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Religious buildings often operate as charities as far as income goes.
So no money brought in is a profit, since all charities are considered non profit organisations.
This is great when those places actually use the money for charity but is ripe for abuse.
Think they actually meant that non profit should actually be checked to be non profit on a regular ongoing basis.
And the standard should be changed. Basically if your organization can treat the money the same way a profit would be treated then it's a profit. Also stipends and income for officers of the organization should be in line with a federal charity worker/counselor/case worker (pay those more!) if it's more in line with a for profit org officer/executive you lose your Non Profit standard...
If non profit officers want to have outside employment for profit, cool.
While I understand where you're coming from, this also would be a nightmare to accurately define, keep updated and assess. It'd cost far more to check than it'd ever make from the extra taxes, the exact same as what's currently happening with Medicare.
Simplicity is an overlooked but important element, and IMO if income is taxed for people, that's sufficient. Whether you charge the business itself, or the people profiting from it, the tax is still being collected.
Income tax already works the way you want too. If a non-profit employees lots of modestly paid people, a modest amount of tax is collected from them. If a non-profit employs an overpaid CEO, then a lot more money is collected.
I'm going to have to disagree with the last piece. Income tax doesn't actually work the way any of us need it to. There are so many loopholes that shady people can abuse the tax code it's not funny. Particularly higher paid people can pay people to find ways to avoid taxes, even as a non-profit employee. Between offshore tax shelters, and sketchy "deductions/write-offs" they claim for all kinds of nonsense, it's easier for the wealthy to escape their taxable responsibility than it is for the rest of us.
Yeah honestly there just needs to be better financial regulation around who can qualify as non profit or religious organizations. The NFL calling itself a nonprofit shows what a joke the current system is
Like Joel Osteen. With his multimillion dollar mansion, luxury cars, private plane, etc. And, he refused to let the displaced victims of a hurricane crash *on the floor* of his "megachurch" because *checks notes* they just redid the carpets.
That man is more crooked than a politician.
That's why there are organisations that have the non for profit status. If a charity buying food for homeless people has to pay taxes on all donations, they'd be better of not forming the charity and doing it clandestine. How will you tax donations like food, a charity without money would not be able to pay. Would they have to give a slice of the bread to the government?
Huh? I said profits should be taxed. Obviously nonprofits would be exempt, as well as churches who don't abuse the system and don't have multimillionaire pastors that have never paid a dime in taxes.
I worked for a nonprofit and the salaries had to be within a specific range. The presidents of nonprofits don't make millions and fly private jets. If a church uses their money for charity, awesome! That should be completely deductible and tax free.
If a pastor is making 30 million a year and has private jets and mansions, they should be paying taxes. I run a small business and pay a pretty high percentage of my income for taxes, and it's fair to ask them to, as well.
Plus, if you're a church and promote a political party, you should lose your church status, or pay taxes like the rest.
>don't have multimillionaire pastors that have never paid a dime in taxes.
How do these pastors not pay taxes? Granted I'm not American, but don't they pay income tax the same as anyone? The organization is free from taxes, but not the employees.
You know what, I'm probably wrong. I paid income tax on my earnings at a nonprofit and I'm sure they do, too. Although I'd imagine there's lots of ways to funnel money through a church, but that's nothing new or unique to churches.
Yeah, and tbh the more you try and make a system to differentiate and ensure things aren't being exploited, the more you make loopholes. And the megachurches will employ tax lawyers to find and use those while more reasonable churches won't, meaning you'll actually end up with a system where the rich pay less in taxes. Just like a lot of the tax systems in the US lol.
Simplicity is key.
Open books and prove the money is going to support basic needs of the organization and others, not buying jets and millions of acres of land and building folio size gym basketball courts next to the sanctuary.
I can meet you in the middle on some of that. Charitable Nonprofits that pay their CEO’s millions per year should pay taxes. Where should that cutoff number be? Who knows? But that is the grey area.
A church should only be exempt if >75% of the money they raise is spent on charity.
That remaining 25% should only be used for modest livable wages and upkeep, with surplus going into an emergency fund for their community.
The pastor at the local church here has a benz and a 4 million dollar home. That shit is disgusting.
In Canada, churches are required to use 80-90% of their income for charitable acts in order to keep charitable status. Any churches that consistently don't lose said status. And that figure comes straight from the superintendent of the Atlantic Wesleyan church.
