Yes, it is unfair
It is unfair that other organizations have to pay taxes and religious organizations don't. Religion should have nothing to do with the government so they should be taxed just as every other organization is taxed.
If we do not tax religious institutions then we have combined church and state. If the religious institution wishes to donate their money to charity, which it should, then they should be able write off these contributions, just as everyone else is able to do.Yes, they should.
Yes, I think that religious institutions should pay taxes. I do not see any reason why they shouldn't. They bring in money just like many other institutions, so I think that they should be required to give back to the government, as well. I think that these potential taxes could help the country a great deal.
Yes religious institutions should pay taxes!
If you’re allowed to support political candidates with church funds then you should be taxed as well. At this point there’s no separation from state or religion. There should never be profit in the churches. Those that followed Jesus were not encouraged by money to do so. Too many churches that are businesses and profiting greatly from people that do pay taxes.
I support Church texting
I failed that churches and religious organization should all pay federal property tax like every other business and our business is selling folklore and fairy tales all based on faith. It's no more than an institution of faith with no factual evidence a business that misleads people from factual truth a belief system that infringes on human rights. It is very morally wrong to text honest business making an honest living pay taxes an exempt a false business with false idol ology that blind so many people from facts over infallible ancient ideas religious organization in churches are not legitimate honest business I understand we have the right to practice our own beliefs and that is fine but at the same time that does not mean a business ran on beliefs and mythology should be exempt from tax. I find it incredibly funny when you go to a church and you listen to the minister preaching they often put down the government and speak of the devil Satan whatever to have infiltrated the government because the government man passes laws that churches do not agree with on human rights and often go into their own conspiracy theories on how horrible the government is in general but they're okay with not paying taxes and have no complaints about the government not making them pay taxes although they make false claims that one day the government will lock up all believers for simply believing and owning a Bible I've heard those sermons a few years ago when I used to be a Christian now I am an atheist I am liberal and I'm off for what's right and human rights I am very proud to say
They should pay tax
Religious organisations should pay tax on their income, As they operate as if they are an everyday business. They collect funds, Charge a certain amount to run various services and, Profit from them. I believe that, If these 'religions' wish to continue operating in the same manner, They should be forced to pay the same tax an organisation of the same size would
It is unfair not to pay taxes in the name of so called 'God'.
Religious institutions should pay taxes as it is quite injust to other institutions around the country. They need to understand that they are equal to other people. Just because 'brainwashing' people to think they are special if they believe in 'Jesus', 'Allah' etc is not correct. People fail to understand that everyone in this world is equal. If they really think religious beliefs should continue then they follow the rules of the country is mandatory. Half of the economic downfall is due to religion as they have gone deep into it and many illiterates have grown. I am not trying to be offensive but they should teach people moral values to people and not having stupid beliefs in the name of god. . . In conclusion I have to say that if religious people think they know they have all the moral values and are very good in person, Unfortunately they are wrong. They have fail to believe in justice.
Proud to be an American. Empty words
Land of the free equality and justice for all. . . . Well except those in religious organizations unwilling to pay their fair share to maintain the nations infrastructure, The maintenance of our roadways and how about ‘support our troops’. . . . Oh I’m sorry, They are ‘special’ above the laws that apply to the rest of us. How do I know that? BECAUSE THEY SAY SO!
Religion is a personal belief system that is all. I have no issue with their beliefs but it does not make them ‘special’ in any way in the real world. So pious!
The rest of us left to carry the weight.
Come on people. How absurd this whole injustice is!Yes, Of course
Do you realize how many churches there are in the U.S but more specifically do you see how nice these churches are compared with the surrounding buildings. If we put a tax on churches and other religious institutions, the U.S government will have ahuge influx of money into its economy, which they could be spent on things like infrastructure, education and science.
Members of Religious Organizations Have Same Rights As Others
Members of religious organizations have the same right to vote for a representative who shares their common ideology as all other voters. Religious leaders have spoken out at political rallies and have made political officials aware of their stance on certain topics. With that right to be represented, comes the responsibility of paying taxes. The Constitutional requirement for the separation of church and state will in no way be infringed if all citizens of the United States, including those within religious organizations, be taxed.
The Great Religions are really criminal
Taxing the great religions, by which I mean, Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and to a lesser extent Hinduism should only be the first of many steps in the criminal prosecution of these diabolical organizations. Their property should immediately be confiscated by the state just as was done by England's King Henry VIII in 16th century England.
