Should Churches Remain Tax-Exempt?

[Minimalist]

It isn't as if they aren't shitting their pants over the problem.

http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/art...umnid=4545

What is Going on with the Church in America?

The United States Census Bureau Records give some startling statistics, backed up by denominational reports and the Assemblies of God U.S. Missions:

· Every year more than 4000 churches close their doors compared to just over 1000 new church starts!

· There were about 4,500 new churches started between 1990 and 2000, with a twenty year average of nearly 1000 a year.

· Every year, 2.7 million church members fall into inactivity. This translates into the realization that people are leaving the church. From our research, we have found that they are leaving as hurting and wounded victims-of some kind of abuse, disillusionment, or just plain neglect!

· From 1990 to 2000, the combined membership of all Protestant denominations in the USA declined by almost 5 million members (9.5 percent), while the US population increased by 24 million (11 percent).

· At the turn of the last century (1900), there was a ratio of 27 churches per 10,000 people, as compared to the close of this century (2000) where we have 11 churches per 10,000 people in America! What has happened?

· Given the declining numbers and closures of Churches as compared to new church starts, there should have been over 38,000 new churches commissioned to keep up with the population growth.

· The United States now ranks third (3rd) following China and India in the number of people who are not professing Christians; in other words, the U.S. is becoming an ever increasing "un-reached people group."

· Half of all churches in the US did not add any new members to their ranks in the last two years.

We just need to keep pushing them further into oblivion and irrelevance.

[Godscreated]

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Nope, they do not sell me religion, I do not practice religion. What I give to the church is voluntary, it's not a requirement. If religion was sold then one would be obligated to pay for services rendered.



You have no idea what the bigger churches do if you don't they feed the poor and do many other community services the local governments want do or can't afford to do.
Like I said earlier if you want to tax the churches then you will have to accept we will be back in the schools, courts and any other government services you do not want us in, separation means just that. Taxing the church will make us like all others, all inclusive.

GC

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If larger churches do enough physical charity to be considered nonprofit, good for them. Now let them file the paperwork just like every other nonprofit. They shouldn't be above the rules

Separation of church and state, don't you just hate it when something works for an entity you disagree with.

You must have ignored what I wrote.

I did not ignore what you wrote, you just don't like my response.

Christians are currently in the schools, courts and government services.

That's the right of the individuals, has nothing to do with separation of church and state. All citizens have the right to be in any organization of government.

Name me one organization that the individual Christian can't say a prayer or read a bible while visiting. Guess what? There isn't one.

Your right, as far as I know there are none but, again I say that is an individual's right as a citizen of this country. This has noting to do with the church and it's beliefs as an entity.

Christian students can pray during school and they can read their bibles. They can't disrupt the other students, of course, by forcing someone to pray with them.

I do not know any case of students forcing other students to pray, I do know there has been many times students have been stopped by teachers from praying.

Teachers can not lead the students in prayers because that would be conceived as a government official favoring one religion over the other. That would not change. Let me repeat that in bold letters. THAT WOULD NOT CHANGE.

Why if a Muslim teacher wanted to lead a prayer in school, the Muslim students could participate and the rest would be able to set quite and observe another culture, same for Hindus, Christians and so forth, no favorites there.

Name one specific instance in which there would be a change in the current policy of government not favoring one religion over the other. Go ahead. I dare you.

All religions that are taxed would be able to display there religious symbols and creeds on public property, they would be able to carry out prayer in local government as part of their proceedings. School lead prayer at ball games, prayers to start the day of school and ect. I'm not calling for government to favor one religion over another, I've just been defending the Christian church because it's the one atheist always go after.

GC

[FatAndFaithless]

GC, how about letting the churches remain as.tax-exempt charities, but make them follow the same documentation process that all the other tax-exempt charities follow.

[Godscreated]

Tax the church we'll been in his school soon after.

You'll try to be ... just as you are trying now without the taxation.

This is exactly why I think your church should be treated just like any other business.

Understand this we will be, you can't stop us, unless you are supporting physical violence.

GC

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GC, how about letting the churches remain as.tax-exempt charities, but make them follow the same documentation process that all the other tax-exempt charities follow.