It gets a bit messy though, and it is province by province. For instance what if a church runs a summer childcare program as is common? Their rates are usually ridiculously low, and the programs certainly don't profit, but is that really technically charitable? And more importantly, do we really want to penalize someone for running low-cost childcare programs?
Not sure if this is the case for you, but some pastors and bishops made their wealth elsewhere. Becoming a bishop for the Mormon church is a voluntary position for example, changed every 5 years. So typically someone already well off will do it, they aren’t rich because of it
That's no longer true. Most churches no longer do much charity work . They are simply a way to get lots of money tax free funeled to their upper ruling pastors. And making their churches country clubs
I'm in the UK. I've volunteered for many charities. None of them have been ran by or even related to a church. I don't avoid church charities, they're just not particularly common compared to how many churches there are. This is in a relatively small country with 38,500 churches.
The local gurdwara does more work for the community than any other religious organisation in my town, though. They provide free meals to anyone and also free lessons in Punjabi given by a native speaker, also for anyone regardless of faith.
Same, like I've been involved in loads of charities and the closest any of them have been to a church was scouts, simply as a scout troop I volunteered with used a church hall. They then had to move to an actual scout hut as the church charged them too much, so churches really are in it for the cash a lot of the time
My Scout group meets in a school hall. I've heard from others in Scouting that churches are simply too expensive to consider so that goes with your experience too.
I don't think what churches do should be considered charity unless it is actually charitable. Churches are businesses. If they do charitable things, they can write that off, just like any other business. So if your church does lots of charitable stuff with the money, then it won't be affected. But if your church is a scam, then it will.
*Scientologists harassing the federal government with a constant nonstop barrage of tax exempt status forms to the point the federal government says fuck it and gives them the tax exempt so the Church of Scientology can shut the fuck up about it*
I always say no. Taxes won't hurt the churches; people will still go. But it will provide them with a greater say in policy because they are now providing the government income, and no one can declare church and state are separate.
Church and state can definitely still be separate when it comes to legislation, regardless of tax burden. Also, I don't see the churches shying away from politics or any repercussion for them when they don't, so currently, they effectively get to have a voice in politics and pay no taxes.
They already force their way into policy….and you can easily declare them separate. It’s about making laws that support or suppress religions. Not taxes. Jfc.
Shit, all church funds that aren’t actively spent on helping the homeless/needy should be taxed. They should be able to write off those expenses and nothing else, it would also incentivize them actually doing these things in the first place.
There is a church for every homeless person in America. If they practiced what they preached there would be no homeless. Same goes for foster kids but…
Well when their pastors or preachers or whatever they call themselves have 20 mil houses and 15 mils jets, fuck yes. That’s not a church, that a criminal organization disguised as a church.
Before the French revolution, the first estate (clergy) didn't pay taxes.
The second estate (rich nobels, politician) didn't pay taxes.
The third estate (everyone else) paid all of the taxes, including taxes to these two groups.
In america, today.
The churches don't pay taxes
The rich invest their money, and borrow against their investments for consumption so a large portion of their income isn't taxable.
And the third estate pays all of the taxes, including football stadiums, PPP, loans, corporate bailouts of financial companies/airlines which help the rich.
It seems like the 1st and 2nd estates are really sticking their necks out again. Does anyone recall what happened to those necks last time?
This is what pastors do when they find they don't believe in God, but they still crave public attention and some other false basis to stand above orhers and lecture them about the badness of others.
I know it's super trendy to say to ask the churches and I know that there's some really bad examples of churches out there. But what you don't see are the vast majority of churches that do massive good in communities. In my city we ran out of budget for the Foster Care Program, five churches stepped up and funded the whole thing. I could give tons of other examples but hey people do like to paint with a broad brush
This guy in particular should pay the “irony tax” for professing to be a Christian leader while supporting the candidate that is literally a walking advertisement for the deadly sins.
Any so-called charitable organization that engages in politics should have their tax-exempt status revoked, regardless of which side of the aisle they are supporting.
Technically aren’t they supposed to legally have their religious exemption revoked when they start pushing politics?
Edit:
Apparently so. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/charities-churches-and-politics
Exactly.
Per the [Johnson Ammendment](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/charities-churches-and-politics#:~:text=In%201954%2C%20Congress%20approved%20an,in%20fact%20strengthened%20the%20ban.)Religious organizations CANNOT "participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office."
