Should Churches be Taxed?

Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
If the church is using the money raised to care for the priest/preacher and the poor of the parish/congregation then no I think as a charitable organization it should not be taxed. If, however, it can be proved that funds raised are being used to ... more
My feelings mirror Airen's.
09/30/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by hyacinthgirl
No - taxing churches leads into all kinds of possible abuses. We already know that the biggest bribes to congressmen leads to laxer tax laws, and now we know that making a movie critical of Islam can have you arrested and detained without possibility ... more
I don't wish to hijack the thread, but saying "making a movie critical of Islam can have you arrested and detained without possibility of bail" is disingenuous. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula's is back in jail because he violated the terms of his probation: he used aliases and accessed the internet without approval from his parole officer.
10/01/2012
Contributor: JennSenn JennSenn
As long as they are run like a non-profit I would think not. If they're run like a business maybe? I don't really have enough background knowledge to make an informed opinion at this point. But since I already voted I figured I should voice my opinion.
10/01/2012
Contributor: Sodom and Gomorrah Sodom and Gomorrah
Quote:
Originally posted by K101
No, I do not believe they should be and am pretty concerned/shocked even that that would be a concern. WHY? I really cannot think of a reason this would be an issue/concern. Well, perhaps I know one reason, and it would be just another way to target ... more
Very well said! No, I do not think churches should be taxed. Politics and churches are separate entities and should remain that way. Last I've heard donations shouldn't be taxed anyway. Churches are non-profit organizations but if you think your church is using donation money and pocketing it like judas then speak up and go somewhere else. Bookeeping should be kept organized and opened to the public.
10/01/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
If anyone from the church is going to make political statements, try to bully members of the congregation into voting for one particular person or one particular party, if they are into any money making schemes, if they want to make public statements or get involved in politics or social issues, they should pay taxes at the same rate as anyone else or any other business.

One of the reasons churches and Tele-evangelists get so rich is that they don't have to pay taxes or they find ways around taxes. I think EVERYONE should pay their share.

Did you know the Duggars (the family with 19 children, who have their own show on TLC) tried to have their HOUSE declared a church so they wouldn't have to pay taxes? And that after the father Jim Bob was run out of the Arkansas House of Representatives due to suspicions of illegal activity.

Thankfully, the state of Arkansas said their house could NOT be considered a church (even though they claimed they had "church services" in their house... for their own family) but people like this are always looking for ways to NOT pay their share.
10/01/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Sodom and Gomorrah
Very well said! No, I do not think churches should be taxed. Politics and churches are separate entities and should remain that way. Last I've heard donations shouldn't be taxed anyway. Churches are non-profit organizations but if you ... more
"Should" is the word here. When was the last time you heard of ANY Church allowing the public to view their finances?

The way churches are allowed to be run in the USA are USUALLY for profit.

Let me know if you know of a church who breaks open their books for anyone without a court order.
10/01/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by K101
No, I do not believe they should be and am pretty concerned/shocked even that that would be a concern. WHY? I really cannot think of a reason this would be an issue/concern. Well, perhaps I know one reason, and it would be just another way to target ... more
The Porn Industry is already heavily taxed. And most porn studios pay their taxes in full.

What gave you the idea that porn (which freely ADMITS they are in it for the profit... unlike churches, which say they aren't) isn't taxed?

And, yes, luxuries SHOULD be taxed, especially those which are dangerous to the human body, like tanning, smoking and drinking and selling of alcohol. And they are.
10/01/2012
Contributor: CindyH CindyH
they should have to pay taxes just like ever one else
10/01/2012
Contributor: Zandrock Zandrock
Yes they should be
10/01/2012
Contributor: ViVix ViVix
Quote:
Originally posted by Mwar
Your opinion may differ based on many things, but my question is straightforward. Should churches be taxed? Why or why not?

Bonus Question: if you do not live in the U.S., are churches taxed where you live? What is the sentiment there?
Separation of church and state. No funding for them and no taxes from them.
10/01/2012
Contributor: Geogeo Geogeo
Quote:
Originally posted by Mwar
Your opinion may differ based on many things, but my question is straightforward. Should churches be taxed? Why or why not?

Bonus Question: if you do not live in the U.S., are churches taxed where you live? What is the sentiment there?
they should
10/01/2012
Contributor: hyacinthgirl hyacinthgirl
Quote:
Originally posted by Petite Valentine
I don't wish to hijack the thread, but saying "making a movie critical of Islam can have you arrested and detained without possibility of bail" is disingenuous. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula's is back in jail because he violated the ... more
But would he really be in jail if it weren't for being made the scapegoat for the embassy attacks? Violating probation, last I heard, did not include having your apartment stormed in the middle of the night. His "movie" is terrible and offensive, but he should not have his rights revoked because he's a jackass.
10/01/2012
Contributor: Trysexual Trysexual
Quote:
Originally posted by hyacinthgirl
So the religious should just shut up and stop exercising their First Amendment rights?

You do realize that part of the freedom of religion specification was because it was illegal for certain religions to have any sort of say in public in ... more
That is not what I said. Some religions weren't allowed to exist in Europe period and faced the inquisition and other attrocities btw.

Read it again. I said "They should be taxed and keep out of business/politics". People having freedom of speech is different than a collective tax exempt organization doing the same.

People should have the freedom to practice what they want and say what they want, but "religious organizations" lobby and have a lot of political influence and waste funds on non essential things and some are corrupted, so they should not be able to have such influence without being taxed like everyone else. As someone else mentioned, religion is big business and the vatican hordes all kinds of wealth and information, which goes against the very teachings of the bible. The churches I went to, seemed to spend more money on building bigger churches rather than helping the poor and doing good deeds.

