Churches should not be taxed, they should stay free!

The Church should not be taxed, instead they should stay absolutely free. There should be a condition though, since they are not taxed because they aren't supposed to be a benefiting organization, then ALL of their donations should go to charity and if they refuse, or if it is reported (and proven) that the church hasn't been giving in ALL of the donations from this NON-taxed church, then the Church gets SHUT DOWN (and possibly the owners be arrested for fraud or theft).

Since the church is not taxed and not supposed to be an organization, no one should be taking ANY money from it for personal profit (bills, cars, etc.) it should ALL go to charity since it isn't taxed.

What do you think of this idea?

Inside Edition Investigates TV Preachers Living Like Rock Stars

I'm all for freedom of religion, but churches take up valuable land, and can afford to pay taxes. So in my opinion, I say tax them. Tax them for all we can.

Churches absolutely should pay taxes. They should pay taxes on the money they scrap out of their sheep and they should pay for the lavish establishment in which they pander for the money from the sheep.

A Catholic church in my town, that my in-laws attend. Recently was begging for money from it's members. Their target was $1.3 million. This money was for "much needed repairs." The church was not in bad condition, they used the money to build a huge MARBLE stairway in the front of the church. They put in new stained glass windows and a new roof. NONE of the money went to any charities, food banks, homeless shelters, etc....

If a church took in money and actually used it to help people other than themselves I might be more inclined to actually follow a religion.

Originally posted by DaTroof
I'm all for freedom of religion, but churches take up valuable land, and can afford to pay taxes. So in my opinion, I say tax them. Tax them for all we can.

A lot of people are Christian, imagine if the rules were set up so that all of that money actually went into charity instead of the priests pockets. That would do a lot of good for the world, and it'll also shut down churches that is just in it for the money.

You do realize most churches other than jehovahs witnesses have atleast one full time employee? Many churches have a single preacher that is available every day. They dont really have time to work a job and they have to eat.

Most churches are built by someone who builds for a living. Wheres that money come from?

Many churches are old and have maintenance problems.

All churchs have utility bills

And theres always a way to funnel off money.

But churches should be free and no one should get rich off them. And i dont agree with their religion but jehovahs witnesses are pretty cool on all of what i mentioned.

America's biggest cash cows are churches. I can be charismatic and strident. I am a gifted public speaker. I'd made a great preacher (even my super Christian sister, who is a big time leader in her church world, says so). I'd be dripping in wealth fleeced from my flock. ...Only I can't get beyond the ridiculousness of religion.

Tax them into oblivion as long as they insist on legislating their Dark Aged values on the rest of us. Such churches are a primary cause of all that's wrong with this country. Even the financial oligarchs can be pinned to them since these churches worship wealth and the glamour it buys.

Ever see a super church whose very edifice and interior did not scream ego and pretentiousness? All to glorify God, right? Uh huh, because if there's a God, it would sure to be impressed and appreciative of the resources wasted to glorify it. It glorifies only weak men and women.

The Vatican should be heavily taxed/fined for protecting child molesters.

I believe they most certainly should be taxed. With no loopholes.
Churches Are Parasites...

I know the Mormon church should pay taxes on the businesses they own. I don't think people really know how bad they are on the property scams and business scams of not paying taxes.

Heres a partial list.

Deseret Management Corporation - www.deseretmanagement.com...
Beneficial Financial Group - www.beneficialfinancialgroup.com...
Bonneville International - www.bonnint.com...
Bonneville Communications - www.bonneville.com...
Bonneville Interactive Services
Bonneville Satellite - www.bonnevillesatellite.com...
35 Radio Stations
1 Television Station (KSL)
Deseret Book - deseretbook.com...
Excel Entertainment - www.xelent.com...
Deseret Morning News - deseretnews.com...
Hawaii Reserves - www.hawaiireserves.com...
Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) - www.polynesia.com... and www.polynesia.co.jp...
La'ie Shopping Center
La'ie Park
La'ie Cemetary
Hukilau Beach Park
La'ie Water Company
La'ie Treatment Works (sewer)
Mstar.net - www.mstar.net...
Temple Square Hospitality - www.htsc.net... and www.hoteltsc.com...
Weddings (JSMB and Lion House)
The Inn at Temple Square - www.diningattemplesquare.com...
Lion House Pantry - www.diningattemplesquare.com...
The Roof Restaurant - www.diningattemplesquare.com...
The Garden Restaurant - www.diningattemplesquare.com...
Passages Restaurant - www.diningattemplesquare.com...
Zions Securities Corporation - www.zsc.com...

