Sticky wicket, because many are, I suppose good people, doing a form of public service. I am a huge fan of pulling tax-exempt status on those who actively advocate for political candidates and not generalized ideas, but then we hit a snag with the 1st Amendment.
I think any church that has at least 50 people in the pews on their worship service should be taxed, unless they can show that they provide services to the poor. Small town churches are often where you find the food pantry. That warrants a tax break, I would imagine.
On this I disagree strongly. I get the sentiment, but the last thing we want is to legitimize their interference in society by taxing them and thereby giving them a reason to meddle in government since they are now supporting it financially. I do support revising the tax code for pastors,
especially above a certain level of income, and making sure they can’t launder that income thru their church’s. Looking right at you mega church grifters.
There is a vast difference between a multimillion dollar megachurch and a humble congregation that works out of a storefront that feeds, clothes, and comforts members of their community.
I’d make them prove they’re earning their nonprofit status.
With Trumps tyrannical rule about to be implemented, churches may be our only refuge left. Nazi eventually burned them down too though. Only the nazi faithful to white supremacy were allowed church.
I agree, but I think the tax-exempt status should still be extended to small churches that spend 100% of their donations WITHIN their local community, only for certain things like feeding ppl, homeless outreach, etc and ZERO political donations.
Eh, if churches are taxed then they'd used that as an excuse to insert themselves more into politics. America just needs to actually enforce their own rules instead of playing favorites with Christianity.... but that won't happen.. Cherry picking is all this country has devolved into...
Here in Phila I know of 3 churches which together feed hundreds of needy people, distribute clothing and bedding, provide mailboxes, provide legal aid. Let’s tax “Christ the Rich” parishes who ignore the poor.
The rational for giving US churches tax breaks in the late 19th century was to acknowledge the corporal work churches did in their communities at that time. It's hard to see how a Gulfstream 650 plays a role there these days.
They, like all 501c3 organizations, are prohibited from participating in partisan politics (supporting/opposing candidates). It is perfectly legal for them to do get out the vote, issue advocacy, voter ed, and referenda.
Respectfully disagree. It would eliminate smaller churches that are doing good in their communities (like mine) and leave only megachurches that don’t follow Jesus.
This. Tax churches with income over $xxx,000 (I don't know the line.) Enforce the rules about churches and politics.
But taxing all churches will eliminate the ones doing good, and keep the ones doing evil, and give them permission to break the separation of various types of non-profits.
Nahhh... Lets not
A lot of them are doing great work in the community and allocate resources appropriately.
I get it. A lot of people aren't doing a good job representing what Christianity is all about, and that sucks. But let's not punish those doing good for the community.
They do exist...
Yeah. Let's do. If they are going to put that cheap ass bible in classrooms and ignore separation of church and state, then they need to pay fucking taxes. Christianity is an industry.
Broad generalization. What denominations do you believe are Christians? Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists, Quakers, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites,Mormons, Eastern Orthodox, Baptists. None of which are the evangelicals you describe in your hateful, yet uninformed diatribe
Here’s an idea: have the churches audited. So if a church takes in a lot of money but disburses a lot of that to the local community and uses a small amount for maintenance, that is deductible.
The odds and percentages are against that point of view. Just like the percentage of billionaires who pay as much tax as possible. If all the money they took in were given to feed the hungry & house the homeless, their numbers would not have steadily climbed.
If you do that, you will need to tax all 501(c)(3) organizations and that will destroy or severely curtail [charitable, scientific, educational, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition, and preventing cruelty to children or animals] organizations.
If you mean all religions I wholeheartedly agree
Religions institutions make billions off of their devoted followers while contributing the bare minimum to the community they depend on for that fanatical support
This is the most accurate statement that I always scream out when they want to preach politics to their parishioners. They are a business. Most are cults. They must be taxed and we have to collectively push for this change. At least before we are all forced into Christian nationalism.
They, like all 501c3 organizations, are prohibited from participating in partisan politics (supporting/opposing candidates). It is perfectly legal for them to do get out the vote, issue advocacy, voter ed, and referenda.
I understand the sentiment, but this paints w/ too broad a brush. Many small churches are quietly serving their community in important ways, and taxing them would quickly shut them down.
