Should religious organizations be exempt from tax in the US?

[The United Brony Armies]

Yes. Let them stay exempt.

Why?

[The United Brony Armies]

Not public registered charities.

Then why tax churches that earn money via donation and then use some of that money towards church and non-church charities.

Because think about it, when you buy goods what are you doing? Giving money to a company. Who then in turn gives to charities and pays taxes. Churches and the like do the same thing, someone gives money to a church and this is considered buying (to me) because you get things in return. Albeit they are not always material things but you get them (you get the privilege to continue to worship and sometimes even material things like t-shirts and the like). Now what does the church do with this money? They give some to charity and then pockets the rest. This is an extreme privilege for the church that shouldn't exist because my family gives to charity so why can't we be exempt from taxes? See what I'm saying? I don't know if that was very clear but it made sense to me.

[The Time Alliance]

No.

Soon:
"Flock, the only true Lord-supported candidate in this latest race is Bill Jacobsen. We here at the Church of Latter Day Saints urge you to support Bill Jacobsen. You're offering today goes to the campaign committee of Bill Jacobsen. Let us pray for Bill Jacobsen's victory."

The LDS church doesn't support any candidates in elections and allows the individual to choose who to vote for without suggestions from the Church.

[The Time Alliance]

Then why tax churches that earn money via donation and then use some of that money towards church and non-church charities.

Because think about it, when you buy goods what are you doing? Giving money to a company. Who then in turn gives to charities and pays taxes. Churches and the like do the same thing, someone gives money to a church and this is considered buying (to me) because you get things in return. Albeit they are not always material things but you get them (you get the privilege to continue to worship and sometimes even material things like t-shirts and the like). Now what does the church do with this money? They give some to charity and then pockets the rest. This is an extreme privilege for the church that shouldn't exist because my family gives to charity so why can't we be exempt from taxes? See what I'm saying? I don't know if that was very clear but it made sense to me.

I understand what your saying but a place of faith shouldn't have to pay taxes that places of business do....
a faith isn't a business or individual. It is a non-profit (In most cases- Mormonism) organization using donations.

[The United Brony Armies]

Because think about it, when you buy goods what are you doing? Giving money to a company. Who then in turn gives to charities and pays taxes. Churches and the like do the same thing, someone gives money to a church and this is considered buying (to me) because you get things in return. Albeit they are not always material things but you get them (you get the privilege to continue to worship and sometimes even material things like t-shirts and the like). Now what does the church do with this money? They give some to charity and then pockets the rest. This is an extreme privilege for the church that shouldn't exist because my family gives to charity so why can't we be exempt from taxes? See what I'm saying? I don't know if that was very clear but it made sense to me.

I understand what your saying but a place of faith shouldn't have to pay taxes that places of business do....
a faith isn't a business or individual. It is a non-profit (In most cases- Mormonism) organization using donations.

What I think I failed to explain further was how technically you are donating your money to a business when you buy goods, are you not? You are willingly giving money to someone so they can continue to do what you want them to do. Boom, donating. That's what Churches receive and therefore should be taxed like everything else.

[Crimson Futures]

No organization should be tax exempt. Churches should be taxed. So should charities and "non-profits." Especially "non-profit" hospitals, which in the United States at least are just big institutions for extortion, fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.

[The Time Alliance]

I understand what your saying but a place of faith shouldn't have to pay taxes that places of business do....
a faith isn't a business or individual. It is a non-profit (In most cases- Mormonism) organization using donations.

What I think I failed to explain further was how technically you are donating your money to a business when you buy goods, are you not? You are willingly giving money to someone so they can continue to do what you want them to do. Boom, donating. That's what Churches receive and therefore should be taxed like everything else.

Until churches receive subsidies from the government like businesses it's a no.

Your place of worship is a non-profit organization. A donation is giving money in return for nothing. Thus your aren't donating because they give you a product or service.

[The United Brony Armies]

No organization should be tax exempt. Churches should be taxed. So should charities and "non-profits." Especially "non-profit" hospitals, which in the United States at least are just big institutions for extortion, fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.

I have never understood how anything could be non-profit. You have to make money somehow or nothing would progress. Amirite?

[Divair2]

No organization should be tax exempt. Churches should be taxed. So should charities and "non-profits." Especially "non-profit" hospitals, which in the United States at least are just big institutions for extortion, fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.

I have never understood how anything could be non-profit. You have to make money somehow or nothing would progress. Amirite?

That's not what non-profit means.

[The Time Alliance]

No organization should be tax exempt. Churches should be taxed. So should charities and "non-profits." Especially "non-profit" hospitals, which in the United States at least are just big institutions for extortion, fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.

I have never understood how anything could be non-profit. You have to make money somehow or nothing would progress. Amirite?

That's not what that means....

Dang Diviar Ninja'd

[Crimson Futures]

A "non-profit" is a business that supposedly doesn't pay its owners/executives varying amounts based on income. Theoretically they give all of their income not involved in paying salaries and expenses to whatever charitable end they support.

In practice, they are just ways for greedy businessman to evade taxes.

[Divair2]

A "non-profit" is a business that supposedly doesn't pay its owners/executives varying amounts based on income. Theoretically they give all of their income not involved in paying salaries and expenses to whatever charitable end they support.

In practice, they are just ways for greedy businessman to evade taxes.

Some organizations. Not all.

[The Time Alliance]

A "non-profit" is a business that supposedly doesn't pay its owners/executives varying amounts based on income. Theoretically they give all of their income not involved in paying salaries and expenses to whatever charitable end they support.

