Religions should be tax-exempt.

[gmeyers1944]

Religions should not have to jump through the latest political correctness hoops to keep their tax-exempt status.

 

[ReinyDays]

501(c)(3) has some limits ... true ... my immediate question is what kind of religion has financial profit? ...

Get it ... ha ha ha ha ... prophet ... ha ha ha ha ha ... but seriously, corporations only pay taxes on earnings, not revenue ... take in a million dollars, spend a million dollars, there's no taxes owed ... a 501(c)(3) corporate charter will say exactly what any extra money is spent on ... and that's only one limitation the 501(c)(3) brings ... the other main one is a prohibition of political speech ... ministers can't say "vote for joe blow" from a 501(c)(3) pulpit, it has to be a tax-paying pulpit to say that ...

I know ... ministers can tell folks to murder queers ... but not who should be local dog catcher ... go figure ...

 

[Magnus]

Religions should not have to jump through the latest political correctness hoops to keep their tax-exempt status.

Define political correctness.

 

[rightwinger]

Religions are exempt
Always have been

 

[DudleySmith]

Most don't register their churches as 501.c3's, some register their charities as such. Most just get a letter from the IRS saying they're exempt so donors can take deductions on their tax returns. Pastors and other paid employees are not tax exempt and never have been.

Most preachers in fact pay more in taxes than most people do; they're 'contractors' and get 1099's, which makes them liable for the full Social Security taxes as opposed to only paying half while the employer pays half. They also pay property taxes on any land they aren't using for church purposes; they can't just squat on huge properties. There is no law forcing churches to incorporate or comply with the IRS or state and local govt. tax authorities.

Even the IRS needs express permission from its director and present overwhelming evidence of fraud to even audit a church. They aren't compelled to file tax returns.

 

[excalibur]

Only Christian denominations should be as the intention was to protect the free exercise of the Christian faith. Now we have pagans and witches claiming exemptions which was never the intention of the First Amendment.

We even have Jews arguing in Indiana that the 10-week cutoff for abortion violates their religious liberty and two Indiana judges have restrained the law (the Indiana Supreme Court will hear the appeal on them).

 

[1srelluc]

Preach politics from the pulpit, lose your 501 status....Done and done.

 

[MisterBeale]

Preach politics from the pulpit, lose your 501 status....Done and done.

If you don't file any tax status, you can preach anything you want from the pulpit.

Religion has not one whit to do with the government, and government has no right to tax it at all, no matter what they preach, or how they organize politically.

 

[1srelluc]

If you don't file any tax status, you can preach anything you want from the pulpit.

Religion has not one whit to do with the government, and government has no right to tax it at all, no matter what they preach, or how they organize politically.

You hold your view, I'll hold mine.

 

[Coyote]

Only Christian denominations should be as the intention was to protect the free exercise of the Christian faith. Now we have pagans and witches claiming exemptions which was never the intention of the First Amendment.

We even have Jews arguing in Indiana that the 10-week cutoff for abortion violates their religious liberty and two Indiana judges have restrained the law (the Indiana Supreme Court will hear the appeal on them).

BS

 

[fncceo]

Religions should be tax-exempt​

Everyone should be tax exempt.

 

[MisterBeale]

You hold your view, I'll hold mine.

Not a view, it is the law.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Taxation, can be prohibitive to the exercise thereof.

If folks gather to practice, and do not file for 501c, they don't need any special status, they can't have their religion taxed. It is right there in the Constitution.

 

[DudleySmith]

Preach politics from the pulpit, lose your 501 status....Done and done.

Wrong. Preachers can preach on anything they want, same as other citizens. If assorted sociopaths and deviants want to politicize their sexual fetishes and/or murder babies or legalize thievery then churches have every right to speak out and organize opposition as loud and as often as they feel like.

 

[DudleySmith]

Only Christian denominations should be as the intention was to protect the free exercise of the Christian faith. Now we have pagans and witches claiming exemptions which was never the intention of the First Amendment.

Yes. That was the original intent, along with keeping the Anglican Church from establishing itself as the national favored church.

Pagans and witches are just a joke, and need to be ignored and banned.

 

[ding]

501(c)(3) has some limits ... true ... my immediate question is what kind of religion has financial profit? ...

Get it ... ha ha ha ha ... prophet ... ha ha ha ha ha ... but seriously, corporations only pay taxes on earnings, not revenue ... take in a million dollars, spend a million dollars, there's no taxes owed ... a 501(c)(3) corporate charter will say exactly what any extra money is spent on ... and that's only one limitation the 501(c)(3) brings ... the other main one is a prohibition of political speech ... ministers can't say "vote for joe blow" from a 501(c)(3) pulpit, it has to be a tax-paying pulpit to say that ...

I know ... ministers can tell folks to murder queers ... but not who should be local dog catcher ... go figure ...

The restriction is limited to candidate endorsement. Opposing slavery or abortion - while having political implications - isn’t restricted. At least that’s my understanding of the restriction.

 

[ding]

Preach politics from the pulpit, lose your 501 status....Done and done.

No. Endorse specific candidates lose 501 status.

 

[MisterBeale]

Wrong. Preachers can preach on anything they want, same as other citizens. If assorted sociopaths and deviants want to politicize their sexual fetishes and/or murder babies or legalize thievery then churches have every right to speak out and organize opposition as load an as often as they feel like.

Agreed.

As long as their central activity IS NOT politics, but is religion, they are not even required to file for 501c status. Many churches remain unincorporated for this very reason.

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf

The restriction is limited to candidate endorsement. Opposing slavery or abortion - while having political implications - isn’t restricted. At least that’s my understanding of the restriction.

It can actually go, well beyond that. Some churches can get quite political. As long as their primary purpose IS NOT politics, it is all good. Churches led the fight for civil rights.

Churches are leaders in getting folks registered to vote, and getting folks to the polls, or getting ballots in the mail, and yet, they are still UN-taxed, as they should be.

http://www.jcmatthews.org/uploads/5/3/7/7/5377341/in_caesars_grip.pdf

 

[MisterBeale]

No. Endorse specific candidates lose 501 status.

Unless you don't file 501 status. Churches don't need to file 501 to be tax free.

 

[DudleySmith]

The restriction is limited to candidate endorsement. Opposing slavery or abortion - while having political implications - isn’t restricted. At least that’s my understanding of the restriction.

They can speak out on any social issue they want; these claims are just assorted deviants and sociopaths harassing Christians and tryinig to destroy them as a cultural force in the U.S. We know what they're after, and it isn't 'rationalism' and 'equality'.

 

[ding]

They can speak out on any social issue they want…

Correct.