In my opinion, that depends on what they do.
For example, if they sell products, like books, it should pay tax on that.
Basically, states should crack down on people and religious organisations trying to avoid taxes by slapping a god/gods sticker on something.
The mega churches for sure especially with pastors that live in mansions, drive cars worth hundreds of thousands and have private planes worth millions and millions.
So many Catholic Archdioceses are notorious property owners and have a disgusting reputation of closing down schools with "low" enrollment after they quietly destroy the schools so they can rent out to expensive independent ones while they lock in decades long leases.
“Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501c3 org. are absolutely prohibited from directly/indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.”
Because churches increasingly involve themselves in politics and legislate their religion on the rest of us. Now that churches and the church going undermine freedom of religion and separation of church and state, they can pay for tRumps tax cuts themselves. They elected him.
I have to respectfully disagree. If we tax them, that would violate the speration of church and state. Now having said that, we need to keep the church out of our politics. How we accomplish that, I'm not sure
Tax exemption should be earned and lost appropriately. If churches aren’t providing help or a service to their communities(not just congregation) and/or the leadership uses their pulpit for political or personal gain they should lose their exemption.
Or at least the ones who meddle in politics in the slightest way. Reich wing Catholicism, Mormons, evil evangelicals, Southern Slave State Baptist Bigots. Trump's vile "spiritual advisor" & Franklin Graham at the top of the list.
No, only ones that support political candidates. There are so many small churches doing tremendous work to help people. The mega churches and TV preachers get the attention but that's not the whole story.
I belong to a small church that doesn’t engage in political discussions or endorsements but does do a lot of good for the community. They wouldn’t be able to survive if taxed.
That good for the community should be enthusiastically exempted. Small churches survive in other countries that prevent tax dodgers from using churches as a haven.
Thank you because the people that don’t go to church and don’t know how churches they open or Wiche churches do what need to stay out of church business just like people need to stay out my ovaries
Yes it make sense , i couldn't find the verse that supports extreme cruelty to separate famliies , the sadism to see children wailin for their missing almost suicidal parents longin for their children as part of the great commission in the bible , i tried though
I'm not convinced that ALL churches must be taxed. There are small congregations in small towns that provide a needed service and do not bring in huge contributions. However, those that are set up to make money and exploit masses should be taxed.
I don’t agree. They already are overstepping the boundaries of church and state. Don’t give them that power. If they violate the Constitution they should be fined.
Not only taxed, but heavily taxed. Let them put their $ where their mouth is. Contribute to building roads and schools, not just infrastructure for their cults.
I live in a town of 9k in Wisconsin and we have the same problem. Bars and churches on every corner and my grandma's pastor drives a 100k SUV after only a year of being a pastor so even the small churches should be taxed IMO
They, like all 501c3 organizations, are prohibited from participating in partisan politics (supporting/opposing candidates). It is perfectly legal for them to do get out the vote, issue advocacy, voter ed, and referenda.
That is exactly what some are doing, supporting certain candidates. Not all individual churches are doing this, but some of the big churches are. I think if they are caught doing that, they should lose their status.
I know of Evangelical churches in Florida who are instrumental in choosing judges and tell their congregants how to vote. I know of Mosques in NYC who encouraged their members to join protests against Jewish people/Israel. SO YES.
They, like all 501c3 organizations, are prohibited from participating in partisan politics (supporting/opposing candidates). It is perfectly legal for them to do get out the vote, issue advocacy, voter ed, and referenda.
Disagree. There are churches across the USA that are doing the work of providing care services to the less fortunate. My church is one. Out of a $1mil budget, 34% goes out to agencies that do the work. We have a yrly Feed My Starving Children drive, packing meals for kids in underserved countries.
Not all churches. But the obvious mega churches yes. There are some churches who are small and might be actually spreading the word and love. So not those. But mega churches NO QUESTION!!
I imagine how these cultist people in the churches with billionaire pastors -will feel when it hits fan- climate crisis es ignored by TFG and his arson cabinet- and these “pastors” desert their flocks retreating to their bunkers and yachts- will these duped know they’ve been had?
