Should Churches Remain Tax-Exempt?

[Jenny A]

First because individuals get to deduct contributions to churches (a thing I don't think should be allowed as it establishes religion) and therefore there is no double tax. And second because when other people pool their income for other purposes, we tax that income.

I ask for nothing more than equality.

We should get rid of tax deductions for donations to religious organizations and charities.

That wouldn't bother me particularly. Nor would eliminating tax deductions for educational organizations. The point is parity for like persons.

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Other non religious organizations get tax exemptions so your claim there is clearly errant. The reason churches get tax exemption is because people are entitled to the free exercise of religion. They are entitled to this freedom even when they join together and pool their resources.

Actually religious organizations get their deduction on the grounds that religious services and promotion are charitable. That's a dubious claim if you ask me. Since when is promoting your own ideas charitable? Of course churches also get to count real charity towards their charitable percentage. That's just fine so long as we are subsidizing charities.

The power to tax is the power to destroy is a position the Supreme Court has taken for almost 200 years. You can study taxes and the their effects if you want but it is already well established that if you tax something you get less of it. In fact the government uses taxes to curb consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Taxing churches would lead to less churches. It would in effect be a governmental action which obstructs the free exercise of religion. When such obstruction is unnecessary....it is forbidden by the constitution.

Ah. But the Supreme Court meant the power to tax a group particularly not generally. If cigarettes were taxed at the same rate as all other goods than there would be no power to destroy in taxing cigarettes. And that is the point. Organizations that form to swap child care, to socialize, to exercise, etc. pay taxes. What is different about a church? Either all such organizations should pay taxes or they all should not.

Other non profits are required to fill out forms with the IRS presumably to document the fact that they are indeed not for profit. Should churches be required to document the fact that they are congregations of people pooling together their resources to engage in the exercise of religion? Well that is a completely different topic. Generally I don't think so because it is painfully obvious when people join together and pull their resources to engage in the free exercise of religion.

Really? I grew up in a church oriented family and churches also provided: teen programs which acted as a kind of day care and social club for teens; elderly care; knitting clubs; a library for church goers; concerts; a basket ball, volley ball, and baseball club; a singles group which was almost entirely social; not to mention social meals of all sorts. Oh and Bible school. Was is religious when I tooled copper? What about macrame?

What kind of information would you like to see churches document?

The percentage of money taken in actually going to real charity. That's all.

Should the pastors be required to send transcripts of their sermons to the IRS?

Hardly. But if they are claimed to be educational, a general synopsis would help. Better to just admit that they are neither charitable nor educational and leave it at that.

People who donate are already required to list the name of the church they donate too if they deduct those donations from their taxes. Should churches be required to send list of their benefactors? Why? Just because other groups have to? Well to be frank....that is a silly reason.

Equality is a very good reason. Either churches should be required to or other organizations excused.