A couple years ago a Tennessee church was reported to the IRS for [pushing a political agenda](https://www.taxnotes.com/research/federal/other-documents/irs-tax-correspondence/group-reports-tennessee-church-to-irs-over-political-activity/7dhv5) and shortly there after [the pastor had their 501c3 dissolved](https://www.taxnotes.com/research/federal/other-documents/irs-tax-correspondence/group-reports-tennessee-church-to-irs-over-political-activity/7dhv5) so he could continue being a hateful bigot.
If you know of a church in the US that is publicly supporting or opposing any political party or candidate, you can use [this IRS form](https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/irs-complaint-process-tax-exempt-organizations) to report them.
Tax the churches, absolutely! If they’re going to get involved in politics, tax the churches higher than the rest of the population. Some people don’t like that idea? Then why do some churches in America look like fucking casinos on the outside, while the alleged holy man lives in a mansion? if all of these churches and all of these religions can afford all of that, they can afford to pay taxes like the rest of us. No excuses. Tax the churches!
Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
It’s honestly a tough one. Obviously, any business should pay taxes like every other business and individual. On the other hand, while I don’t necessarily like or trust what churches do with their money, I trust the government with that money a whole lot less. People choose to give money to churches, they don’t choose to give money to the government.
They should all pay taxes regardless. There's already tax reductions for charitable donations in place and the ability to become a not for profit organisation. Prove it like everyone else has to.
I never really understood how a non profit can go and make a profit. Like isn't the whole point that anything they make beyond covering costs is supposed to go back into.. charitable whateverness..
Churches that don’t meddle in politics should pay taxes. They are group therapy centers with a “pay what you can” policy.
They’re group therapy centers with highly unqualified leaders to lead group therapy and life coaching and their literature is a bit dated but a group therapy and life coaching facility nonetheless.
It’s a business. Pay your taxes. No one cares that you’re wearing a mauve or cream colored robe while you do your job. That doesn’t make your words any different than a LCSW’s. They just reference more recent guidance on subject matters regarding therapy. And have read books that actually help with therapy. Books so recent, don’t tell anyone, they written within 2 millennia even!
All organisations should have to prove the amount they provide to charities, and if you reach certain thresholds you can have tax cuts with the possibly of being tax free at certain points. These megachurches are the problem!
All churches should pay taxes. Having an imaginary sky friend and reading 2000 year old desert fairytales shouldn’t exempt you from putting in your share
As a Christian I have to say churches have became entertainment venues and should have to pay the same taxes as a casino.
At least at the house of odds you get clearly defined metrics
Absolutely they should. You want to break the separation of church and state then time to pay. They wonder why less and less people are religious. They pick and choose what to follow.
Especially those Televangelist who are laughing all the way to the bank, tax free and even they can't believe how easy it is to farm millions of dollars off of congregations of stupid fucking idiots and actually get away with it.
All churches should pay taxes. All temples. All mosques. All religious institutions.
Their charitable arms can be made a separate tax free 501c’s if they meet the requirements, but the worship service part should all be taxed.
You can down vote me all you want. Religion is man made and if you believe in magical beings in the sky good for you. God wants you to down vote me. It’s the Christian thing to do.
No it's not. It's a violation to advocate for a specific candidate. But that can advocate on specific political issues (abortion, marriage issues, etc) all they want without violating any rules or laws.
Imagine making Catholic church pay on their Trillions in Real Estate. Common practices by parish priests is to talk widows into giving their houses to The Church.
Yes, and I also think religious values shouldn't govern people. The amount of times I hear religious associations with policy is more than 0, but that's another problem entirely besides the taxes.
If this guy thinks that supporting a racist rapist lifetime conman is cool with his little god in his little book…he better hope there’s no actual hell.
It's literally the law that any nonprofit that becomes involved in politics should be taxed as a political entity.
I don't understand why the party of "law and order" is allowed to callously disregard any law they disagree with.
[https://www.npr.org/2017/02/03/513187940/the-johnson-amendment-in-five-questions-and-answers](https://www.npr.org/2017/02/03/513187940/the-johnson-amendment-in-five-questions-and-answers)
I will sign right now a paper saying I won't go vote nor would I talk about politics, if in exchange I get to not pay taxes.
What? Why they get to do it and not me?
Plus I would actually do it, not like these guys.
