Tax the megachurches

[baby_mouse]

They are businesses, aren't they? They hire people? They pay people? plumbers, joiners, creche handlers...

Tax 'em.

[saltpoint]

1. And then bulldoze them!

I realize there would be legal hurdles to that proposal, but I still LIKE the idea.

[Peanutcat]

2. They get involved in politics . . . . .

[Vincardog]

3. Only when and if they support political cantidates,. Tale that Fristians

[baby_mouse]

5. That wins.

Would it stick? I whish I'd studied law!

[Vincardog]

15. That is the law. Ask the IRS

[baby_mouse]

19. ... and THAT... RULES.

MWAH!

:loveya:

[patrice]

4. Political Parasites. Lobbying Lushes.

Lots of Liars.

Our taxes provide Socialist Subsidized jobs for the sheeple herders. Which they grow fat on and inflict themselves on others unasked.

Perhaps you'll excuse me, I'm angry at my church.

[tocqueville]

6. tax ALL churches

it's the base of separation of Church and State. If you don't, it shows that the state is giving a special treatement to believers compared to non-believers.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. Not necessarily

at least here in Arkansas, to gain tax exempt status, a church has to ask for a 501 C3, just like any other non-profit. So to my thinking, if you tax churches, soon all non-profits would also be taxed.

[tocqueville]

24. nope only SECULAR non-profit have to be exempted

it's on the base of religion the non-exemption of tax must be based, not on the non-profit. you cannot give a PREFERENTIAL TREATEMENT BASED ON FAITH. Which shows on the other hand that the 1st amendment isn't clear enough.

why is the fucking secularity and separation SO difficult to understand ... beats me

when it guarantees EVERYBODY freedom of religion at the same time

[baby_mouse]

31. Thought so! NT.

[tocqueville]

35. to make it clearer...

in France :

a Church cannot ask for tax reductions or other subsidies (law of 1905 of separation of Church and State)
a Church can get subsidies if repairs have to made if the church buildings have historical value (but that means it's in the public interest)

a secular non profit-organisation of public interest can get subsidies
a religious non profit-organisation of public interest can get subsidies (but the aim must be philantropic and not to proselyte)... example Caritas, Catholic Help, Emmaüs....

[evlbstrd]

11. Yes, tax them all.

Including the Scientologists.
Frank Zappa once proposed establishing the Church of American Secular Humanism (C.A.S.H.). Once that entity became tax exempt as a church, you'd see a whole different attitude toward taxing churches.

[evlbstrd]

12. self delete

dupe

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. Tax them if they meddle in politics.

It is against the rules of my religious order for the organization to tell any of its members what to do politically. I'd hate to see my group have to pay taxes because other religious organizations violate the First Amendment. (But then again, my order doesn't build megachurches, and the head is not getting wealthy off the donations of the mureeds, either.)

[Initech]

8. I like Bill Maher's idea:

"New Rule: If churches don't have to pay taxes, they also can't call the fire department when they catch fire. Sorry, Reverend, that's one of those services that goes along with paying in. I'll use the fire department I pay for; you can pray for rain. Oh, I'm going to get letters on that one. "

[catabryna]

9. Uhhhhh....

A church with 15,000 in attendance is no more likely to be a business than a 100 member congregation church. In fact, I find that the smaller the church, the more fundy they seem to be because they are so exclusionary in who is welcome to attend.

Were someone to tax my church (population 4,000), we'd lose the funding we use for all of our social programs, all of which are progressive and none of which have any "strings attached". Not all churches preach politics from the pulpit. I'm all for the IRS auditing specific churches, but a free-for-all is probably not the best way to go.

JMHO!

[baby_mouse]

16. MEGACHURCHES, darling. GOOGLE.

Go look. They exist to make money.

[RB TexLa]

25. Isn't wanting to tax certain churches and not others like wanting to

have people arrested for saying "I hate George Bush" while allowing others to say "I hate Bill Clinton" and saying it's free speech?

