Ending God's Tax Exempt Status

[queequeger]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

I would think that the main reason is most of the money donated to charities which include churches, comes from people who've already been taxed on their income, therefor, to tax it again would simply be wrong.

Ain't that the truth. And doesn't that make sales tax/property tax also double taxation as we already pay income tax albeit low... just a thought.

Originally Posted by Aliantha

I guess when you get right down to it, if I give money to a church, I would then expect it to be used for the benefit of my community not the government, because I already give the government money in the form of taxes.

Why do you differentiate between the community and the government? I think if you sit down and think about everything our government does with our money you'll see that line blur a lot. Roads, hospitals, community centers, schools, police force, libraries, emergency services, public transit, a military to protect it all, and countless other things I can't think of right now.

All these are things that we couldn't possibly have created as a people had we had a much smaller government that was less localized. Concentration of the money that people contribute to the community (if you think about taxes, church donations, and other things of that nature, they're all personal contributions to a greater organization, willing or not) makes these large scale public works possible. If you ask me, all these services are far more important to my community than any church potlucks that might come out of the collection dish.

[xoxoxoBruce]

queequeger, those things you named are funded by money from different governments, federal, state and local.

[queequeger]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

queequeger, those things you named are funded by money from different governments, federal, state and local.

Yup. I don't see that that makes a difference to my argument. Maybe I don't understand your point?

I see churches as offering emergency aid to those who've 'fallen on hard times' to use a cliche.

Aha! If we did things my preferred method (i.e. northern european model of social capitalism) the government could fill that role and we'd not have to worry about the people helping the needy trying to convert for their religion. I for one don't think I should have to hear a sermon about the ills of sin to have some soup at a kitchen.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Money given to the state and federal government comes back with strings, if at all, to the community. Rarely is it distributed evenly or fairly, so it makes a big difference which taxes you're talking about. You can't blur that line too much.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Well, if you want the US to head for your utopia......

Originally Posted by queequeger

Aha! If we did things my preferred method (i.e. northern european model of social capitalism) the government could fill that role and we'd not have to worry about the people helping the needy trying to convert for their religion.

.... then the first thing to do is secure the damn borders or we'd be broke (us & US) in no time.

[queequeger]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Well, if you want the US to head for your utopia.......... then the first thing to do is secure the damn borders or we'd be broke (us & US) in no time.

Why would we be broke!? This concept that immigrants are going to swoop in and 'steal our welfare check' is ridiculous. People who work make money, pay taxes with that money, buy products that bolster our economy, and the work some more. In short, they're just like us!

They would integrate into the folds of our economy within a few years, and then sure enough I'm willing to bet they'll be complaining about the next wave of immigrants.