Tax exempt status of Churchs

[BOSSHOG]

This issue should be aired in America after we get back to having an elected President in a few days. It should not be an untouchable issue. Preachers, priests, ministers cannot continue to wink, wink, nod, nod - you know who I want you to vote for from the pulpit any longer. The rules must be revisted to them clearly and distinctly or the tax exempt status goes away - period. This is not a radical idea. Their must be separation of church and state. Our country is governed by the Constitution, not by those in pulpits who urge their flock to alter the constitution to reflect their personal religious beliefs. Each and everyone of us should be free to practice or not practice religion and not be dictated to by some ignorant yahoo in South Mississippi or wherever who just so happens to have access to a little country church (which is used more to provide income from the collection plate to buy his groceries than to minister to the morally challenged).

[Catch22Dem]

1. Yank it

I have always said yank it!

[novadem]

6. I don't like the fact that John Kerry has

been in the pulpit every Sunday in October.

[BOSSHOG]

13. But its okay with you that preachers across the country

are nodding and winking their support for bush from the pulpit? Let us get all candidates out of the pulpit. Let us get religion out of the business of running THIS country. OR, let us tax the churchs. I don't like it that some of my fellow veterans have lost their fucking minds and their moral compasses and have chosen to lie to support george bush. Get Kerry out of the pulpits and get religion out of the business of governing. But most importantly, get bush out of the peoples house.

[hobbit709]

2. Jefferson and Madison

wanted the churches to be taxed

[BOSSHOG]

5. I may have a somewhat convoluted view on the subject

but I believe taxing churchs and giving them free reign in political discourse would be the ultimate separation of church and state. Me and you are taxed and we are obviously free to chatter. I chuckle when "christians" state that taxing churchs equals censorship. Totally absurd argument.

[Robbie67]

3. Like George Carlin says...

"I'm all in favor of helping the mentally ill, but tax-free status is a little step too far, I think. I mean, it is just – it is a mental condition that cannot be accounted for."

[samwisefoxburr]

4. A little FYI some people might find intersting...

...The Church of Satan pays its taxes AND stays apolitical. Anton LaVey said that if we taxed all churches it would pretty much eliminate the deficit.

And if republicans want to get rid of the tax exempt status of the NAACP, then they should do the same with churches. My opinion on that matter is that the NAACP should have permanent tax exempt and be as politically partisan as they want, considering their fight for basic rights of African Americans was (and still is) drenched in politics.

[crispini]

7. I'd agree.

And I'm a Buddhist in good standing. I'd be willing for us to be taxed, as well as for churches to be taxed. I'd be a great thing.

Never pass, tho. :D

[BamaLefty]

8. My view

Tax the ones that wont shut the hell up about politics!

See my thread: "Just walked out of church...!!!" for the full DU view :)

[bubbismith]

9. Agreed, between the born again's and the catholics...

... it's hard to know who is more political. The catholic church has raised to new levels. It seems Jehovah's witnesses remain neutral as a policy but for the most part, the other churches are getting more and more political.

[Malva Zebrina]

10. I agree with you 100%

It is disgusting the way churches have pandered to politics . This is not what was intended in the constitution.

Someone has decided that churches are so holy and untouchable and that the gods they worship are exempt from contributing to the community financially by the very virtue of claiming the god exists. They deprive the community by their non contribution and get away with it. They are a corrupt as the big corporations.

Why on earth should they NOT pay taxes? They are a business like anything else. They are a domicile like anything else. Certainly they are not comprised of people who run the things who are morally or ethically above the rest of us taxpayers who by virtue of their holiness, are entitled to deprive a community of it's needed revenue.
They occupy some of the most desired real estate and invest in more -- all tax exempt.

[BOSSHOG]

11. lets get this one on the front burner

The first thing we need is moron american hating conservatives to chime in with their clear and concise objections to taxing churchs. That would be a good launching point. Kinda like the way they support life by cheering on bush as he gets thousands and thousands of humans killed and maimed for his personal and political gain. Come on lurkers, jump right in and tell us why your little klaverns, disguised as churchs, should not be taxed. You can find klaverns under k in the dictionary. You can find a dictionary at the library.

[Trahurn]

12. Been Yelling this since election 2000

If the church makes the conscious decision to no longer remain aloof from politics and then become proactive participants in electioneering then they no longer have a right to claim their institution is out of the loop politically and therefore their tax exempt status should be forfeited. Just as clear as the passage way through one of Bush's ear straight through to the other one to me.

[BOSSHOG]

14. Then lets do it.

God what patience you must have. Such a low post count for such a long period of time. But I agree with you my fellow American. Let us make the conscience effort to let our elected officials know of our concerns (after we get an elected President in the WH).