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caluvox: 9 months ago

Why are religious organizations tax exempt?

I mean even the bible says "Render onto Ceasar that which is Ceasars" so I don't get it, why not charge at least property tax?

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Answer 1

ananda44: 9 months ago via Android

b/c for the last two thousand years the Christian church has made sure to be just as powerful as gov, and every case possible, more powerful. so when the US was formed, and the founders were Christian, they were thus influenced to give extra liberties to the Christian churhes.

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RavenWingSoar: 9 months ago

The founders where not christian! Do your home work!
http://freethought.mbdojo.com/foundingfathers.html

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ananda44: 9 months ago

the founders where white men of the england and europe where christianity, in many forms, was the normal religion.

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Answer 2

RexViatores: 9 months ago

Obama's probably worse than Caesar XD

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advancement123: 9 months ago via iPhone

I'm confused how thSt answers the question

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Answer 3

jamshabam: 9 months ago

It's an old law, and people are probably afraid to change it.

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Answer 4

Nkathers: 9 months ago

Religious organizations are tax exempt when they follow a certain section of the IRS policies. The organization must be operated exclusively and organized for purposes of exemption that is set in section 501 (c)(3) and should not be an action organization. Read more details at http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=96099,00.html.

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caluvox: 9 months ago

Thank you! I was looking for more of an ethical/social type reason though.

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winetastergirl: 9 months ago

And then come election time they pass around flyers and advise their congregation on whom to vote for.

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caluvox: 9 months ago

@wine, that is true, the law only requires that politics not be preached from the pulpit and that church leaders not get involved in such activities.

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winetastergirl: 9 months ago

I know and they certainly have had their hands deep in politics, and have forced politicians to choose sides on issues that are more of a personal thing.

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caluvox: 9 months ago

Yes I say it's like a mom telling there kid to keep his hand out off the cookie jar but if the cookie jar gets tipped over and they spill out anything go's.

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winetastergirl: 9 months ago

Yes I know Religious people LOVE cookies. lolol

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Answer 5

winetastergirl: 9 months ago

I ask my self that question. Separation of church and state is what it is suppose to be. The government separates itself from religion, and religion has it's big nose deeply involved in state, while STILL receiving a no tax status........They should ALL be taxed.

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bigred50: 9 months ago via iPhone

Separation of church and state is not found anywhere in the Constitution. All it means is the government should stay out of church business and there should be no state religion like in England.

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boo153: 9 months ago via iPhone

The second half of that is right red

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Answer 6

Walt_OReagun: 9 months ago

It was a bribe by the government to keep churches from one of their historic roles ... being a "bully pulpit" for political activism.

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winetastergirl: 9 months ago

It's not working

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Walt_OReagun: 9 months ago

Yes it is ... you need to look at the historic activism, and what they are allowed to do under 501(c) codes.

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winetastergirl: 9 months ago

well I do agree with you there, I mean the laws were very muddled back then and they did get away with a lot, but is was more direct. Now they chip away at laws that they disagree with little by little. Same behavior...different tactics.

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Answer 7

rpd2131: 9 months ago via iPhone

It is ridiculous that they are tax exempt especially because most churches seem to be more of a business than anything else. Tax all of the churches and we have no deficit.

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Answer 8

boxxybabee: 9 months ago via iPhone

There are fake places that list as church to get take exemptions like the
"church" of Scientology , L Ron Hubbard said "if you want to enslave people tell them you'll give them total freedom"

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caluvox: 9 months ago

I think Scientology is only a "faith" because of the tax exemption, there are a lot of rich Hollywood type's that belong.

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Wolf_Larson: 9 months ago

Was the Church of Scientology thoroughly studied by the IRS to see if they qualify as a religion?

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Answer 9

Whinzer: 9 months ago

It used to be in England that you didn't have a choice in paying taxes to the church. Even the king was subject to the pope. Now they just have tithe.
You made a good point in your question, but what about other non profit organizations?
There are a lot of them. Are you going to charge them too?
If you started charging the church, then you would have to start charging everyone else on the list. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair, and could start debates, exc.
And if you did charge other non profit organizations too, that would discourage anyone for wanting to do it.
Who wants to keep an organization going out of their own pockets by themselves? Or a church?
For some churches the offering wouldn't always be enough.
Some money would have to come out of the pastor's pay check.
Then he would have to look for another job. Just think how much harder it would be for those pastors that already have several jobs.
Who wants to give them that kind of pressure?
If you decided to tax the bigger churches to help the smaller one, again, it wouldn't be fair.
It's just a lot easier not to tax them
Hope this helped :)

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caluvox: 9 months ago

Thanks! The problem with NPO's is that to qualify as such the government only requires that 20% of donations go to the "cause" of the NPO, that to me is a whole other problem that needs to be addressed.

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Whinzer: 9 months ago

Oooh yes, that is very true.

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Answer 10

Sharkjenkins: 9 months ago via iPhone

Old law, and congress can not change it because church is big business.

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caluvox: 9 months ago

That is the reason it should be taxed.

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Answer 11

boo153: 9 months ago via iPhone

When churches were given tax exempt status, the deluded people of the time thought that churches would be doing good works and saving souls. It never dawned on them just how corrupt and big business churches would become. They should have lost their tax exempt status a long time ago.

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Answer 12