Should churches lose tax exempt status for giving refuge to lawbreakers?

Question

The church in Chicago which hid Elvira Arrellano for a year receives many thousands of dollars from church members, on which it doesn't have to pay a dime of taxes because the USA has always exempted churches from paying taxes. If a church encourages the breaking of our nation's laws, shouldn't it lose its tax exemption?

Answer 1

Most definitely.

And to the poster above me...the "innocent persecuted mother" wasn't very innocent.

She came into this country illegally and was deported once.

Then she came into this country illegally a second time.

Then she stole someone's SSN (Identity Theft) to get a job in O'Hare Airport.

THEN she used her son as a shield against the authorities..

So tell me please...how is she innocent?

Answer 2

Everyone has the right to an opinion on politics. The catholic church has always told their parishioners abortion and homosexuality is a sin. They usually don't come right out and tell them who not to vote. When any church preaches hate speech they should lose their tax exempt status, like when they say hateful things at our wounded hero's funerals or burn the holy books of another denomination, or if they tell them to kill the infidels.

Answer 3

Yes, they should lose tax exempt status for being so political! And aiding and abetting a fugitive should take that rev. straight to jail. Just because they use God as their excuse, it's not one! God has strict laws that include lying, stealing, fornication and adultery,and the church looked the other way on all of this, who is that kid's father? She's a slut with a big mouth and criminal habits, she should have done jail time, too!

Answer 4

I think that if churches get involved in the politcal process, then they should lose their tax exempt status----and that includes blacks churches that hold political rallies in their churches.

Also, religious asylum is not really recognized in the U.S. Churches claim they have it, but the law says they don't. The reason churches aren't served with warrants and such for people claiming asylum is because of the bad PR law enforcement would get.

Answer 5

No, the Church members who give sanctuary to illegals are breaking federal immigration law. They should be arrested, charged with the crime, convicted and serve their time. IF they repeat the crime, then repeat the above steps.

Answer 6

I remember when the council of catholic bishops met in the US to discuss the issue of priests abusing their parishioner's children.

The main issue was what they should do if they discovered a priest engaging in that conduct.

Why would you need a meeting? What part of child abuse being immoral and illegal are they struggling with?
There is only one thing to do......CALL 911 AND HAVE THAT MANIAC ARRESTED!!

Where the clergy got the idea that they were above the law just makes me nuts.

Any religion that engages in political action should be cut off from tax exempt status.

Any clergyman that commits a crime should go through the system like everyone else.

What is wrong with these characters?

Answer 7

Aiding and abetting doesn't exempt churches does it?
I don't care if its a church, cathedral, synagogue, mosque or a house trailer thats a baptist church. Tax them and cite the rector, whoever it is.

Answer 8

Yes take it away. This woman was not Innocent by any means. She broke our laws, as for the church's, they are breaking our laws by doing this. This woman as so many others will take and take from us. She would not even take her son with her. What kind of mother is she, The same as the scum that cross our borders and think they have rights here.

Answer 9

yes they should. if they circumvent the law of the land and assist those who knowingly break the law, they are accessories and should be charged and should lose their tax exempt status.

Answer 10

Yes.

She isn't an "innocent persecuted mother" as the first poster tried to claim. She is a FELON guilty of the federal crime of theft of Social Security #s, as well as violating our immigration laws. If she were an American citizen or LEGAL immigrant, she would be rotting in prison now for her crimes.

Pray tell WHAT is she innocent of??

And no one "ripped them apart". She is a scumbag of a mother that ABANDONED him in the United States for American taxpayers to foot the bill to raise.

Quite a spin you put on the story there!!!!

Answer 11

No. The appropriate action is to charge the pastor with aiding and abetting. The parishoners will then have to bail him out. The state then keeps the bail money in lieu of taxes.