Reply #32: I am unsure what part of the Constitution you are talking about. [View All]

[davsand]

Frankly, I think the argument could be made that granting exemption to ANY church over any other is giving a governmental preference to one form of religion over another.

Right now, if you personally decide you want to host some form of religious observance in your living room YOU can't get an exemption--yet that is a fundamental reason (use) why many "recognized" churches are exempted. That would contradict the entire First Amendment prohibition against establishment of a "national religion." They are, essentially, creating a "preferred" religion by giving those churches something they will not give to your religious space.

Churches are thought to "lighten the burden of government" somehow, and that was an argument that was made for the creation of that 501(C)3 law. I have never fully understood that logic, personally. I can see how community organizations that are organized specifically for the assistance of the community (food banks, for instance) could be seen as lightening the governmental load, but I have yet to see how being a church is enough to claim to provide that benefit.

YMMV, this is just my personal opinion here.



Laura