Anyone think churches should be taxed?

Once the government really starts seeing the church as a source of revenue, their tax-exempt status will be history. If the government needs it badly enough they'll just reach out and take it.

I think they should remain as are, but if they do tax, they better not play favorites.
Although I think they'd be smart not to change a thing.

Churches should be held to the same standards as other non-profit organizations. They should be required to keep open books, demonstrate that they provide a valuable service, and have the same restrictions on political speech. If a church decides it can’t abide, then it should have to pay taxes just like every other business.

Yes, churches should be made to pay taxes, or at least they should apply for non-tax status, which will force them to open their books to account for every ill-spent penny, though I’m sure the books would be cooked. Clerics are leeches on society, many of whom live in luxury.
The archbishop of Canterbury, for example, who had the temerity to say we must be prepared to accept certain elements of Islamic Law (Sharia),
lives in luxury in Lambeth Palace. Others live in mansions while gorging at the public trough. Why are these people given special status when all they do is chant platitudes and put on a beatific front? The funds they generate are sucked from the public by using the artifices of fear and guilt, then they spread this wealth around and take all credit for it. They are an anachronism; their time is up!

Churches that try to get involved in...or interfere with....politics should absolutely be taxed. Case in point after the Mormon church raised 20+ million to fund prop 8, they should have lost their tax exempt status. If they have that kind of money to throw around, then Uncle Sam should take a piece of it.

Marc™ wrote:

Churches that try to get involved in...or interfere with....politics should absolutely be taxed. Case in point after the Mormon church raised 20+ million to fund prop 8, they should have lost their tax exempt status. If they have that kind of money to throw around, then Uncle Sam should take a piece of it.

Of course if they are taxed, their involvement in politics might go up even more.

GrayWolf wrote:

Anyone think churches should be taxed?

I don't have any problem with it. Especially the Church of Scientology.

What about synagogues should they be taxed as well? The constitution protects these religious institutions. Millions and billions of dollars are collected every day and sent to places like, Israel, Iran and other Moslem countries. Theconstitution did not intend that the American people fund all these countries, many that don’t even like us!

Tony Marino wrote:

What about synagogues should they be taxed as well? The constitution protects these religious institutions. Millions and billions of dollars are collected every day and sent to places like, Israel, Iran and other Moslem countries. Theconstitution did not intend that the American people fund all these countries, many that don’t even like us!

Tony, I think you forgot to mention mosques. I don't think there are any synagogues sending money to Iran. But to answer the question, yeah, them too. Tax exemption of religious entities is not protected under the constitution.