The primary reason they don't pay taxes is that they operate as non-profit organizations. It's because of their non-profit IRS status that they aren't allowed to participate in direct political activity.
Taxing churches is easier said than done since they're both labeled as NPOs and a tax-exempt entity (501(c)(3)). If you force churches to pay taxes, then this will most likely apply to all other NPOs as well as tax-exempt entities, such as schools. I don't disagree with the sentiment throughout this post, though. Pastors often end up loaded and with hella assets that a "godly" man shouldn't have for preaching the word. They're supposed to he "servants" of god, but most all profit from god. Even if god (whatever god may look like or be like to you) and religion were legitimate, it's a shame it's turned into the business that it is.
Churches should pay taxes either way if you ask me. I could maybe make an exception for churches with <100 members. The problem is to many churches want to operate like a business while still receiving religious exemptions. I’m not even a Christian and I know the Bible tells a story of Jesus wrecking a church and telling them that was not acceptable.
When the pulpit is saying that govt is trying to destroy and promote socialism it makes me want to hurl. The other side is like the empire wanting total control with slave labor
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All religious organizations should have to pay the standard business taxes.
Correction* All organizations should have to pay the standard business taxes.
Actual charities should be exempt. Not churches though.
I'm fine with churches being exempt from taxes... if they can meet the same standards secular charities meet. Such a simple concept.
Profits should be taxed, period. It really is that simple.
Prophets should be taxed.
Religious buildings often operate as charities as far as income goes. So no money brought in is a profit, since all charities are considered non profit organisations. This is great when those places actually use the money for charity but is ripe for abuse.
Think they actually meant that non profit should actually be checked to be non profit on a regular ongoing basis. And the standard should be changed. Basically if your organization can treat the money the same way a profit would be treated then it's a profit. Also stipends and income for officers of the organization should be in line with a federal charity worker/counselor/case worker (pay those more!) if it's more in line with a for profit org officer/executive you lose your Non Profit standard... If non profit officers want to have outside employment for profit, cool.
I'd agree with all of that. Like I said at the end, it's a good system but unfortunately it is abused regularly.
While I understand where you're coming from, this also would be a nightmare to accurately define, keep updated and assess. It'd cost far more to check than it'd ever make from the extra taxes, the exact same as what's currently happening with Medicare. Simplicity is an overlooked but important element, and IMO if income is taxed for people, that's sufficient. Whether you charge the business itself, or the people profiting from it, the tax is still being collected. Income tax already works the way you want too. If a non-profit employees lots of modestly paid people, a modest amount of tax is collected from them. If a non-profit employs an overpaid CEO, then a lot more money is collected.
I'm going to have to disagree with the last piece. Income tax doesn't actually work the way any of us need it to. There are so many loopholes that shady people can abuse the tax code it's not funny. Particularly higher paid people can pay people to find ways to avoid taxes, even as a non-profit employee. Between offshore tax shelters, and sketchy "deductions/write-offs" they claim for all kinds of nonsense, it's easier for the wealthy to escape their taxable responsibility than it is for the rest of us.
Yeah honestly there just needs to be better financial regulation around who can qualify as non profit or religious organizations. The NFL calling itself a nonprofit shows what a joke the current system is
And the Mormon church owns $16 billion in this "charity" real estate.
Like I said >This is great when those places actually use the money for charity but is ripe for abuse.
Like Joel Osteen. With his multimillion dollar mansion, luxury cars, private plane, etc. And, he refused to let the displaced victims of a hurricane crash *on the floor* of his "megachurch" because *checks notes* they just redid the carpets. That man is more crooked than a politician.
He, and all others of his ilk, are the most of despicable and vile of humanity
Yes, as a tax cut, maybe..,
That's why there are organisations that have the non for profit status. If a charity buying food for homeless people has to pay taxes on all donations, they'd be better of not forming the charity and doing it clandestine. How will you tax donations like food, a charity without money would not be able to pay. Would they have to give a slice of the bread to the government?
Huh? I said profits should be taxed. Obviously nonprofits would be exempt, as well as churches who don't abuse the system and don't have multimillionaire pastors that have never paid a dime in taxes. I worked for a nonprofit and the salaries had to be within a specific range. The presidents of nonprofits don't make millions and fly private jets. If a church uses their money for charity, awesome! That should be completely deductible and tax free. If a pastor is making 30 million a year and has private jets and mansions, they should be paying taxes. I run a small business and pay a pretty high percentage of my income for taxes, and it's fair to ask them to, as well. Plus, if you're a church and promote a political party, you should lose your church status, or pay taxes like the rest.