If they preach politics from the pulpit, then HELL YES. And churches should always be taxed once they reach a certain threshold of donations/tithes. Joel Osteen’s church comes to mind…
On the fence…On 1 hand, churches have stepped into the political arena re elections. Also a number of red states are seeking to have the 10 Commandments in public schools so yes pay taxes…but I don’t want to do anything that further cuts the sep. of church & state, paying taxes may be a negative!
Especially when they tell people who to vote for! The final straw for me was when I was told to vote for bush, I found too many things that were not Christian (following the teaching of Jesus) they tried to push.
Can you imagine how much more aggressive that would make their pastors go after their gullible flock for donations?
They’ll all go completely Miscavige 🤬
They, like all 501c3 organizations, are prohibited from participating in partisan politics (supporting/opposing candidates). It is perfectly legal for them to do get out the vote, issue advocacy, voter ed, and referenda.
Yup, I'm very aware of their ability to do all of these things, over this last election, a good number of them pushed heavily on the boundaries between legal and illegal, with some directly telling voters to support trump.
Unfortunately, the IRS almost never enforces the Johnson amendment. And under the incoming shitshow, they will almost certainly enforce it against liberal orgs but never against churches or conservative orgs.
Lol, it will certainly be a shitshow! I know in previous elections includingthis last one, some organizations were fined for their actions. I don't expect it over the next 4 years.
It’s hard to agree with that when you attend a church that’s believes “God loves everyone”. A church that is open, warm, welcoming and inclusive to all.Too many churches don’t operate in that way and forget the preachings of Jesus. That leaves the entire religious community vulnerable to criticism.
Only churches of a certain size+income should be taxed along with the wealthy+corporations and with a capable government you got yourself a nice little country there
The churches founder’s mission statement was to feed the hungry and home the homeless. Churches have failed us all from not completing their mission statement of caring for the stranger or neighbor to human trafficking babies to covering up child sex crimes.
I have no problem with their tax-free status as long as they don't set their pastors up as millionaires and instead use their income to help people get through their lives. But they should be required to prove that that's how they roll.
They, like all 501c3 organizations, are prohibited from participating in partisan politics (supporting/opposing candidates). It is perfectly legal for them to do get out the vote, issue advocacy, voter ed, and referenda.
Comments
Audited for sure though.
I’d make them prove they’re earning their nonprofit status.
Poor town churches do some good.
Time to tell
ELON and DICTATOR DONNY
WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
But taxing all churches will eliminate the ones doing good, and keep the ones doing evil, and give them permission to break the separation of various types of non-profits.
A lot of them are doing great work in the community and allocate resources appropriately.
I get it. A lot of people aren't doing a good job representing what Christianity is all about, and that sucks. But let's not punish those doing good for the community.
They do exist...
HAIL SATAN🤘✌️💙☺️🌈💨
Churches and teams like to highlight their philanthropic activities, but they are pennies in the bucket compared to all the lost tax revenue.
#TaxTheChurches
Religions institutions make billions off of their devoted followers while contributing the bare minimum to the community they depend on for that fanatical support
For example, if they sell products, like books, it should pay tax on that.
Basically, states should crack down on people and religious organisations trying to avoid taxes by slapping a god/gods sticker on something.
Violate the code? Revoke their status & tax them.
Tax exemption should be earned and lost appropriately. If churches aren’t providing help or a service to their communities(not just congregation) and/or the leadership uses their pulpit for political or personal gain they should lose their exemption.
Time to tell
ELON and DICTATOR DONNY
WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nrNxgfrKIsQ
I witnessed small town churches actually do good & practice the teachings of Jesus (most of the time).
I think there should be a graduated scale for taxing them, starting at 10k ppl?
Unfortunately, like so many things here for more than 5 decades, we’ve failed to protect our freedoms and dumbed down in so many ways! 🤬
ALL RELIGIONS ARE CULTS.
Unfortunately- I don't see a good way to pull that off
the swaggerts
the bakkers
the robertsons
disagree
Hell naw!
Tax them, too.
Give to Ceasar... that which is... and to God... that which is...
They’ll all go completely Miscavige 🤬
Corporate welfare in the form of religion. Religion influences politics and are making laws. Seems logical churches pay their fair share.
Hee yaw hee yaw oh 🎶