A new look at Giving Tuesday: More give to religion than realize it

[rug]

By CATHY LYNN GROSSMAN | Religion News Service
First Published 15 minutes ago • Updated 15 minutes ago

This is Giving Tuesday, when nonprofits of every stripe hope to attract some of the billions to be spent during the Hanukkah and Christmas seasons.

Many of those dollars will go to religious groups. Now, new research is expanding the meaning of "religious giving." It counts motivation for giving and measures not only gifts to houses of worship but also donations to faith-connected nonprofits that are doing secular service such as fighting poverty or offering job training for the disabled.

"Most people cite their religious commitments, but most also cite the belief that they should give to benefit others. Many people hold both these impulses at the same time," said Shawn Landres, a co-author of the research report, "Connected to Give: Faith Communities."

The report, released at the recent American Academy of Religion conference in Baltimore, found that in 2012:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/57215082-80/religious-giving-faith-landres.html.csp

[Good without a god]

1. Many people don't credit

that they are subsidizing religion every time they pay their property tax. Many churches have huge tracts of property, far more than they need, and it's all tax free. Everyone else has to pay more to make up what the churches keep for themselves.

[hrmjustin]

2. I have no problem with taxing property of religious organizations that are not directly being used

by the house of worship. My church owns ten townhouses on the block and 8 are rented out. I have no problem taxing those 8 buildings.

[TBF]

3. I think that's a fair interpretation -

I think most folks would agree on exempting the house of worship itself w/accompanying buildings that serve the church. Our church for example is a complex with a family center where many bible classes take place, we do charitable projects etc.

Extensive merchandising and extraneous projects of the megachurches that seem to be led by self-help gurus might be another story.

[Good without a god]

4. I'm not talking about separately owned properties.

Many churches have vast expanses of land that the church itself sits on, far more than is needed for their function. All of that is untaxed.

[cbayer]

7. Can you provide a specific example of that?

[cleanhippie]

11. Only the willfully ignorant would need it pointed out to them.

And they would disregard it anyway.

[Good without a god]

23. Are you really saying that

you've never seen a church with a really big property surrounding the building and parking lot? Seriously? Just drive around the suburbs some day…you can hardly miss them.

[cbayer]

24. Are you also wanting to remove the property tax exemption for other 501{c}3's or just religious

organizations?

Because that would present a serious 1st amendment issue.

[Good without a god]

26. That didn't answer my question at all

But whatever.

No, I don't want to take away anyone's property tax exemption completely. I didn't say that. But I think organizations should only get an exemption for the property that is actually used for charitable purposes, and if a church has a lot of property that isn't, as some clearly do, there's no reason that should automatically be tax exempt.

Even if I had said that, there would be no first Amendment problem. It would be entirely in line with the First Amendment principle that government cannot support or subsidize religious practice.

[hrmjustin]

25. I have no problem with taxing the property that they do not use for church use.

[cbayer]

6. What in the world does that have to do with the article??

[Good without a god]

8. It was a comment

on the irony that many people are indeed giving to churches in ways that they don't realize, in ways that the article didn't even encompass.

Why the double question marks?

[cbayer]

9. The double question mark was an early morning error in typing.

There is also irony in the fact that many people receive services from religious charities that they don't even realize and that some religious organizations provide much needed services to the most marginalized populations who should be taken care of by the government and with tax money.

You may be good without god, and that's cool, but there are those who would die without others who are good with god.

[Good without a god]

10. To the extent that their facilities and equipment are directly used

for charitable purposes, yes, they should be treated like any other charity. But a church doesn't need an enormous undeveloped, tax free lot around their building in order to run a food pantry. Nor, indeed, should the portion of money given to the church and used for things like choir robes, Sunday school materials and hymnals be tax exempt or deductible. How about just letting the government keep the money and do good with it, without all of the religious entanglement?

And who are these people who receive services from religious charities without even realizing they are receiving them?

[cbayer]

12. I don't know many places like you describe, but I don't doubt that they exist.

While I understand that the parsonage exemption can be problematic, the other rules regarding tax status are in line with the rules applied to all 501 (3)c's. Some of the issues can be attributed to the IRS and are not unique to religious institutions.

Many people go to food banks, medical clinics, halfway houses, recovery centers and other social aid sites where it is not at all obvious that the care is being provided by particular religious organizations. That is what I meant.

[pinto]

14. Lots of community groups, some faith-based, prepare and serve lunch at a local service center.

None of them "advertise" their affiliation. They just schedule a day with the center, show up and serve a meal.

[cleanhippie]

13. "there are those who would die without others who are good with god."

[cbayer]

5. It's so hard to evaluate these kinds of soft surveys,

particularly when they don't provide links to the actual data. Did they talk to 20 people or 2000?

Anyway, the information they do present is not particularly surprising. Even though the religious tend to give more and give more directly to religiously based groups, non-believers also give in significant numbers.

[TBF]

15. Although I am not particularly religious myself

I come from a religious family and it influences my giving. I donate to both secular and non-secular groups but I have no doubt that the giving to secular groups is very large indeed. There have been members of my family who have donated entire estates (or the bulk of the estate after cash gifts) to their churches. It is not uncommon amongst believers to do that in my experience.

[cbayer]

16. I know in my household it was taught at an early age.

We began with the church and little envelopes at a pretty young age. We were also taught to trick or treat for UNICEF, something I will never forget.

I don't think that this kind of training is necessarily tied to religion, though it may be for some. Either way, it's a good thing for children to learn, imo.

[TBF]

17. I agree. nt

[cbayer]

18. How have you been, TBF?

Planning your next family vacation, I hope.

I am in Mexico right now and loving it. If you are interested in information about some terrific places to go with the family and an astoundingly low cost (by US standards), let me know.

Hope you and yours are well.

[TBF]

21. Staying home for the holidays -

ending up spending a lot of time with family in Florida last winter (2 separate trips) so resting now. We will be gearing up for spring break and summer tho I will definitely take you up on the tips for Mexico if we decide to go in that direction. With the cold weather coming this weekend I am already thinking about how much I miss the beach!

I'm glad to hear you are having a good time in Mexico! I have not traveled nearly as much as you but one of my favorite places is the Mexican Riviera ~ and also the islands off Belize

[cbayer]

22. Happy holidays to you.

I am in Baja California Sur right now. Incredible area for kids to explore unexploited marine life.

[pinto]

19. Agree. We did Halloween for the Jimmy Fund.

You know how locally strong the fund is in New England. It was a good lesson about the meaning of community for us. Candy was fine but the Jimmy Fund was the point. A win-win all around.

http://www.jimmyfund.org/abo/who/default.html

[cbayer]

20. I remember that so clearly.

We would always get some candy and some cash for the UNICEF box.

I haven't seen that done in a very long time, though it still may happen in some places.