It's just religious money laundering. Tax them like corporations. They own huge chunks of real estate, so property taxes would be great.
Unsubstantiated. I suggest you read the book, "
In Ceasar's Gripe."
Religious money laundering? What the hell does that mean? You think Grandma's $20 in the donation basket is ill gotten gains?
You know nothing about this topic.
While I will grant you, the large organized religions are nefarious, organized, powerful and corrupt organizations, with clandestine links with many NGO's, any such laws would harm small independent organizations that do a lot of good to local communities.
The large international organizations, like multinational corporations, would just find ways around the taxes, while you would end up destroying the local independent churches that are often the only source of shelter, food, relief and comfort for many poor communities. An ill thought out plan. One that is motivated by an ideological hatred toward the faith based community I am sure.
When King Philip IV of France got greedy and thought he would try the same thing, all he did was come up empty. In the process, he destroyed an entire legacy that did great work and charity throughout Europe. It was the government that was truly corrupt, constantly looking for new sources of revenue. Do you really believe that the government can more wisely spend the money that the churches have, better than they themselves can? Do you think people will continue to donate to their church if they believe it just goes to the government rather than to projects in line with their projects of faith?
Do the churches buy warships, attack helicopters, fund terrorists, perform drone strikes, stir up the public to fear the other? Or would that be the government?
No, they build schools in foreign lands, they feed the poor, they build community outreaches for the poor, teach the illiterate to read, they shelter the homeless, etc. You would have the money bail out the "too big to fail banks," wouldn't you?
Sheer stupidity.
