Ministers Threatened with Jail/Fines For Refusing to Officiate at Gay Weddings

[Chas]

It would deprive the church members of their real property as would failing to pay their mortgage. You see the right to worship does not include the right to pay less for the facilities to do so than others. Tax exemptions for churches is essentially government sponsorship of churches. The church pays no property tax and yet the property tax funded fire department is expected to come and the tax supported police are expected to investigate thefts on the property and so on.

Further, giving churches a tax exempt status puts the government in the unhealthy role of deciding which churches represent "real" religions.

A mortgage is a voluntary contract between a mortgagor and a mortgagee whereby the church agrees ahead of time to forfeit use of the property. Property tax is not voluntary. The analogy you presented isn't accurate in my opinion.

Further if Churches were assessed property taxes it would only be right and fair to then allow them the ability to endorse political candidates and measures. What if they endorse the losing side? It is not unheard of for winners to use government laws and regulations....including the ability to levy taxes....to punish those who opposed you. The use of the IRS to punish Tea Party activist is a perfect example of the government being used to punish political enemies.

By keeping Churches tax exempt...you simply make it easier to maintain that separation between Church and state.

That is essentially true. A government could use differential taxation to discriminate among religions, to lighten the burden of a favored group and increase the burden on ones not in favor.