Farm Management Corporation (commericial farms and agricultural properties)
Deseret Land and Livestock
200,000 acres of land in Rich, Morgan and Weber counties (Utah)
Sun Ranch (Martin's Cove)
Deseret Ranches of Florida (Orlando) (largest ranch in Florida)
Deseret Farms of California
Rolling Hills (Idaho)
West Hills Orchards (Elberta, Utah)
Cactus Lane Ranch (Arizona)
(more)

Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CPB)
Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Deseret Trust Company
LDS Family Services
Property Reserves Inc. (PRI)
Ensign Peak Advisors - www.imno.org...

Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators (DMBA) - www.dmba.com...

Brigham Young University (BYU) - home.byu.edu...
BYU - Idaho - www.byui.edu...
BYU - Hawaii - www.byuh.edu...
LDS Business College - www.ldsbc.edu...

And lets just pick Zions Securities Corporation.

en.wikipedia.org...

Class A Commercial buildingsBeneficial Tower
Deseret News Building
Eagle Gate Plaza & Office Tower
Key Bank Tower
Social Hall Plaza
Triad Center
Zions Bank BuildingM
[edit] Class B Commercial buildings139 E. South Temple
JC Penney Building
ZSC also owns and operates several other commercial properties in downtown Salt Lake City, including the McIntyre Building, Deseret Book Building, Orpheum Office Plaza, and the Eagle Gate Parking Plaza.

[edit] Residential propertiesZSC currently owns and operates the following residential properties in and around Salt Lake City:

Brigham Apartments
Colonial Court Apartments
Eagle Gate Apartments
Gateway Condominiums
West Temple Apartments
Garden Apartments
First Avenue Apartments

Entrance to the former ZCMI Center Mall in Salt Lake City.===Mixed Use Properties=== Links direct to commercial pages

City Creek Center (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Lake Park Corporate Centre (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Highbury at Lake Park (West Valley City, Utah)
Shoal Creek Valley (near Liberty, Missouri)
Former PropertiesZCMI Center Mall (Salt Lake City, Utah) - Demolished for City Creek Center Development
Inn at Temple Square (Salt Lake City, Utah) - Demolished for City Creek Center Development

That sure does not seem like church business to me. Why not charge them taxes on it? And thats just one of the companies and the many things that one company owns.

I think they should tax a small portion of contributions past a certain point (100k). And make rules that the money has to be spent on its congregation. Not to line to pockets of the Pastor and his family.

I'm sorry, but the last thing the U.S needs is MORE taxes!

Especially on churches, many people are really struggling just to get by where I live and churches are the only institutions that seem to give a crap by offering food, shelter and that sort of stuff.

Besides what happened to the separation of the church and state?

Originally posted by Doom and Gloom

If a church took in money and actually used it to help people other than themselves I might be more inclined to actually follow a religion.

Really....? That's what would incline you to follow a religion? Most people give money just to make themselves feel better they dont care where it goes.

“You don’t get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.”

- L. R. Hubbard


(or is that an Urban Legend?)

reply to post by Rockdisjoint

I'm sorry, but the last thing the U.S needs is MORE taxes!

Individuals should not be taxed on their income. Ever.

Especially on churches, many people are really struggling just to get by where I live and churches are the only institutions that seem to give a crap by offering food, shelter and that sort of stuff.

The misappropriation of monies in the churches of America is staggering. The percentage of money they give back to the public is infinitesimal compared to what they take in, and spend on everything else but helping people.

Besides what happened to the separation of the church and state?

Separation of church and state has nothing to do with money and taxation per se. It has to do with government remaining neutral, and not espousing or rejecting any given religion.

See my link above.

reply to post by arpgme


ITS one of the best ones ,good idea that way they have to preach with the example,not just be profitable for themselves.THE ADVENTIST CONFERENCE sends envelopes asking for donations to the members and not ONLY THAT MY WIFE WAS ASKED TO DONATE HER 401-K TO THE CHURCH,AS A DONATION..!!! WHAT ARE THEY THINKING??.....

tax the hell out of them... churches are one of the biggest moneymaking scams going... make them fork over their ill-gotten gains... only ones they help are themselves.

reply to post by arpgme


All churches that refuse to provide public services to all should not be deemed a religious institution and should be taxed as a business.

It angers me that a church can be in a community, tax free, because they provide services to that community, but they can also dictate who is allowed to receive those services and who is not.

A church, while it is tax free, should be a community center, for the WHOLE community, not just those gullible enough to believe in the same BS as them. The moment they are shown to be refusing to follow law, or provide services to all in their community, then they should be taxed and fined, or shut down to make way for a building or group of owners able to provide services to the entire community.

reply to post by arpgme


Then they should get the hell out of politics.

2nd line.