Isn't the Catholic church one of the largest (or the largest) landowners in the world? Yet, they pay no real estate tax, income tax, etc.

There is also little to stop Joe Public from starting a phony religion or church simply as a tax shelter.

In a perfect world, it is one thing...but not here/now.
10/01/2012
Contributor: Sodom and Gomorrah Sodom and Gomorrah
We already pay taxes on our income when we receive money and then we willingly donate to our charity of choice. Why should it be double taxed?? Church and state do not fund each other so it's logical that each handles their own. They are many charitable organizations that are non-profit. There does exist regulations and licensing for these types of groups. Any suspicious activity can be reported, audited and investigated by IRS.

When you give your hard earned; already taxed left over money, no, I don't think it should be taxed again.
10/01/2012
Contributor: Deeder Deeder
Quote:
Originally posted by hyacinthgirl
^ But that is saying that religious organizations do not have freedom of speech and expression, which is explicitly violating the First Amendment.

I know it isn't taught in schools, because it's this big, dark, scary secret, but if ... more
THIS.
10/01/2012
Contributor: Stinkytofu10 Stinkytofu10
Quote:
Originally posted by Mwar
Your opinion may differ based on many things, but my question is straightforward. Should churches be taxed? Why or why not?

Bonus Question: if you do not live in the U.S., are churches taxed where you live? What is the sentiment there?
Yes!
10/01/2012
Contributor: richsam richsam
Quote:
Originally posted by LoooveMonkey
If they MAKE people give them money and have fees, yes, they probably should. If they are donations of people's own free will, then no, the government needs to keep their hands out of that.
agree
10/02/2012
Contributor: LoooveMonkey LoooveMonkey
Quote:
Originally posted by K101
Is there any church that "MAKES" people give them money? Not a single one I have ever been to or even heard of. Is there some that do?

At a church, or at least every church I have attended, here's how it goes: you sit down for ... more
Some churches require fees to attend. And as Voir said, some even want people's W2s and they take out a percentage of their income.

What you think is the way all churches should be, but sadly it isn't.
10/02/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by hyacinthgirl
But would he really be in jail if it weren't for being made the scapegoat for the embassy attacks? Violating probation, last I heard, did not include having your apartment stormed in the middle of the night. His "movie" is terrible and ... more
If not for the parole violations, he would not be in jail. It was simply his misfortune that the movie and subsequent global media attention brought his violations to the attention of the authorities. That's the simple reason for his arrest. The authorities can't simply ignore that he was doing the same things that landed him jail time in the first place.

Also, his apartment was not stormed. He and his family members were moved with their consent for their safety. His arrest came after a preliminary hearing, and even then there was no storming. He was asked to report to one of the U.S. Probation Offices, where U.S. Marshals officially arrested him for the parole violations.
10/05/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by LoooveMonkey
Some churches require fees to attend. And as Voir said, some even want people's W2s and they take out a percentage of their income.

What you think is the way all churches should be, but sadly it isn't.
"Some churches require fees to attend. And as Voir said, some even want people's W2s and they take out a percentage of their income."

That sounds like a club, not a church.
10/05/2012
Contributor: sugar&spikes sugar&spikes
not sure
10/05/2012
Contributor: marshmallow marshmallow
yep
10/05/2012
Contributor: kitty1949 kitty1949
I feel they should.
10/05/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Petite Valentine
"Some churches require fees to attend. And as Voir said, some even want people's W2s and they take out a percentage of their income."

That sounds like a club, not a church.
Most churches require "tithing" which is usually somewhere between 5% and 15% of the families pretax income. This is a very old practice, how do you think so many churches get so rich?

It's more common to expect you to tithe than to not from a church.

As for churches being "clubs" most function as such.
10/05/2012
Contributor: Beck Beck
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
Most churches require "tithing" which is usually somewhere between 5% and 15% of the families pretax income. This is a very old practice, how do you think so many churches get so rich?

It's more common to expect you to tithe than ... more
This is what I was going to comment. Some of the reasons people have listed saying that churches shouldn't be taxed....I know of "clubs" that do the same things. Especially donating to charity, helping the homeless, setting up funds for children, and many other charitable things. Just because you put on a front to the public doesn't mean what's behind closed doors isn't a huge scam.

They should pay taxes as everyone should have to pay taxes. Taxes are how our society gets updated because the money has to come from somewhere. Why shouldn't churches be a part of that? There is NO good reason.
10/05/2012
Contributor: Jimenko Jimenko
No, because while there are churches that are rolling in money, there are many that struggle.
10/05/2012
Contributor: LoveYouLikeThat LoveYouLikeThat
Churches like Westboro? Hell yes they should be taxed. Their donations go to picketing funerals and shit.

I know Catholic churches require you to pay a certain amt of pretaxed income to be a member.

Other churches, like we're involved with, no I dont believe they should. they are big in the community and helping and everything.
10/05/2012
Contributor: Gluesnffr Gluesnffr
No, they make their money from people's donations. That's like asking if charities should be taxed.
10/23/2012
Contributor: Gdom Gdom
I don't have a highly principled stance on this. For me, it just comes down to policy considerations. For any particular case, the questions are going to be: (1) How is the church using its money? And (2) how would the government use the money? If the answer to (1) is "purely on noncontroversial, effective charity programs," then I see no reason to tax it. Likewise if the answer to (2) is "largely on the defense budget" or "on social welfare programs that are less efficient than the church's." Of course, the answers to those questions are contingent (and, of course, will vary from church to church and from governmental regime to regime), so I can't say much more about it.
10/23/2012
Contributor: CindyH CindyH
ya they should
10/23/2012