I am still in the dark about why churchs dont pay taxes. If the government wants to tax the hell out of us, why do they spare the church from paying tax? Does religion not already make billions a year with there preaching that taxing them would be just a small incentive? and further more, how can people still afford to pay churchs every sunday with this recession constanly bombarding us?

Originally posted by Stop-loss!
I am still in the dark about why churchs dont pay taxes. If the government wants to tax the hell out of us, why do they spare the church from paying tax? Does religion not already make billions a year with there preaching that taxing them would be just a small incentive? and further more, how can people still afford to pay churchs every sunday with this recession constanly bombarding us?

You don't muzzle the Ox that treads the corn.

Why do you care?

The government has taken trillions from taxpayers to give to people that don't contribute to society. They have stolen trillions to give it away to other countries and people around the world amongst the other things they do.
They are giving tax breaks to people who donate to campaigns, charities and special interests.

We've already got enough people taking our hard earned cash without our consent. We also have plenty of interests out there that get huge tax breaks. If individuals want to voluntarily donate to their churches, what's the harm?

Unless its the churches that you have issues with and not REALLY the taxes....

[edit on 23-11-2009 by badgerprints]

The recession is officially over- never even felt here. Not everyone lives in the rust belt or People's Republic of California.
There's also that little matter of the 1st Amendment, and religious freedom. How can religion be exercised freely if one has to pay the government to do so? They are also 501c not-for-proffit entities. Should all 501c organizations also be taxed?

Well to be tax exempt means you have to have a tax id number which means you incorporated which means you are a business. Really sad as I do not see much that they do with their funds to help the poor . Especially now with the homes that are being lost and people are also loosing their jobs. They could at least open the doors as those pews could be a bed and the building would be shelter from the cold.

I don't know if that is true but I am sure if people in the Government wanted to start taxing churches, the religion's preachers would all be made aware and tell their followers to vote out the people who tried to impose the tax against their precious church.

Religion is above the government. It isnt even suppose to be in government, but it is. I bet half the lawmakers in the country are only in office becuase they say they are religious and get the mass religious vote. Which is orchestrated by the delusional preachers, who have such a following, that they can even get their worshipers to vote how they want.

As long as all religious groups are not taxed-sikh temples, jewish temples etc..and charities aren't taxed then I do not see the problem. Though I'm ignorant as to if they are or are not.

[edit on 23-11-2009 by Zerra]

The reason is simple. No politician has the cojones to introduce such a law, nor to vote for any such law. They know that they'll never be elected to office again.

Back in the day, religions actually helped the poor and needy. It was felt that because of this, they should not be taxed. They were doing good works. Those days are long gone. For every church that does good works, dozens are just hanging onto the money or doling a fraction of it out to a few people. But the old ways persist, and no politician is going to sacrifice his career to change them.

Theres got to be more then just tax exempt. Could it be that there is an even deeper conspiracy going on that both the government and religion are working together?

Originally posted by Stop-loss!
Could it be that there is an even deeper conspiracy going on that both the government and religion are working together?

Of course they are tax exempt, if governments had to pay for all the hard work, food supplies and care given to communities by volunteers of ALL churches the economies of the world would be in much worse shape than they are already!

How else could they afford to pay for the fetishes of so many of their employees? The cost of doing business isn't cheap!

Well honestly what does it matter? You pay taxes so they should is that what leads to this idea that they should pay?
If you do not like the idea of the church not paying taxes then do not give money to them.

"...creates only a minimal and remote involvement between church and state and far less than taxation of churches. [An exemption] restricts the fiscal relationship between church and state, and tends to complement and reinforce the desired separation insulating each from the other." The Supreme Court also said that "the power to tax involves the power to destroy." Taxing churches breaks down the healthy separation of church and state and leads to the destruction of the free exercise of religion"
-Walz vs. Tax Commission of the City of New York

[edit on 24-11-2009 by zaiger]

Originally posted by badgerprints
Why do you care?

Unless its the churches that you have issues with and not REALLY the taxes....

[edit on 23-11-2009 by badgerprints]

Amen! Hallelujia and you're GODD**** right brother badgerprints! These scam artists that masquerade as preachers of the faith piss me off righteously. Can I get an AMEN brothers and sisters? I am talking about these false preachers who accumulate worldy wealth by pimping the SON OF GOD like a common twenty dollar whore! GOD gave his word freely. What right do these scam artists,fornicators, and sodomites have to charge anyone for it? Who gave them the right to amass multi million dollar empires in the name of JESUS? Tithing? Did I hear somebody mention tithing? Tithing was a burnt offering given directly to GOD. It never greased the palm of the preacher man. Until Jesus was long dead and money grubbing preachers could not bear to see GOD getting all the vigorish. So they snatched it right out of GOD'S hands and put it into their own pockets. Remember that JESUS ran the money changers out of his FATHER'S temple. NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO EARN A LIVING ON THE BACK OF ALMIGHTY GOD!!

To close out our services this evening let us hold hands and say a short prayer. God Bless titties and beer. Amen and AMEN!

[edit on 12-17-2009 by groingrinder]