LINK Major evangelical nonprofits are trying a new strategy with the IRS - The Washington Post
It wouldn't be terrible if religious organizations lost their tax-exempt status altogether. There's no constitutional reason to favor religious groups above all others with tax exemptions, if you think about it.
Why should the FFRF pay taxes, but not the Billy Graham Crusade?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Do you all know how Scientology got classed as a ''religion?" Because they have tons of money, they began suing the government....repeatedly looking for tax-exempt status. They promised they'd tie up the govt. attorneys in court forever--if that's what it took. Finally, the govt. caved and....ta dahhhh....Scientology became a ''church." They're as corrupt as can be...and it's all tax-free revenue. Want to be in the ''church?" Pay for their "courses" which grow increasingly expensive as you move on. It's bullshit, of course....but it's profitable bullshit.
LucyLoohoo
Level 9
Jan 18, 2020
3
That's a new one. "Profitable bullshit". Hahahahah Good one. Thanks..
What? Make religious organizations responsible for their finances? Blasphemous! God needs me to have a yacht. It says so right there in the Booble.
Shawno1972
Level 7
Jan 18, 2020
4
It's curious that the Evangelicals have much the same business and tax views as trump. They are correct presidents come and go and so do tax policies. Change is coming. The pendulum swings both ways.
rogueflyer
Level 8
Jan 18, 2020
3
Some folks don't want to change the church tax exemptions because they don't want to open the floodgates allowing churches to participate in political campaigns. I think that train left that station long ago. It's time to tax them.
I think a good compromise would be to allow a limited tax exemption for property that would include the church, and the parsonage. The limitation should be that the property and building values do not exceed those of average family dwellings.
This would put most mega-churches out of business, as well as the Xian theme parks, private jets, and crystal cathedrals.
OldWiseAss
Level 7
Jan 18, 2020
4
Mega churches have dirty written all over them! They support Trump, they hate women, gays and others and have jets to fly all over the world! They do not pay taxes! They basically use their GOD as a hate weapon!
soobydoody607
Level 6
Jan 18, 2020
3
They use their god as a money machine.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is estimated to be worth $67 billion alone and the Vatican's net worth is unknown. I'm sure one of these religious neandertals needs another private plane. The one next to me in Dallas is ran by T.D. Jakes of the Potter House and I noticed the church bought up much land and homesites now and even an apartment complex coincidentally named Potter Place...such shady shit going on and nobody bats an eye at it while the poor, elderly, desperate, and naive hand over shitpiles to these pyramid scam pimps.
StellarAmor75
Level 6
Jan 17, 2020
4
Exactly. Taxes help with needed updates to roads, services, etc.
DenoPenno
Level 9
Jan 17, 2020
4
The taxes are needed for roads and free transportation, but only roads that lead to churches and public transportation to churches. That way everyone can get to churches to give what they have left of their paychecks to the churches. Every preacher needs mansions.
United States of America and its tax code is of European invadors and the secret religion of the Masonic lodge secret religion racist devil worshippers.
Why should any one be forced or required to worship the devil and the beast-666 by paying taxes?
Word
Level 8
Jan 17, 2020
2
Glad to see you're still around, let us know how those meds are working.
WHAT?? Right wingers are destroying America with their God! I am not religious because I had 2 aunts as nuns and I grew up Byzantine Catholic and turned out to be gay! I beat my dads ass because he was a religious nut who beat me with a belt buckle! He got what he deserved! Let us all hope that Trump gets thrown in prison!
Can't get it as I don't allow ads.
This is only happening under tRump because the religious nuts feel empowered. The basic rule is that non-exempts are not allowed to take sides on individuals or issues and is the Johnson amendment (and a very reasonable one at that). Despite tRumps proclamation he has removed this amendment he has and cannot alone and it won't happen under a democratic house. Also, FFRF has sued the IRS twice and won both times to get those churches breaking the law to pay. The IRS once said since they made the law (which they did not) they can break it but still lost. Why should churches that commit crimes as theft and especially pedophilia be exempt from paying taxes????
JackPedigo
Level 9
Jan 17, 2020
4
I'd like to see this--the amount of revenue they actually donate to good (PROVEN) causes can be tax exempt! The rest of it is---taxable at the same rate we all pay! Same deductions we have and same penalties.
@LucyLoohoo Often thy even have their hands out to the local community to help with some project. Too many times this works and FFRF has sabotaged many of these hand-outs. Not only should non-profits be tax exempt but a special credit should be given to the non-prophets as well.
The main point is that they're reclassifying themselves as churches rather than nonprofits so they don't have to file disclosures on what they pay their CEOs and other employees, or many details about their other expenditures. This also makes it next to impossible for the public to discover anything about their activities.
It's also happening because, among other things, they're looking to shield their donor lists, so that well-known individuals can keep contributing to anti-LGBTQ groups without being outed as bigots.
Our posts look familiar!
@JackPedigo The churches certainly are "Non Prophets".........LOL
@JackPedigo A true non-profit wouldn't be taxed, if my understanding of corporate law is correct (and it might not be)- since companies are taxed only on their profits, correct?
If churches, on the other hand, are using donations for political activities but calling themselves non-profits, they should be paying taxes. The First Amendment cuts both ways.
@Paul4747 I know some, outside of the mainstream, organized churches, say they aren't religions either. Always tricks with these people to skirt the rules. Remember the saying: Give unto Caesar that what is Caesar and onto god that which is god's? Maybe there should be and addition, unless you can fool Caesar. Right now the IRS bends over backward for these scofflaws and look the other way when they don't file 990 forms and politicize from the pulpit. The IRS is afraid of public reaction if they are seen as going against religion. Luckily, there is an increasing number of Nones that can counter some of the more egregious tricks of the fundamentalists. Besides, I see all this trickery as a sign of desperation.
@twill Actually they are for prophet businesses.
@JackPedigo The IRS has been ordered, at this time, not to examine churches too closely (or at all), in contrast to the Obama administration's instructions that they enforce the rules across the board. This is not only a payoff for evangelicals' supporting Trump, but because Trump does the opposite of what President Obama did, as a reflex action.
Ironically, one of the main traditional readings of the phrase "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" is that it commands people to respect state authority and to pay the taxes it demands of them. Paul the Apostle also states in Romans 13 that Christians are obliged to obey all earthly authorities, stating that as they were introduced by God, disobedience to them equates to disobedience to God.
In this interpretation, Jesus asked his interrogators to produce a coin in order to demonstrate to them that by using his coinage they had already admitted the de facto rule of the emperor, and that therefore they should submit to that rule. Therefore, Xians who want to be tax exempt are actually disobeying Jesus. Naughty Xians.
@Paul4747 Thank you. I do remember the circumstances behind the sayings. Too bad so many 'christians' (sic) have forgotten them. Another reason religion has corrupted our democracy and, as I stated, a sign of desperation.
I have a friend who was an IRS agent in American Samoa. This is a very religious island but she enforced the rules. Not very popular but she was respected and the churches did obey. It seems churches feel rules are not made for them and they get really upset when someone enforces them. Just look at the number of cases FFRF deals with and win and the response from those they defeat (Crank mail in their newsletter). [ffrf.org]
@JackPedigo Samoa was a paradise before those damn missionaries. 8) Have a good day.
@Paul4747 Absolutely, not only common sense but the law. One everyone should obey. Why have a law but allow some to not have to obey it and others do?? It makes a mockery out of our system.
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