Why or why not?
2007-11-20 08:58:59 · 28 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Religion is an institution, not just a belief.
2007-11-20 09:04:44 · update #1
If they don't want to pay taxes, then they should stay out of schools and politics.
2007-11-20 09:01:51 · answer #1 · answered by S K 7 · 11⤊ 7⤋
Religions? Taxing for spiritual belief is not making sense.
If you mean churches, synagogues, and the like, it still would not make sense.
Churches do pay taxes, but I think you mean increasing to include everything, am I correct?
Churches and others are not all the "mega" types where their budgets run into the millions of dollars.
Most just meet their budgets.
Beyond the ordinary bills and the mortgage some have, all else generally goes into programs for aiding the poor or needy. Tax THAT money, and there will be less to help people with. I do not think the government would spend their new-found tax bucks directly to those in need the way churches and others can or do.
What may seem a good idea would only hurt the people that need help the most, would cut off their supply to the help they need.
2007-11-20 17:10:01 · answer #2 · answered by Jed 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
No. Even though some religious institutions are big business. If we tax the big business religious faculties then we have to tax the rinky dink churches around the way too. Religion is not a business. The big guys (Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn) make the majority of their money from cd`s, tapes, donations etc. Cd`s, tapes, videos are taxable. Donations are not, nor should they ever be. Even though they have found a loophole in secular law to make big bucks off religion I still believe in secular law. Their not doing anything illegal. People have a right to believe without paying taxes to the government. Penalizing the big guys and we have to penalize the little guys too which is to big of a price to pay in my opinion. One of the beautiful things about this country is that people have the right to believe.
2007-11-20 17:10:49 · answer #3 · answered by Future 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Yes, all non-profit religions including Scientology should be taxed in light of recent scandals including child crimes.
The idea of faiths-based religions is not a strong enough argument for being non-profit/tax-free, it seems to me, and then freely commit crimes.
For profit Churches would make it harder for national politicians to claim God and the idea of non-profit service resides with their political party and then use that as a way to win elections.
That's my preliminary view at this time.
2007-11-20 17:07:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
I think they are okay being tax exempt if they do not preach politics from the pulpit and do not try to push their agendas into government institutions. If they can't keep the line between the theological and the secular then they should be taxed like a business. After all, if they meet and throw their weight behind certain politicians it is no different than a secular business sending a lobbyist to Washington, D.C.
2007-11-20 17:05:35 · answer #5 · answered by genaddt 7 · 7⤊ 2⤋
How do you propose to do it?
You mean tax real estate, collections etc.
What about charities that all churches get involved.
You have to give more thought to your question.
A flat tax on all income till $500,000.00 and a progressive tax over that, and no deduction for anything.
2007-11-20 17:42:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't you think the government wastes enough tax money already? Most churches do a lot of good with the donations. The church (or any other religious body) should be accountable to their members on how that money is spent. Start taxing and separation of church and state is gone. We don't want that.
God Bless
2007-11-20 17:15:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
I do.
3 main reasons:
They make money like any other business, their profits should be taxed
They purchase land like everyone else, they should be taxed for it too.
They've become too involved in politics and laws to claim this benefit.
To say that they do good with this money, as a sole reason for not taxing them, is ludicrous. I could do a lot of good with that much money too.. but I'd be taxed for it!
2007-11-20 17:21:14 · answer #8 · answered by I, Sapient 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I think they should definately stay OUT of public schools. In Utah the morman church has more influence in schools than anything I have ever seen. You have to be there to know.
2007-11-20 17:09:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
If this were to happen and pass as law, then the charitable givers and tithers wouldn't be able to deduct their donations. The wealthy leverage religious orgs and other non-profits as tax shelters.
2007-11-20 17:04:25 · answer #10 · answered by Dr. G™ 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Agree. Religion in the west (that includes us in the UK) gets away with paying no tax simply because it represents some superstious ideal which governments are scared to interfere with.
The Christian faith feels it is beyond reproach, while people in these ver countries live rough on the streets, and worse.
Religion. Don't you just love it?
2007-11-20 17:04:39 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 3⤋