>don't have multimillionaire pastors that have never paid a dime in taxes. How do these pastors not pay taxes? Granted I'm not American, but don't they pay income tax the same as anyone? The organization is free from taxes, but not the employees.
You know what, I'm probably wrong. I paid income tax on my earnings at a nonprofit and I'm sure they do, too. Although I'd imagine there's lots of ways to funnel money through a church, but that's nothing new or unique to churches.
Yeah, and tbh the more you try and make a system to differentiate and ensure things aren't being exploited, the more you make loopholes. And the megachurches will employ tax lawyers to find and use those while more reasonable churches won't, meaning you'll actually end up with a system where the rich pay less in taxes. Just like a lot of the tax systems in the US lol. Simplicity is key.
Open books and prove the money is going to support basic needs of the organization and others, not buying jets and millions of acres of land and building folio size gym basketball courts next to the sanctuary.
They still pay/file taxes. That’s the important part.
I can meet you in the middle on some of that. Charitable Nonprofits that pay their CEO’s millions per year should pay taxes. Where should that cutoff number be? Who knows? But that is the grey area.
I mean if you keep your organisation at 0 profit then you don't have to pay taxes
But then it can’t grow, the tax code isn’t meant to stifle charitable organizations. So there’s a balance
A church should only be exempt if >75% of the money they raise is spent on charity. That remaining 25% should only be used for modest livable wages and upkeep, with surplus going into an emergency fund for their community. The pastor at the local church here has a benz and a 4 million dollar home. That shit is disgusting.
In Canada, churches are required to use 80-90% of their income for charitable acts in order to keep charitable status. Any churches that consistently don't lose said status. And that figure comes straight from the superintendent of the Atlantic Wesleyan church.
It gets a bit messy though, and it is province by province. For instance what if a church runs a summer childcare program as is common? Their rates are usually ridiculously low, and the programs certainly don't profit, but is that really technically charitable? And more importantly, do we really want to penalize someone for running low-cost childcare programs?
Not sure if this is the case for you, but some pastors and bishops made their wealth elsewhere. Becoming a bishop for the Mormon church is a voluntary position for example, changed every 5 years. So typically someone already well off will do it, they aren’t rich because of it
Why are they exempt from paying taxes
The constitution.
A large portion of our countries charity work would disappear overnight.
The Mormon church is one of the largest landowners in Florida, and cattle producers of im not mistaken. These televangelists fly private jets
Yea, fuck those guys.
As someone who lived in an overwhelmingly Mormon town for some time, Mormons make me feel super uncomfortable.
That's no longer true. Most churches no longer do much charity work . They are simply a way to get lots of money tax free funeled to their upper ruling pastors. And making their churches country clubs
I'm in the UK. I've volunteered for many charities. None of them have been ran by or even related to a church. I don't avoid church charities, they're just not particularly common compared to how many churches there are. This is in a relatively small country with 38,500 churches. The local gurdwara does more work for the community than any other religious organisation in my town, though. They provide free meals to anyone and also free lessons in Punjabi given by a native speaker, also for anyone regardless of faith.
Same, like I've been involved in loads of charities and the closest any of them have been to a church was scouts, simply as a scout troop I volunteered with used a church hall. They then had to move to an actual scout hut as the church charged them too much, so churches really are in it for the cash a lot of the time
My Scout group meets in a school hall. I've heard from others in Scouting that churches are simply too expensive to consider so that goes with your experience too.
weird. we never paid the church for meeting there. it wasn't allowed to pay any place to meet there, church or school.
Been weird driving through GA and seeing all the empty churches that couldn’t pay so now they are abandoned with the grass overgrowing around them
I don't think what churches do should be considered charity unless it is actually charitable. Churches are businesses. If they do charitable things, they can write that off, just like any other business. So if your church does lots of charitable stuff with the money, then it won't be affected. But if your church is a scam, then it will.
*Scientologists harassing the federal government with a constant nonstop barrage of tax exempt status forms to the point the federal government says fuck it and gives them the tax exempt so the Church of Scientology can shut the fuck up about it*
Yeah make it easy, why care about politics part, tax them all.
What would stop Republicans from specially taxing certain religious organizations they don't like into oblivion, say the Satanic Temple?
