when in fact he isn't, far from it; his millions come from writing some 20 Best sellers and companies like Time Warner paying him up front bonuses of $12 million for the publishing rights for his next book. A few get 6 figure salaries, but they also bring in 10's of thousands of viewers and members, and they also are administrators as well. You're barking up the wrong tree in most cases, and that Cadillac wasn't paid for by any church in most cases either, it was paid for by the pastor, who more than likely also pays more in taxes as percentage of his income than you do. Churches are tax excepted, not pastors, ministers, or any other paid employees, and that goes for taxable perks, too.

So what do they do with this money?
 
So what do they do with this money?

Why do you care what they do with it? Anything they want; it's their money, and they pay taxes on it, so it's none of your business. Many of them give to other ministries, or use it to finance tours, as the previously mentioned Osteen does, out of their own pockets. He draws no salary for work at his church, and paid off the building bonds out of his own pocket also. Others may not, but it doesn't matter, as they pay taxes on their income like everybody else.

What do you do with your money?
 
Easy question. Of course churches should pay taxes. I'm a bit puzzled about the 'not for profit' references. The Catholic Church has accumulated vast wealth over the centuries and at the other end of the spectrum US televangalists wallow in the money they have conned from the gullible.
 
Easy question. Of course churches should pay taxes. I'm a bit puzzled about the 'not for profit' references. The Catholic Church has accumulated vast wealth over the centuries and at the other end of the spectrum US televangalists wallow in the money they have conned from the gullible.

Some televangelists are also hired by churches, some aren't; they are all covered by the same rules. And again, these people do pay income taxes on their incomes and perks; the churches themselves are separate operations, and there is no profit to tax. Any property that isn't used directly by the church is also taxed like normal property, so the claims otherwise are red herrings and false. No matter how one tries to spin it, they aren't getting away with anything, despite the BS claims to the contrary.

There is also no requirement for pastors and ministers to take some vow of poverty, or not be paid for teaching or speaking, either, another bogus claim. Some do, for personal reasons, but they aren't in any way required to. The Catholic Church has incorporated itself here in the U.S., as a 501(c), and has also incorporated its many charities. Can't find any evidence their employees are avoiding any owed taxes either.
 
Because I think they make promises they can not keep to fill their coffers.


I'm not the one making promises.

Doesn't matter what you think they do until you get to be dictator. If you think they aren't paying taxes then file a complaint with the IRS and turn them in.
 
No. If you require taxes of them then it inherently creates a system in which the government can assert control and leverage over religious institutions.

Unless a churches monetary income can be shown to be producing a "profit" or that they are functioning as a business, they should not be subject to taxes. Doing so places a governmental burden upon the free exercise of religion.
 
Yes, but only if they use the money they generate profits by commercial enterprises. Money donated to a church used for the charitable things a church does needs to be free from taxes, but when a church generates money from commercial means, that needs to be taxed because it is unfair for churches to be protected from taxes when they are doing commercial things and make profit from that, when other companies doing the same or comparable things do have to pay taxes from that profit.
 
No. If you require taxes of them then it inherently creates a system in which the government can assert control and leverage over religious institutions.

Unless a churches monetary income can be shown to be producing a "profit" or that they are functioning as a business, they should not be subject to taxes. Doing so places a governmental burden upon the free exercise of religion.

Nonsense. These non-profits enjoy police, fire and transportation infrastructure services. Paying taxes that support those services is reasonable.
 
Nonsense. These non-profits enjoy police, fire and transportation infrastructure services. Paying taxes that support those services is reasonable.

Any such taxes are already provided via those who attend these places of worship and via the churches administrators paying sales taxes for goods they purchase in their everyday life. Placing taxes upon the land that churches are on or upon the general operation of a church places an undo governmental influence upon religious exercise with the potential for severe and potentially crippling burden and coercion once such things are in place.

Unless a religious institution is clearly shown to be misusing it's status as a religion in order to provide a tax shelter to what is inherently first and foremost a for profit business the amount of government intrusion and force exerted upon such things should be as minimal as possible.
 
Nah, not really that big a problem in the scheme of things. However, I do think contributions ought not get a charitable deduction on people's tax return.

Don't worry, the deduction doesn't amount to a hill of beans these days. The deduction for charitable donations is a joke.
 
If Churches make profits they should pay tax on them, like anyone else. Otherwise, no.
 
All churches should be split into two groups...the God Club nonsense and the charity side.

Tax the former, not the latter.

Religion is NOTHING but a club. And all clubs should pay taxes.

Any church that steps into the realm of politics or lobbying should be taxed.
 
Many churches, synagogues, mosques, hindu temples, ect... are multi-million dollar organizations that are run like business. Should they be required to pay tax?

I'm pretty much on the fence about this, but then with things such as Scientology being given religion status...I think maybe we should tax them nominally.
 
There should not be a tax category based on religion. There should be nothing but not for profit organizations and we should base their tax exemption on their benefit for society.

If they are political... tax em..... if they exclude people based on religious preferences... tax em ..... if they promote civil discord toward a subcategory of people... tax em
If they make a profit which is not returned to the population ... tax em .... If their only reason for a tax exemption is that they are religious .... tax em

If they help the poor ... give them a tax break... if they give comfort to the down trodden... give them a tax break ... If they help the elderly , if they help the helpless, if they care for those who can not afford care... if they are there for people and not for profit.... then give them a tax break......... even if the reason they do it is for religion
 
Yes, the same as any other business. Charitable giving should be deducted of course.
 
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