Tax the Churches

[ck4829]

I'm sorry but people who run around talking about Dominion Theology, that the Separation of Church and State is a Myth, who are Partisan, etc. MUST pay the price for wanting to try and control the Government.

Somebody said that if Churches are allowed to be political AND if this Tax Exemption thing goes on then Churches will become Financial Powerhouses, and what this person said seems to be on the level. This CAN NOT happen because that would be Theocratic Fascism!

Pat Robertson - He's a Billionaire
Jerry Falwell - has $100 Million dollars
Alliance Defense Fund - $15,411,093 (2001 budget)
American Family Association - $11.4 million (2000)
American Life League - $6.9 million dollars (2000 budget)
Christian Coalition - $3 million dollars
Family Research Council - $10 million (2000 revenue)
Focus on the Family - $128.8 million, (2000 budget)

I say tax those who call Separation of Church and State a Myth. It's Logical, it's reasonable, and it will have to make the 'christian' Rightists make a decision: Profit OR Power

[Modem Butterfly]

1. Damn straight. Let them pay their entry fee like the rest of us

Let's tax religion. Religion has long since given up even the semblance of political neutrality.

[Squeech]

2. Belled many cats lately?

I'm not saying I disagree, I just want ideas about strategy.

[LynneSin]

3. I don't think all churches should be taxed

because you know as well as I do that 80% of the churches out there are struggling to make ends meet and need all the donations they can get. But they aren't these massive corporate churches, but the small 1-room chapels out in the country that still use a piano to play all the church hymns.

I think the rules should be modified that any Church that wants to get involved in politics should be taxed. If you're using your power & money to influence politician and voters, then you should pay taxes like the rest of of. We should not punish the small struggling churches because of the sins of the gluteonous corporation churches run by ilks like Falwell and Robertson

[ck4829]

6. That's what I am saying.

My title 'Tax the Churches' is just to get attention.

"I say tax those who call Separation of Church and State a Myth. It's Logical, it's reasonable, and it will have to make the 'christian' Rightists make a decision: Profit OR Power"

[BlueEyedSon]

4. I think there should be a simple "test" or benchmark

if the church is completely apolitical, great. If they preach ONE IOTA of politics, tax them like a biz.

[Modem Butterfly]

7. I think that would be too hard to administer and too subjective

Just tax them all. If it makes it more palatable, let's forgo property taxes on the house of worship itself, but all the other crap that these organizations get involved with should be subject to the same tax laws as everyone else.

[BlueEyedSon]

8. OK, i was trying to be nice.

But fuggetaboudit!

[beam me up scottie]

5. Aren't they considered a 501(c)(3) and subject

to the same rules ?
Or are they given special status ?

[starroute]

9. It is possible to tax some activities but not others

For example, non-profit hospitals don't have to pay taxes on their medical services -- but if they have a gift shop in the lobby, they do have to pay taxes on the profits from that.

Churches are a lot trickier than hospitals because they're not operating simply in a fee-for-service model. But it should still be possible to define which activities are acceptable under a charitable organization model and to tax any that are not.

[ck4829]

10. Bingo.

You want to talk about taking over the government, fine it's your First Amendment Right, BUT you must pay the price to do so.

[noonwitch]

11. Televangelists should be taxed under certain conditions, not churches.

Although anyone should be able to form a church.

I say if a tv ministry devotes more than 10% of it's broadcast to fundraising, they are a business, not a ministry, and should lose their tax-exempt status. If a ministry takes a definite political stance, it should lose it's status.

If they hawk "love gifts", "health shakes", or any other such merchandise, they should also lose their status.

This is why I like Worship.net, even if fundies run it. They have no political message plus they stick with scripture and nice stories in between the music and nature scenes. Their fundraising pitches only last a minute or so, and basically consist of flashing the address on the screen.