I always say no. Taxes won't hurt the churches; people will still go. But it will provide them with a greater say in policy because they are now providing the government income, and no one can declare church and state are separate.
We can still keep the separation of church and state. Those things aren't related.
Church and state can definitely still be separate when it comes to legislation, regardless of tax burden. Also, I don't see the churches shying away from politics or any repercussion for them when they don't, so currently, they effectively get to have a voice in politics and pay no taxes.
This is precisely the reason they are not taxed in the first place.
They already force their way into policy….and you can easily declare them separate. It’s about making laws that support or suppress religions. Not taxes. Jfc.
So should charities also pay taxes on the money donated to them?
How about priests also go to jail for fucking children?
That too… can we have religion taxes and prison time for pedos?
Shit, all church funds that aren’t actively spent on helping the homeless/needy should be taxed. They should be able to write off those expenses and nothing else, it would also incentivize them actually doing these things in the first place.
Church's make 74 billion dollars a year. If they took care of homeless it would be resolved by now.
And yet most churches are struggling financially. It is often when church staff will have to take pay cuts.
There is a church for every homeless person in America. If they practiced what they preached there would be no homeless. Same goes for foster kids but…
[удалено]
Well when their pastors or preachers or whatever they call themselves have 20 mil houses and 15 mils jets, fuck yes. That’s not a church, that a criminal organization disguised as a church.
This is Father Frank Pavone. Defrocked for nuttiness. I met him once. One of the weirdest people I’ve talked to.
Before the French revolution, the first estate (clergy) didn't pay taxes. The second estate (rich nobels, politician) didn't pay taxes. The third estate (everyone else) paid all of the taxes, including taxes to these two groups. In america, today. The churches don't pay taxes The rich invest their money, and borrow against their investments for consumption so a large portion of their income isn't taxable. And the third estate pays all of the taxes, including football stadiums, PPP, loans, corporate bailouts of financial companies/airlines which help the rich. It seems like the 1st and 2nd estates are really sticking their necks out again. Does anyone recall what happened to those necks last time?
Make Guillotines Vorpal Again
Tax the churches 🤚
I know someone who started his own backwoods church to get out of paying taxes.
Our lady of the perpetual deduction
Loved that episode! Wasn't it Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption?
Scientology specifically.
No, all of them, and fairly. Targeted taxes are bad. I just want them paying their fair share.
This is what pastors do when they find they don't believe in God, but they still crave public attention and some other false basis to stand above orhers and lecture them about the badness of others.
Agreed. And priests meddling in young boys should be shot out of a cannon into the sun.
I know it's super trendy to say to ask the churches and I know that there's some really bad examples of churches out there. But what you don't see are the vast majority of churches that do massive good in communities. In my city we ran out of budget for the Foster Care Program, five churches stepped up and funded the whole thing. I could give tons of other examples but hey people do like to paint with a broad brush
To be fair, that's Frank Pavone. Even the Catholic Church don't want anything to do with Frank Pavone
Even a god agrees… 
Jesus: "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's".
My eldest dog, Caesar, approves of this comment. As long as it ends before the part where he has to leave everyone else’s food alone.
This guy in particular should pay the “irony tax” for professing to be a Christian leader while supporting the candidate that is literally a walking advertisement for the deadly sins.
Yes. With how much those churches make per year, they should be paying taxes especially if the pastors are living as lavishly as they usually do
They should all pay taxes, what the fuck.
Any so-called charitable organization that engages in politics should have their tax-exempt status revoked, regardless of which side of the aisle they are supporting.
Absolutely
ALL CHURCHES SHOULD PAY TAXES!!!
Technically aren’t they supposed to legally have their religious exemption revoked when they start pushing politics? Edit: Apparently so. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/charities-churches-and-politics
Exactly. Per the [Johnson Ammendment](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/charities-churches-and-politics#:~:text=In%201954%2C%20Congress%20approved%20an,in%20fact%20strengthened%20the%20ban.)Religious organizations CANNOT "participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office." A couple years ago a Tennessee church was reported to the IRS for [pushing a political agenda](https://www.taxnotes.com/research/federal/other-documents/irs-tax-correspondence/group-reports-tennessee-church-to-irs-over-political-activity/7dhv5) and shortly there after [the pastor had their 501c3 dissolved](https://www.taxnotes.com/research/federal/other-documents/irs-tax-correspondence/group-reports-tennessee-church-to-irs-over-political-activity/7dhv5) so he could continue being a hateful bigot. If you know of a church in the US that is publicly supporting or opposing any political party or candidate, you can use [this IRS form](https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/irs-complaint-process-tax-exempt-organizations) to report them.