In practice, they are just ways for greedy businessman to evade taxes.

Not always. Your generalizing. Some non-profit organizations are truley non-profit. (LDS)

[The United Brony Armies]

What I think I failed to explain further was how technically you are donating your money to a business when you buy goods, are you not? You are willingly giving money to someone so they can continue to do what you want them to do. Boom, donating. That's what Churches receive and therefore should be taxed like everything else.

Until churches receive subsidies from the government like businesses it's a no.

Your place of worship is a non-profit organization. A donation is giving money in return for nothing. Thus your aren't donating because they give you a product or service.

You have to understand that even though something says "non-profit" doesn't mean they don't make profit. Because they would have to.
For example if I made 100$ a week and worked for 3 weeks I would have 300$, right? Right, now if I had 3 bills to pay that were 100$ dollars each I would be spending 300$ of my original 300$ now I'm back to 0$, meaning I now have no way to pay for gas and food, meaning I would probably lose my job because I can't get to work (let's assume there's no buses) then I can't pay for my house, plumbing, electricity, food, water, etc. And now guess what, I have nothing. It's the exact same for businesses. They have to make profit in case something suddenly happens that would cost them more money than usual.

[Crimson Futures]

The vast majority. Non-profits were a lobbied for tax loophole for consumerist Americans. Occasionally, a mostly alright group of people use it for what it should be used for.

[Divair2]

The vast majority.

Source.

[Britcan]

If they make a profit they should be taxed like any other organisation.

[The Time Alliance]

Until churches receive subsidies from the government like businesses it's a no.

Your place of worship is a non-profit organization. A donation is giving money in return for nothing. Thus your aren't donating because they give you a product or service.

You have to understand that even though something says "non-profit" doesn't mean they don't make profit. Because they would have to.
For example if I made 100$ a week and worked for 3 weeks I would have 300$, right? Right, now if I had 3 bills to pay that were 100$ dollars each I would be spending 300$ of my original 300$ now I'm back to 0$, meaning I now have no way to pay for gas and food, meaning I would probably lose my job because I can't get to work (let's assume there's no buses) then I can't pay for my house, plumbing, electricity, food, water, etc. And now guess what, I have nothing. It's the exact same for businesses. They have to make profit in case something suddenly happens that would cost them more money than usual.

A religious organization IS NOT A BUSINESS. It doesn't operate like one, get money like one or use money like one.

[Alyekra]

Why should we tax organizations?

[Crimson Futures]

You have to understand that even though something says "non-profit" doesn't mean they don't make profit. Because they would have to.
For example if I made 100$ a week and worked for 3 weeks I would have 300$, right? Right, now if I had 3 bills to pay that were 100$ dollars each I would be spending 300$ of my original 300$ now I'm back to 0$, meaning I now have no way to pay for gas and food, meaning I would probably lose my job because I can't get to work (let's assume there's no buses) then I can't pay for my house, plumbing, electricity, food, water, etc. And now guess what, I have nothing. It's the exact same for businesses. They have to make profit in case something suddenly happens that would cost them more money than usual.

A religious organization IS NOT A BUSINESS. It doesn't operate like one, get money like one or use money like one.

Ah yes, they don't technically charge for admission do they? They don't send all of their weakly incomes, I mean, tithes, to one central authority, where all of the most successful members have been promoted into high income positions. The owners, err, I mean, bishops, don't drive around in limousines, or live in fantastic living quarters with luxurious wardrobes. Pope Francis may be humble, he's just the Warren Buffet of the churches.

[The Time Alliance]

A religious organization IS NOT A BUSINESS. It doesn't operate like one, get money like one or use money like one.

Ah yes, they don't technically charge for admission do they? They don't send all of their weakly incomes, I mean, tithes, to one central authority, where all of the most successful members have been promoted into high income positions. The owners, err, I mean, bishops, don't drive around in limousines, or live in fantastic living quarters with luxurious wardrobes. Pope Francis may be humble, he's just the Warren Buffet of the churches.

In the Mormon church you don't get paid to hold a position. You must have another job. Even our bishops have to get a job.

The Mormon Prophet doesn't drive a limousine or has fancy living quarters. (Most religions do though)

[Zavea]

i don't think so. i think it's disagreeable to tax peoples' beliefs, whether you agree with them or not. one can look at the infamous megachurches with wealthy pastors and assume the worst, but i think that's unreasonably cynical since those churches are very few in number and those people are paying income tax anyway. not to mention those rich evangelists iirc make a lot of their income not from ministering but from selling shit like DVDs, which is legitimate capitalism. i tentatively think stuff like that should be taxed since it's a commercial enterprise, but religious organizations themselves? no.

i do think there needs to be an auditing mechanism, though. i recall france a few years back, when the french government revoked the church of scientology's tax-exempt status. i don't remember the rationale, but i think it was putatively the government's view that scientology was a disguised moneymaking scheme (an assessment i'd agree with)

and it's worth pointing out that many churches in the US are small, local churches sustained largely by donations. i feel like taxing them would just bring them financial hard times, and that helps nobody

[Magna Libero]

Organizations shouldn't be taxed in the first place... But, I suppose separation of religion and state would mean the government not taxing independent entities.

[The Soviet League]

Shouldn't be taxed. Coming from a religious point of view, it is immoral to even try to tax places of worship for many people. Secularly, the government doesn't even support churches, so why tax them?

[Anollasia]

They shouldn't. Religious organizations should be seen as part of the public, and be taxed accordingly.