That would be government involved in the church, a clear violation of the separation of church and state.

GC

[Minimalist]

Here's one of G-C's fucking baptist shitbags who should be in jail, not getting tax exemptions.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/12/texas...ty-fggots/

Texas pastor brags about harassing lesbians as he calls for death of ‘dirty f*ggots’

[FatAndFaithless]

Welp, GC wants his cake and to eat it too.

[Thumpalumpacus]

You'll try to be ... just as you are trying now without the taxation.

This is exactly why I think your church should be treated just like any other business.

Understand this we will be, you can't stop us, unless you are supporting physical violence.

Not according to the above statistics and demographic trends.

Enjoy your obsolescence.

[dyresand]

It isn't as if they aren't shitting their pants over the problem.

http://www.churchleadership.org/apps/art...umnid=4545

What is Going on with the Church in America?

The United States Census Bureau Records give some startling statistics, backed up by denominational reports and the Assemblies of God U.S. Missions:

· Every year more than 4000 churches close their doors compared to just over 1000 new church starts!

· There were about 4,500 new churches started between 1990 and 2000, with a twenty year average of nearly 1000 a year.

· Every year, 2.7 million church members fall into inactivity. This translates into the realization that people are leaving the church. From our research, we have found that they are leaving as hurting and wounded victims-of some kind of abuse, disillusionment, or just plain neglect!

· From 1990 to 2000, the combined membership of all Protestant denominations in the USA declined by almost 5 million members (9.5 percent), while the US population increased by 24 million (11 percent).

· At the turn of the last century (1900), there was a ratio of 27 churches per 10,000 people, as compared to the close of this century (2000) where we have 11 churches per 10,000 people in America! What has happened?

· Given the declining numbers and closures of Churches as compared to new church starts, there should have been over 38,000 new churches commissioned to keep up with the population growth.

· The United States now ranks third (3rd) following China and India in the number of people who are not professing Christians; in other words, the U.S. is becoming an ever increasing "un-reached people group."

· Half of all churches in the US did not add any new members to their ranks in the last two years.

We just need to keep pushing them further into oblivion and irrelevance.

well religion their bibles and teachings are doing them their own harm. its so funny that churches here in the south are loosing so many members gradually.

[Godscreated]

[quote='Chad32' pid='815343' dateline='1418253979']

No it's not violating their right to free speech. When someone says happy holidays, it includes christmas as much as every other winter solstice holiday. You can still pray in schools, because prayer to Yahweh doesn't need to be spoken.

It's most certainly a violation, to sensor any word according to the courts is illegal and that's exactly what they were doing.

Children can pray out loud if it does not disrupt others. I am sure that Little Betty can say whatever prayer she wishes to say over her lunch

It's been documented that teachers have stopped children from praying at lunch, times when they can catch them without the support of others, teachers far exceed their authority over children at times. When the students gather around the flag pole in the mornings to pray the teachers are not found there, except for those teachers who participate.

but the same girl can't stand up in the middle of class and offer a prayer for guidance because it would disrupt the class. That is fair and makes sense.

Right I would not say a child can disrupt a class for any reason.

The only right that religious people have had removed because of paying taxes is the right of pastors/rabbis/Imams etc to urge their congregations to vote for certain politicians.

I'm not sure what you're trying to say, no churches are taxed and a pastor can state his reason for voting for a certain person.

The tax status of a church or synagogue or coven doesn't have any influence on individuals' rights.

I've been saying this all along, but it seems everyone want to ignore this to keep an argument going.

The reason that teachers can't lead their students in a prayer to Cthulhu, for example, is because the government can not favor one religion over another. That has nothing at all to do with taxes.

Right, but if the church is taxed all religions will be able to have teacher lead prayer, we must have representation if taxed.

GC

[Thumpalumpacus]

Here's one of G-C's fucking baptist shitbags who should be in jail, not getting tax exemptions.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/12/texas...ty-fggots/

Texas pastor brags about harassing lesbians as he calls for death of ‘dirty f*ggots’

"By the fruit shall ye know the tree."