Split Thread Should we tax religions? (split from ACLU defends shirts)

Fnord

Metasyntactic Variable
F
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Messages
6,623
I think all religious institutions should be fully taxed, just like any secular corporation. This may not solve the feuds between them, but it would at least take money away from them that would otherwise be used for tracts, lawyers, and other annoyances.
 
Last edited:
Fnord said:
I think all religious institutions should be fully taxed, just like any secular corporation.
Click to expand...
I think all religious institutions should be double-taxed, unlike any secular corporation.
 
Great idea. However extreme political pressure would be put on the politicians to not to do this. It is like any benefit that goes to a small minority.
 
Of course religious organizations should be taxed like any other business! And they should benefit tax deductions proportional to their charitable contributions, again just like any business or taxpayer.

Pat
 
I think a non profit should have to prove that it doesn't make a profit. If a church is spending it's excess cash to help starving kittens in Uganda, then so be it. If the money is going to buy a Rolls for the preacher, then this church is clearly making a profit.
 
I think a more interesting question on this forum would have been: Why should religious organisations NOT pay taxes?
Judging by the responses so far (OK, 5 is not much) everybody here is in agreement.
 
godofpie said:
I think a non profit should have to prove that it doesn't make a profit. If a church is spending it's excess cash to help starving kittens in Uganda, then so be it. If the money is going to buy a Rolls for the preacher, then this church is clearly making a profit.
Click to expand...

Non-profits are poorly named. They are allowed to make a profit. The trick is it may not violate its charitable purpose or lead to private inurement. Salaries are OK as long as they are for actual work and don't exceed fair market value.
 
Last edited:
KingMerv00 said:
Non-profits are poorly named. They are allowed to make a profit. The trick is it may not violate its charitable purpose or lead to private inurement. Salaries are OK as long as they are for actual work and don't exceed fair market value.
Click to expand...

Of course churchs don't have to play by such rules.

I say churches should play by the same rules as everyone else. If they fit the rules to be tax exempt they are tax exempt, if they don't they pay their taxes.
 
ponderingturtle said:
Of course churchs don't have to play by such rules.
Click to expand...

Yes and no. They have the same standards as other charities but statutes prevent the effective gathering of information and the effective use of punishment when it comes to churches. Check out this Swift article (sorry to plug myself but it is just too relevant and too much fun).

I say churches should play by the same rules as everyone else. If they fit the rules to be tax exempt they are tax exempt, if they don't they pay their taxes.
Click to expand...

Churches fit the rules because Congress wrote the rules. Maybe you (or I) think they should repeal the statute but that's just the way it is for now.
 
Last edited:
KingMerv00 said:
Non-profits are poorly named. They are allowed to make a profit. The trick is it may not violate its charitable purpose or lead to private inurement. Salaries are OK as long as they are for actual work and don't exceed fair market value.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the correction. I just noticed the link you posted for your article. I'm going edumacate myself before I respond further.:o

ETA: I enjoyed your article KingMerv. So I think I have our plan of attack figured out. I own a pizzeria. Instead of calling myself a "business" and paying "taxes" I am going to call my place a Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I won't sell anymore food, but I will accept donations for FSM.
 
Last edited:
godofpie said:
Thanks for the correction. I just noticed the link you posted for your article. I'm going edumacate myself before I respond further.:o
Click to expand...

No big deal. Very common mistake.

It would really suck if charities were not allowed to make a profit. They wouldn't be able to grow if they were forced to work in the red. What really matters is what they do with their profit.
 
For once I think the UK has this right - any organisation can be registered as a "charity" as long as they fulfil the requirements of being a charity and then they do gain some tax-breaks, so a church/religion can become a registered charity if they wish to abide by those regulations.

That to me seems not only fair but sensible.

ETA: England & Wales: http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registration/faqpage.asp, Scotland has similar regulations.
 
Last edited:
Darat said:
For once I think the UK has this right - any organisation can be registered as a "charity" as long as they fulfil the requirements of being a charity and then they do gain some tax-breaks, so a church/religion can become a registered charity if they wish to abide by those regulations.

That to me seems not only fair but sensible.
Click to expand...

I think that's fine in theory but not in practice. The problem is that churches are defined as "charities" by fiat not because they meet a set of requirements.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom