<p>so topic please?</p>
<p>Should religious institutions be tax-free? For example, churches don’t pay taxes for the land they are built on.</p>
<p>i think so. like there are those mega churches , but alot are simple buildings with the goal of worship. what real gains do you get against them?
religiously affiliated schools and universities i guess, go nuts on.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter what their purpose is, they should be subject to the same laws as everyone else. I mean, we all need food, but grocery stores aren’t tax-exempt.</p>
<p>As well, the constitution states clearly that no law shall be made that respects a religion.</p>
<p>but they are a commercial business.
and i am not following the “we all need food” part.</p>
<p>Most churches claim to be non-profit and declare the same tax-free privileges as hospitals, universities, etc. Of course, there’s the question of whether churches (and these other institutions) are really non-profit…or just non-prophet.</p>
<p>EDIT: Yay! I’ve been promoted to “member”!</p>
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<p><em>slaps head</em></p>
<p>haha. but how are hospitals non-profit?
i feel like anything that doesnt qualify as a profit making (or for profit whatever) shouldnt be taxed. they are institutions with the intent of bettering the community. leave them alone.</p>
<p>Disneyguy, why do you commit acts of violence against yourself?</p>
<p>Maybe churches should be taxed on whatever income they make that does not go towards basic operating costs, helping the poor, etc.? Some churches practically force members to make donations. Of course, there would have to be strict guidelines as to what can be taxed and what can’t, in this case.</p>
<p>And no, hospitals are not truly non-profit. Neither are some universities (how else could some of them manage to rake up billions in endowment and just leave it there to sit for decades to rub in the faces of others?)</p>
<p>Mls, I thought your argument was that places of worship should be exempt because they provide something that all people need, so I countered with my example of everyone needing food, yadda yadda yadda.</p>
<p>Churches aren’t non-profit in my opinion. They ask for 10% of your wage so as to expand their building and to pay for the livelihood of their fathers/deacons/rabbi.</p>
<p>i know. i agree. like there are those churches. but others aren’t so forceful and money hungry. they should have to file forms documenting how they spend their money, and go from there.
there are always exceptions to the rule.
whether profiting hospitals, well endowed universities (does that sound dirty to anyone else?..anyway), or theiving televangelist churches.</p>
<p>and if the money they ask for goes to paying bills, maintenance, and paying the salary of the pastors, then it is justified. and it is not a mandatory 10% (yes it is in the bible somewhere but come on). and in some cases expansion is justified. who else is gonna pay for the livelihoods of the pastors? houses are not free for men of the word.</p>
<p>“well-endowed universities” – hahaha, OK I’m immature, I know…</p>
<p>It’s one thing for a church to spend money running a soup kitchen for the homeless. It’s another to spend money buying shiny new Bibles for the homeless. But it would become too bureaucratic and expensive to evaluate expenditures on a case-by-case basis, wouldn’t it? And these records can be easily altered and money embezzled. Is there any more general law that would not involve such a convoluted process?</p>
<p>Televangelists…don’t make me go there :)</p>
<p>i dunno. im not familiar with the law. but i do think they should be given some sort of consideration.</p>
<p>But why shouldn’t they have to pay taxes, mls? No one should be exempt from the services that all citizens must perform. I don’t care what they do, they need to pay for their land that they operate out of.</p>
<p>Then should other institutions, such as aforementioned hospitals and universities, also pay similar taxes? Or just churches/mosques/temples?</p>
<p>First off, I don’t think anyone should pay taxes, but if one person has to pay taxes, everyone has to pay taxes.</p>
<p>fine, but what if they cant afford that? or is that just their problem and they should face bankruptcy like a home or business owner?
honestly i dont have proper justification, but it doesnt sit well with me. :(</p>
<p>yes im a bleeding heart, what of it?!?</p>
<p>If they don’t have the money, they don’t get the land.</p>
<p>Whoa where is everybody? I leave for a few minutes to deal with the annoying packaging of my new flash drive and come back only to find a ghost town and rolling tumbleweed…</p>