Should churches pay taxes?

Question

Please comment with your reasoning.

Answer

That would be classified as 'double dipping' from the government. I work and receive a paycheck with my taxes already taken out. I go to church and write them a check, and then they have to pay taxes on my already taxed money I'm giving them? How much sense does that make? When you give to a church you are giving a gift, a donation to an organization. So basically, if I decided to write my nephew a check for his birthday I'm also going to send him a 1099 at the end of the year because he needs to pay taxes on that money that was gift. Oh, and that money had already been taxed before it went into my account so I could give it to him.

Answer

It depends on the source of income.

If its charitable donations to any religious institution or house of worship then no it shouldn't be taxed.

If any religious institution or house of worship is generating an income on services provided such as renting out for weddings, group functions, or hiring the services of a religious worker or employees, then yes they should be taxed as any other business would be.

Answer

What would they tax? They don't make income, they don't sell anything. They survive off of people's donations. Do we tax other organizations donations? Why should we tax a churches donations and no one else's?

Answer

I feel 50/50 about this. Like on the one hand, I'm an inactive lds convert and all of the money given to the lds church goes towards the upkeep of church buildings, rental properties used for missionaries, vehicles for missionaries, church literature and work books, building and maintenance of temples, the Bishop store house (which provides free food, cleaning products, and toiletries for less fortunate church members and I think non members as well), relief aid, and some other stuff that I'm forgetting. So in situations like this, I'm  like no way a church should be taxed since the church money is being used for what the religion deems appropriate. Also before I forget, bishops in the lds church are called to that title, so it's not a career and the Bishop gets changed out about every 5 years, so the Bishop supports himself and family from his day job. 
But then I think about some of those televangelist and I'm all for church taxation.  But then if churches are taxed, how would that work for separation of church and state? Would taxing churches give churches more say so about legislation? And if so, then that is something to be considered, with Christianity being the dominant faith in this country. 
But then the extra money from taxing churches could help to potentially help to improve the economy.  But that could also be at the risk of church funded community programs (like some food banks) being done away with.
Anyway I'm rambling. Short answer, I'm not 100% sure.

Answer

There is absolutley no reason they shouldnt. Especially if it is ok for presidential candidates to use their religion as part of their campaign/ stances on issues such as marriage and abortion

Answer

Yes because tithes don't go 100% into churches. If they did, there wouldn't be so many rich pastors..

Answer

I think that churches should have to be absolutely transparent as to where their money goes. I think that if they resist this concept then yes, they should have to pay taxes.

Answer

No, they shouldn't.  Churches rely on contributions to survive and the excess goes to help the needy.

Answer

No. You want separation of church and state, fine, but you don't get to have it both ways. Short of these huge mega churches, most small churches survive solely on the tithes of their congregation, it's how upkeep and maintenance is managed and it's the pastor's salary. You start taxing churches and the small churches like mine will collapse, there is no way for them to survive that.

Answer

Yes.   They are making an income, so should ne subject to taxation.  A church is very different from a charity.

Should churches pay taxes?

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