Should we tax churches?

Do you think it's fair that churches are tax exempt? Why or why not?

I think we should tax churches. They are businesses just like any other, and deserve to pay their fair share. I don't have problems with exempting any money going directly to charities that the church is doing but the main part of their income doesn't go to that, at least in most cases.

It's not just church's that aren't paying tax Starbucks in the UK have only just decided they want to pay a little more tax from there £3bn profits, before they were only paying £8.5m over 14 years! But back to the church topic I agree with Alaric church's are indeed just like any other buisness.

No, but then again nothing should be taxed. In a way, taxing them would allow them more influence over the government. And given how much they have already, giving them MORE is plain ridiculous.

Then they would just ask for more donations.

Blueline - Er... what? The people with the greatest influence over government are not the ones paying the most taxes. Government influence comes through campaign contributions, nothing more.

Woodstock - Yeah but people aren't going to pay more just because they're asked for more, they'll still just pay what they're able. Some churches have a tithe, which is 10% of your income. This is already pretty unreasonable considering the money goes to outlawing gay marriage in other states and very little actually goes back to the community.

Original: Taxing gives them a reason to demand more influence. "We're paying taxes, so we should have a direct say in what goes on."

Your logic would make sense if that's how politics works, but it doesn't work that way. They already take as much influence as they possibly can, and taxes would not make them feel any more entitled than they already do. For fuck's sake, the mormon church spent millions campaigning against gay marriage in California.

Baptisms and weding should be taxed also.

heres my problem, define church! Is it a building or a gathering of people? Or what?

What if some hippies got together and in their madness decided to worship tree? Next thing you know the cops are like "church of the tree? pay up or you can't gather here"

>.>;;

I'm being serious! Occupy and all, we've gotta protect our rights to gather

We are talking more about taxing their income and earnings and churches make a ton of profit. They should pay just as much as any other business. People worshiping a tree are not making profit and so shouldn't be taxed. Neither do charities group that give all their money to aid others, and I don't think a charity that is say helping the poor should pay taxes. Some churches give a portion of their income to services like charities do so that portion should be exempt but the vast majority of it isn't and so should be.

Private businesses enjoy generous tax deductions for giving to charity, there's no reason a church can't.

Taxes are for squares.

I think we should bulldoze churches and then tax them for the business they would otherwise be getting.