Tax-exemption protects religious freedom and the separation of church and state
It is a public good for everyone to be able to freely organize to exercise their religious persuasion (or not, if they so chose), so all institutions established for the exercise thereof, like other non-profit for-public-good groups, should be exempt from taxes. Tax-exemption exists also to protect minority religious groups from state interference - back in the day it was to protect groups like the Quakers, now it serves to protect, say, Muslim groups from an audit assault. Furthermore, religious groups very often provide public charitable services. Like other non-profit groups, they can raise money and hire staff, but may not be organized for the purpose of the financial benefit of private interests, like a business. Non-profits also may not participate in partisan politics and lobbying. I agree that some particular churches should lose their tax-exempt status due to their political and capitalistic engagements, but it is unreasonable to say that all should - unreasonable and dangerous. Tax-exemption protects religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
No new tax! Enough aready!
The governed would then give consent to the government to dictate what is to be presented to the people. And they would have no say in matters of personal belief, how they should conduct there religious events. When you have to pay in order to exist as a freedom, you will slip slide away into other areas such as non profit club for children eg. Soccer, girl guides, cub scouts, ect. Then there is non profit organizations for adults, anyone meeting, spending money of their own to establish anything non profit base, would have to pay a tax to exsist. The problem here is in the fact that the people who support a religous institution with their means, aready pay income tax, and tax for everything they use. Thats like you supporting your mom or dad or children and on top of your income tax and property tax, we will also tax you on your supporting anything more than yourself. This is a road I don't wont to go down.
Separation of church and state means no taxation
The separation of church and state is a critical component of the freedoms that this country is supposed to uphold. If religious institutions are taxed, then it would destroy one of the core ideals this nation was founded upon and so it is unjustifiable, even if the income is attractive. The founding fathers wanted a federal republic, not a theocracy. If we're to keep religion out of our government, then we cannot be using them as revenue.
Why Churches Shouldn't Be Taxed
Churches aren't like a business or organisation where they make money from what they do. They are a group of human beings who decide they want to pool their own resources to have somewhere to worship their God.
These are people who have jobs and families and usually get taxed for those reasons. So taxing a Church would mean taxing all the people involved in it twice over.
As it is many churches haven't been able to keep up with the exorbitant expenses of keeping a Church, and it is illegal to run a church service anywhere else. There are people out there who will think this is a good thing and this is probably why they want to tax Churches in the first place. But when a Church dies it doesn't just affect them, it affects the community that surrounds them.
As it is many churches are struggling to find the funds they need to properly maintain themselves. On top of that many of them run programs to provide free or heavily discounted childcare and counselling where the Government doesn't provide it. These programs are expensive ones, and the people in the church take money out of their own pockets to cover them. If anything, Governments should be providing subsidies and maybe even funds to Churches.
The argument that Churches should have no say in terms of Government policy if they want to get tax exemption is also ill founded. If an individual who happens to participate in a Church decides to get involved in politics that's their affair.
The policy in most countries is to allow people to vote once they are a certain age, regardless of whether they have a job and pay taxes or not. They are a citizen of the country they live in so they should have a say.
Democracy is founded on the notion that the people who participate in it will all have different ideas about how things should be run. To say "These people have an idea about the world that I find primitive and frightening." isn't sufficient cause to prevent them from participating, or attempt to dictate how they vote.
Despite what people think Churches aren't some secret society like the Freemasons where they are given tacit preference. They are human beings capable of thought and reason who have living expenses to pay just like everyone else.Do all religious organization seek profit?
Yes I agree that some religious organization really seek profit. But is that all of them seek profit? Many of them made use of their profit in public, for example mental support etc. This will be unfair to those organization which not really seek profit. I suggest the government can tax those religious organization which seek profit but not the one which not really seek profit.
No, they shouldn't
The key reason churches are not taxed is that taxing them would present the possibility of government forcing a church 'out of business' with excessive taxes. As it is currently structured, this has no shot of happening - a Christian/Muslim/Jewish community can't prevent a new church of a different religion by taxing it out of business.
Do they make a profit or draw on government resources?
If they do, then they should pay taxes. However, most churches spend what they need to on building maintenance and use the rest for various charitable causes. Why should they pay for the government's wasteful spending with money that they could use to help people far more effectively than the government does?
