Now what?

[robvalue]

I don't think taxing churches is a church/state issue. Churches are not required in order to practice religion, which is what the separation guarantees. If that were the case, then I'd have to be given a church to practice my new religion I just came up with or else the government is interfering with my right to practice my religion. Churches are an unnecessary luxury, and unless they properly apply for charitable status they should be taxed on any income they make. Similarly, their books should be as open as other businesses. Secular law still applies to the way you practice your religion. People are still arrested for killing people in a church, so people should be taxed for making money in a church. Also, a church would expect the emergency services to help them, wouldn't they?

Also, to get this status from the government, I believe they have to declare you a "valid religion" or some such nonsense. That is prejudice against smaller religions that I just made up, isn't it? How is mine any less valid just because I have less members and history?

They get away with this shit for many reasons I think:

1- The state is concerned about the shitstorm that would follow if they started collecting taxes, including even more meddling in politics than they already do.

2- The very name of "seperation of church and state" is a bait and switch. It should be "separation of the right to practice religion and state". "The church" does not mean "churches". But when has semantic games ever got in the way of religion being dishonest?

3- Since 70% or so of Americans are Christian, as a nation they seem to struggle to appreciate the difference between "religious freedom" and "Christian rights". Since Christianity would be obviously affected the most, this could cause a lot of unrest.

Maybe once religion gets properly under control and becomes much more diverse, the taxes could be put in place.