Should Christian churches lose their tax exempt status?

Question

One of the hallmarks of christianity as delineated in the Gospels is the respect and care for the poor. However, in every major city in America and many suburbs there are poor and homeless people running rampant. If Christian churches were really following the word of Jesus, then how can there be such a blantant problem with homelessness.

There are exceptions to every rule, and a few churches do help homeless people disproportionaltely, but let's get real, how many Christian churches really care about the poor.

Whenever I went to church, and there were many different ones I attended, I rarely was encouraged to help poor people, nor were there ever any that were part of the church I was attending.

The churches did however, always direct the sermons, using scriptures, to encourage the generous contribting to an already wealthy and very large church.

It would seem that a fundamental tenant of Christianity should be followed to be considered chrisian religion for tax exemption.

It's no secret that churches do obligatory nice deeds, but how can you explain the rampant problem of poverty and homelessness that has existed for so long along side the existence of thousands and thousands of christian churches.

Answer 1

You've gone to the wrong church. Every church I've gone to reaches out to their community and has feeding programs for the poor.
So my answer is NO!

Answer 2

Yes, churches should lose tax exempt status, but it should be done in a way that makes sense. As with anything else, there are those churches that do much good, and that good should not be penalized.

Here's some examples:

Obviously, the minister/priest/preacher needs transportation in order to do "god's work", but does it need to be a brand new luxury car? For that matter, if the minister's all live in the same building as Catholic priests do, do they each need a car? Place a limit on the amount spent. Anything exceeding that amount becomes taxed.

Churches do quite a bit of charitable work, not just with the homeless. Any money that is directly applied (meaning not paying staff, but used directly for the cause) can remain tax exempt, while the rest is taxable.

In the Southeastern United States, there are many small, one and two room churches, that its attendees volunteer to maintain. There are also just as many that cost on average of $300,000 to build, with extreme maintenance costs (paid for by passing the plate). Obviously, the only need for an extravagant worship house is to draw more of the faithful, there-by fattening the coffers, it is nothing more than business competition and should be addressed as such.

If the majority of your money is not spent on helping the needy (for whatever reason) in this country, but is spent to run one of those "adopt a starving African kid" type of charities, there should be some form of taxation.

Answer 3

If your experiences with certain churches were not that great you can always go out directly and apply your monies to the specific problems you describe.

Where there is a will there is a way.
Your reward would be greater than any institution could ever give you and you would see the direct benefit by actually doing it yourself.

If you do go to a very large church then maybe you need to attend a smaller congregation where you can actually be a part of the giving.

Works for me.

Answer 4

The problem with this is that you're acting as if it is THE GOVERNMENTS MONEY and the Church is stealing it. Enough of the "fair share" baloney.
Americans really need to re-think the constitutionality of taxation.
When 2 PRIVATE parties engage in a transaction (selling baskets, french fries, or donating to a church) it is NONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S BUSINESS.

But that aside, if you want churches taxed, are you prepared to also tax, synagogues and mosques?
What about other non-profits - abortion providers, NAACP, feminist organizations, the ACLU???

Answer 5

everybody has the main suitable to an opinion on politics. The catholic church has continuously informed their parishioners abortion and homosexuality is a sin. they regularly do not come good out and tell them who to not vote. whilst any church preaches hate speech they might desire to lose their tax exempt status, like whilst they say hateful issues at our wounded hero's funerals or burn the holy books of yet another denomination, or in the event that they tell them to kill the infidels.

Answer 6

yes they should. Some not all churches are preying on the weak and misguided of this country. They tell them to donate a certain portion of their income to the church. If your lights are cut off, donate..god will keep you lit up..bs..tithes was originally set up to keep the high priest fed and sheltered etc..not for some jack *** reading out of a book living in a 2 point something house standing in a 2 point something building..its too much, too much i tell ya!! Tax them bastards..bloodsucking blind leading devils

Answer 7

Yes. Since churches operate as income making agencies, then they should be liable to the tax. I will yield, however, perhaps that they should pay slightly lower taxes if they can show regular and substantive community service that is provided in a non-religious manner, however.

Answer 8

Churches with income over a certain amount annually should never have been given a tax-exempt status in the first place.

Answer 9

Churches are a business and should not be tax exempt. If they want to claim exempt as a charatible organization then they should file specifically as that charity.

Answer 10

No, and you missed the obvious. For example, churches support orphanages, medical centers and shelters in their home countries and abroad. There is no reason to limit that help with taxation.