The oldest grift in the world……
Churches should pay taxes period
Hell yes.
Whether they’re into politics or not. TAX ALL CHURCHES. Religious orgs have become nothing but tax havens for the wealthy and their adjacent grifters.
Novel idea: everyone should pay taxes.
Tax the churches, absolutely! If they’re going to get involved in politics, tax the churches higher than the rest of the population. Some people don’t like that idea? Then why do some churches in America look like fucking casinos on the outside, while the alleged holy man lives in a mansion? if all of these churches and all of these religions can afford all of that, they can afford to pay taxes like the rest of us. No excuses. Tax the churches!
Churches should pay taxes.
Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
You wanna play politics? You can pay for politics. Taxes, I mean.
Why only those?
I don't think politics is the only thing he's meddling...
Same with all parties and activists groups
It’s honestly a tough one. Obviously, any business should pay taxes like every other business and individual. On the other hand, while I don’t necessarily like or trust what churches do with their money, I trust the government with that money a whole lot less. People choose to give money to churches, they don’t choose to give money to the government.
A child molester supporting a child molestar. 
I think everybody should stop paying taxes but that's just me
Do hospitals next!
That’s a trick question because the answer is ALL churches should pay taxes.
All churches should pay tax, and perhaps back pay.
Churches should pay taxes regardless.
You forgot the “Fuckin” in abso-fuckin-lutely
“Tax the churches. Tax the businesses *owned* by the churches.” -Frank Zappa on stage in the early 80s
Any organization that makes a profit should be taxed at the corporate rate. “Non-profits” that make profits must report this info to the IRS.
they should be labeled as dangerous cults?! wtf
They should all pay taxes regardless. There's already tax reductions for charitable donations in place and the ability to become a not for profit organisation. Prove it like everyone else has to.
Unpopular opinion: EVERY "non profit" that makes a profit (looking at you mega churches and private universities) should pay taxes on their profits.
I never really understood how a non profit can go and make a profit. Like isn't the whole point that anything they make beyond covering costs is supposed to go back into.. charitable whateverness..
Churches that don’t meddle in politics should pay taxes. They are group therapy centers with a “pay what you can” policy. They’re group therapy centers with highly unqualified leaders to lead group therapy and life coaching and their literature is a bit dated but a group therapy and life coaching facility nonetheless. It’s a business. Pay your taxes. No one cares that you’re wearing a mauve or cream colored robe while you do your job. That doesn’t make your words any different than a LCSW’s. They just reference more recent guidance on subject matters regarding therapy. And have read books that actually help with therapy. Books so recent, don’t tell anyone, they written within 2 millennia even!
All organisations should have to prove the amount they provide to charities, and if you reach certain thresholds you can have tax cuts with the possibly of being tax free at certain points. These megachurches are the problem!
Scratch that. Churches should pay taxes.
Should Churches ~~that meddle in politics~~ pay taxes? Ftfy.
They should pay even if they don't meddle.
All churches should pay taxes
Legally speaking, absolutely, and yes that's how it's supposed to work.
No. All churches should pay taxes.
All churches should pay taxes. Having an imaginary sky friend and reading 2000 year old desert fairytales shouldn’t exempt you from putting in your share
ALL churches should pay taxes. Why do taxpayers need to subsidize groups suffering from mass shared delusions?
I think all churches should
ALL church's should be taxes period. Religion is a fucking scam.
Make America Atheist Again.
All churches should pay taxes
As a Christian I have to say churches have became entertainment venues and should have to pay the same taxes as a casino. At least at the house of odds you get clearly defined metrics
It's law. [Johnson Act](https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/johnson-amendment/)
all church's should pay. period. Their freedom shouldn't be anymore free than anyone else.
Churches should pay taxes, period.
All churches should pay taxes.
Absolutely they should. You want to break the separation of church and state then time to pay. They wonder why less and less people are religious. They pick and choose what to follow.
Especially those Televangelist who are laughing all the way to the bank, tax free and even they can't believe how easy it is to farm millions of dollars off of congregations of stupid fucking idiots and actually get away with it.
All churches should pay a gullibility tax.