[baby_mouse]

28. What is the reasoning behind this post?

I'm talking about megachurches. The rich ones. Why can't the smaller churches enjoy tax-exempt status simply on the grounds that they'd fold otherwise? The megchurches can AFFORD to pay for the wars they wish to inflict on humanity. And they benefit from Government Infrastructre.

So, they should cough up. The IRS deserves its cut.

[catabryna]

33. My church is an associate of...

Willow Creek, a definite megachurch in Chicago with over 20,000 in attendance each weekend. The term megachurch doesn't only cover those churches involved in money-making ventures; it covers churches with huge attendance which occurs for a myriad of reasons. In our case, it is because we offer contemporary worship opportunities which many find appealing and we do lots of community outreach and offer the type of help that regular folks need these days while reaching out to the least among us, such as Church Under the Bridge for the homeless who need a helping hand.

I guess I just want to point out that not all megachurches are the same. :)

[libnnc]

13. They don't do as Jesus taught. Tax them.

They are country clubs with steeples. They don't give a damn about anyone outside their doors. Tax them.

[mondo joe]

14. Most non profits are businesses that hire people. That said, I have no

opposition to taxing churches. Just be certain your rationale makes sense.

[baby_mouse]

17. If they follow the business model

Where the Board of Directors takes a cut of the profits, in my mind they're fair game.

These organisations aren't humanitarian, they're corporate.

[mondo joe]

20. Certainly. But I don't think that was the standard espoused in the OP.

Maybe I misunderstood.

[baby_mouse]

21. #15 says political funding makes taxing them law

:shrug:

Throw me a bone! We have to get money out of these apes *somehow*

[baby_mouse]

22. ....aaand not misundertood as such...

It would ALSO seem reasonable to me that anything essentially profit making that doesn't directly contribute to the welfare of an unfiltered charity target isn't a charity, so this would probably take them out the tax-exempt bracket? Isnt that how tax-exempt works in the States?

[Divernan]

18. a 1% tax on non-profits would allow 50% reduction of property tax in PA

"Non-profits" can easily afford 1%, and they do rely on all kinds of govt. infrastructure so should pay for it. In the Pittsburgh area, UPMC Hospital(s) have bought private homes where their doctors & families (w/kids in public school systems) are living rent free. Those homes are no longer on the tax roles. In Shaler Township (Allegheny County, bedroom community for Pittsburgh), over 50 percent of the properties in the Township are owned by non-profits. Colleges & universities & hospitals are paying exorbitant salaries to their top administrators. And the megachurches are in the habit of asking prospective members to submit their tax returns and then agreeing to pay 10 percent/tithe to the megachurch.

[Neil Lisst]

23. Amen!!

it's sinful how much is spent on structures for churches

[Freedom_Aflaim]

26. If you want to give Mega churches a say in government, go for it

Remember, if they pay tax, they are going to want a return on that.

Its true they influence government now. However legitimizing them as full fledged tax payers will make it impossible to keep out.

Seperation of church and tax is a good thing. Promoting churches to taxpayers will erode that seperation immensely.

[baby_mouse]

29. The Government taxes.

What the Government does with the tax dollars is up to the Government.

Meantime, the megachurches get poorer.

What we are talking about here is a subte *shift* in the the lobbying relationship... Make it *expensive* for them to lobby.

[Freedom_Aflaim]

32. Maybe, but Im talking about reality

when any entity starts sending millions to washington, they get a voice in Washington.

its true that the government does what it wants with the tax dollars..but what is government but the will of its taxpayers? (supposed to be citizens, but sadly it doesnt work that way)


Look at how much influence the rich have in government now. Giving Rich churches the same status will have the same outcome.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

27. But..but..Gawd would go broke...again.

Seems like the Almighty needs a better accountant according to the preachers who cry poverty at every opportunity.

[baby_mouse]

30. Through solid gold megaphones.

BLECH.

They DISGUST ME. Old Testament YHWH would have dealt with these cockrocahes a thousand times over by now.

[Beelzebud]

34. Tax ALL churches!

[tocqueville]

36. even the FSM

it doesn't matter because the pirates bring in the cash...