TheBannerofHomuraAkemi
Active Member
Oh well I found it Ironic because majority of Church owners voted for Republicans who voted for this tax reform to be passed.
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2017 Tax Bill Has Churches Start Paying Some Taxes
- Thread starter Revoltingest
- Start date
Oh well I found it Ironic because majority of Church owners voted for Republicans who voted for this tax reform to be passed.
This is bad, because separation of church and state goes both ways. By weakening that legal separation we set the stage for more church collusion with government.
Clearly, these parishioners have seen the light.
tytlyf
Not Religious
Good, so why are taxes not implemented yet? Tons of churches talking politics from the pulpit, telling people who to vote for.
tytlyf
Not Religious
I disagree. The secular constitution and the 1A still stand. No religious law. Let them start paying taxes, long overdue. You may be able to save medicare and SS with this change. Or stop voting republican if you're on those programs. Republicans aren't interested in middle class policy. (another example)
Separation of church & state doesn't mean that churches should get free services, eg,
fire protection, police, roads. If they paid property taxes on their real estate like every
non-governmental entity did, this would be both fair and separation. If benefits which
private sector workers are taxed, then so should benefits given church members.
Again, this would be both fair and separation. By receiving such subsidies in the form
of tax avoidances, government actually gains control, eg, prohibiting political speech.
Wishfull thinking, because the moment they are taxable is the moment they get the recognized right to lobby.
That is also my regretful reply to you @Revoltingest
They already do lobby.
So this wouldn't mean a change.
Besides, government shouldn't get to decide who gets to lobby, & who doesn't.
That would be to grant them too much power.
Now, let's look at the gist of what you're saying....
1) Religious freedom & separation of church & state require that taxpayers provide
churches with free public services, & let church workers receive untaxed benefits.
2) To prevent religions from lobbying government, we must provide churches with
free public services, & let church workers receive untaxed benefits.
This does not ring true.
tytlyf
Not Religious
Right, but the majority of democrats are white christians.
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I would still like to see the house of worship itself tax free .
When they start taking advantage by getting into things like shopping malls, housing, schooling , book stores, amusement parks, ....
It's time they start paying their fair share .
When they start taking advantage by getting into things like shopping malls, housing, schooling , book stores, amusement parks, ....
It's time they start paying their fair share .
Phantasman
Well-Known Member
Which is why I don't believe in (orthodox) churches. They are of the flesh/world.
Ok I may have misunderstood about the lobbying, but taxing churches is not the way to maintain separation. It is the path to a state church.
Church A will sometimes find church B inconvenient and seek to silence church B through taxes and other means. Church A if it pays taxes has reason to argue for expanded government support, and churches do aim to be treated like political parties. When they pay taxes an activist supreme court could use that to weaken separation. For example you are more likely to see tax supported creationist six day earth schools. Taxation is not the right way to go and will merely work to excuse futher church govt subsidies. More funds will be directed to chrch relief work. More religious education will find funding.
...reflecting the current US population. In the past some churches have even levied their own taxes through the government. Don't assume this cannot happen again. What has been can be.
The goal of taxing churches for some things is not to maintain separation.
It's to obtain revenue with greater fairness.
Churches don't have the power to tax other churches, or cause government to tax them.
Besides, both churches would be paying the same taxes.
Let'm pay their fair share.
Let the chips fall where they will.
They already have influence, but you would provide justifications for church political parties.
tytlyf
Not Religious
I don't believe in any of that nonsense. People choose to add the baggage of religion to their lives. It's not a requirement in life.
Phantasman
Well-Known Member
That's true. Religions are nothing but doctrines of men. And as far as spiritual knowledge, it's a rewarding choice, not a requirement for living.
Churches already have political parties.
Democratic Party
Republican Party
American Solidarity Party
Christian Liberty Party
Republican Party
American Solidarity Party
Christian Liberty Party
tytlyf
Not Religious
As they should in a democracy. It's one thing to have a political party, it's another to be elected to the federal government dictating religious law. That's unconstitutional.
What politicians do not try to push their own religious values?
This is one reason we have the Supreme Court.