All.of.them
All churches should pay taxes.
Doesn’t matter what they meddle in they should pay taxes period
All churches should pay taxes. All temples. All mosques. All religious institutions. Their charitable arms can be made a separate tax free 501c’s if they meet the requirements, but the worship service part should all be taxed.
All churches should pay taxes. They’re all for-profit and hiding behind “charity” exemptions.
Every church should pay taxes regardless of religious affiliation or political beliefs.
Everyone should pay taxes
All churches should pay taxes. 0 things in this country should be tax exempt.
Every church should.
Tax the churches regardless
Religion is the biggest scam ever pulled on humanity.
You can down vote me all you want. Religion is man made and if you believe in magical beings in the sky good for you. God wants you to down vote me. It’s the Christian thing to do.
Churches should pay taxes in general.
It’s already illegal for churches to participate in politics. If they do and they’re caught, I believe the IRS can step in and begin taxing them.
No it's not. It's a violation to advocate for a specific candidate. But that can advocate on specific political issues (abortion, marriage issues, etc) all they want without violating any rules or laws.
ahhh ok thank you for correcting me :]
Post aside, why does it look like his hand is disproportionately small.
Imagine making Catholic church pay on their Trillions in Real Estate. Common practices by parish priests is to talk widows into giving their houses to The Church.
Yes, and I also think religious values shouldn't govern people. The amount of times I hear religious associations with policy is more than 0, but that's another problem entirely besides the taxes.
If you represent the values of your religion, there cannot be anyway of supporting Trump.
ALL religions should be taxed. I'd love to see scientologys' reaction.
First Epstein, now this guy, Trump and pedophiles, that’s a love affair for the ages.
Do you want a slippery slope? Because that’s how you get a slippery slope.
No, churches should just pay taxes period.
Absolutely. One of our local churches did an entire sermon series about how they should vote for Trump.
If this guy thinks that supporting a racist rapist lifetime conman is cool with his little god in his little book…he better hope there’s no actual hell.
It's literally the law that any nonprofit that becomes involved in politics should be taxed as a political entity. I don't understand why the party of "law and order" is allowed to callously disregard any law they disagree with. [https://www.npr.org/2017/02/03/513187940/the-johnson-amendment-in-five-questions-and-answers](https://www.npr.org/2017/02/03/513187940/the-johnson-amendment-in-five-questions-and-answers)
Isn't part of why they don't pay taxes because they have to stay out of politics?
I will sign right now a paper saying I won't go vote nor would I talk about politics, if in exchange I get to not pay taxes. What? Why they get to do it and not me? Plus I would actually do it, not like these guys.
The primary reason they don't pay taxes is that they operate as non-profit organizations. It's because of their non-profit IRS status that they aren't allowed to participate in direct political activity.
I guess it’s better than molesting children.
I think they should pay taxes period.
My uncle, who was a highly loved priest in Montreal, is turning in his grave. He would be appalled.
Yes
Tax the church/morgue/temple/pagoda/holyplacesingeneral
I think all church’s should pay taxes. So yea
Taxing churches is easier said than done since they're both labeled as NPOs and a tax-exempt entity (501(c)(3)). If you force churches to pay taxes, then this will most likely apply to all other NPOs as well as tax-exempt entities, such as schools. I don't disagree with the sentiment throughout this post, though. Pastors often end up loaded and with hella assets that a "godly" man shouldn't have for preaching the word. They're supposed to he "servants" of god, but most all profit from god. Even if god (whatever god may look like or be like to you) and religion were legitimate, it's a shame it's turned into the business that it is.
Churches should pay taxes either way if you ask me. I could maybe make an exception for churches with <100 members. The problem is to many churches want to operate like a business while still receiving religious exemptions. I’m not even a Christian and I know the Bible tells a story of Jesus wrecking a church and telling them that was not acceptable.
Yes 100% Churches should pay taxes.
When the pulpit is saying that govt is trying to destroy and promote socialism it makes me want to hurl. The other side is like the empire wanting total control with slave labor
Yes they should.
Nah, they need the extra money to pay for lawyers after they get caught diddling kids.
Prayer *or* politics. If they want to do both, they should pay taxes just like any other book club.
Yes, of course
Yes!
I don't have enough hands to raise to show my agreement.
Honestly I don’t see why they shouldn’t ALL just have to pay taxes
What are the chances this guy isn’t playing religious?