Why Are US Churches Tax Exempt?

[Sunni Man]

There you go, you're confusing NAMBLA with regular homos. Apples and oranges.

There isn't any difference. Apples, oranges, homo's., they are all fruits. ...

 

[JoeBlow]

There you go, you're confusing NAMBLA with regular homos. Apples and oranges.

There isn't any difference. Apples, oranges, homo's., they are all fruits. ...

Not all pedophiles are homos, some are hetero, so not all fruits. And there's homosexuality all throughout nature, put there by God/Allah.

 

[dblack]

Well, I've been reading info to the contrary here: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf - they seem to have a whole list of rules, er "guidelines", describing how a church can lose its tax exempt status.

Maybe the IRS is just punking me.

Whatever. I don't really do the church thing so it's no skin off my back. I just hate seeing people falling for a con. Most people think of tax incentives as "benefits", not realizing that they're all about control.

Oh, a few are, but not many.

I don't know about "few" vs "many". But here's what I found in the doc:

Tax-Exempt Status
Churches and religious organizations, like many other charitable organizations, qualify for exemption from federal income tax under IRC Section 501(c)(3) and are generally eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions. To qualify for tax-exempt status, the organization must meet the following requirements (covered in greater
detail throughout this publication):

• the organization must be organized and operated exclusively for religious, educational, scientific or other charitable purposes;
• net earnings may not inure to the benefit of any private individual or shareholder;
• no substantial part of its activity may be attempting to influence legislation;
• the organization may not intervene in political campaigns; and
• the organization’s purposes and activities may not be illegal or violate fundamental public policy

regarding your claim that churches can't be audited, there was this section:

Audit Process
The sequence of the audit process is:

1. If the reasonable belief requirement is met, the IRS must begin an inquiry by providing a church with written notice containing an explanation of its concern.
2. The church is allowed a reasonable period in which to respond by furnishing a written explanation to alleviate IRS concerns.
3. If the church fails to respond within the required time, or if its response is not sufficient to alleviate IRS concerns, the IRS may, generally within 90 days, issue a second notice, informing the church of the need to examine its books and records.
4. After issuance of a second notice, but before commencement of an examination of its books and records, the church may request a conference with an IRS official to discuss IRS concerns. The second notice will contain a copy of all documents collected or prepared by the IRS for use in the examination and subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, as supplemented by IRC Section 6103 relating to disclosure and confidentiality of tax return information.
5. Generally, examination of a church’s books and records must be completed within two years from the date of the second notice from the IRS. If at any time during the inquiry process the church supplies information sufficient to alleviate the concerns of the IRS, the matter will be closed without examination of the church’s books and records. There are additional safeguards for the protection of churches under IRC Section 7611. For example, the IRS can’t begin a subsequent examination of a church for a five-year period unless the previous examination resulted in a revocation, notice of deficiency or assessment or a request for a significant change in church operations, including a significant change in accounting practices.

I'm still waiting for all that proof from the Osteen haters that he is a crook living tax free in a big giant mansion n stuff. He hasn't ...
...
...

I don't know what you're going on about with the rest of this. You seem to believe I'm attacking religions, that I'm accusing them of corruption, or suggesting that they don't deserve the "benefit" of tax exemption. That's not it at all. I'm saying that the tax exemption thing isn't a benefit. Like all tax incentives, it's a means of control. A quid pro quo whereby the government offers to exempt religions from taxes if they abide by certain rules - eg staying out of politics, not making a profit, etc, etc. And if they don't toe the line, the exemption is yanked and they're forced to pay taxes like everyone else. It's a carrot AND a stick.

I don't know why it's so important to you to deny this.

 

[DudleySmith]

Tax-exempt status for churches and religious organizations serves a continuing social benefit to American society and is consistent with our country’s commitment to keep the government from unnecessary entanglements with religion.

As long as they stay in their place.

Pastors have the same rights to free speech as anybody else. They can speak on whatever they feel like speaking on, political issues or not. They just can't use their church organizations to support specific candidates; as individuals they can publicly support anybody they please.

Right, as long as the church refrains from "excessive" political activity, or promoting any kind of legislation, or, essentially, pissing off the government, they get the exemption.

Yes, and even then the IRS has severe restrictions on even conducting an audit at all.

Special rules limiting IRS authority to audit a church | Internal Revenue Service

Overview of rules on tax inquiries and examinations of churches.

www.irs.gov

As long as they stay in their place. As long as they conform to the state's definition of a "church", and don't violate any IRS rules (eg limiting their political activities, et al). If they step out of line and lose their 501-c-3 status, they can be audited like any other business.

The govt. doesn't define what a 'church' is ...

Of course they do. Not just any business can call itself a church and get the exemption.

501.c3's don't have to be churches. Churches are not required to incorporate; even the Catholic Church isn't incorporated, but nearly all of their auxillaries are. The IRS can't audit them unless they have proof they are not churches, and they have to jump through hoops after they get the proof. It's pretty simple; I don't why you can't grasp that point and think tht means the government can order them around. They can't, not yet, and even Democrats fear to tread into that sort of harassment. People like Kenneth Copeland get audited because they're stupid and fly around on jets doing personal business and are blatant about not reporting the use on their personal tax returns. They audited Copeland's unreported comps, not his church.

 

[DudleySmith]

There you go, you're confusing NAMBLA with regular homos. Apples and oranges.

There isn't any difference. Apples, oranges, homo's., they are all fruits. ...

Not all pedophiles are homos, some are hetero, so not all fruits. And there's homosexuality all throughout nature, put there by God/Allah.

lol a rubbish argument, typical of dope addled pagan materialists.

 

[DudleySmith]

Churches in America are tax exempt due to their humanitarian and altruistic efforts.

Most everyone has a food pantry program, unwed mothers program, homeless program, drug and alcohol abuse program, marital counseling, daycares, youth sports programs and etc.

Most every single one of these programs are provided free or low, income-based cost to the communities. Paid and provided by gifts to the church by the members of the church.
These programs are often done by volunteers...so the execution might be flawed but they are intended to be helpful.

And now someone wants to tax charity?
Why?

Cuz faggots and other assorted deviants and sociopaths are all mad n stuff cuz many churches won't let them rape little kids or gangbang each other in public, stuff like that. The EVul Xians frown on deranged fetishists mindlessly spreading diseases and promoting their mental illness and 'normal'. The faggot rights movement in the U.S. was founded by the same guy who founded NAMBLA, Harry Hay.

 

[DudleySmith]

Pastors have the same rights to free speech as anybody else. They can speak on whatever they feel like speaking on, political issues or not. They just can't use their church organizations to support specific candidates; as individuals they can publicly support anybody they please.

Right, as long as the church refrains from "excessive" political activity, or promoting any kind of legislation, or campaigning for a candidate, or, essentially, pissing off the government, they get the exemption.

Tax-exempt status for churches and religious organizations serves a continuing social benefit to American society and is consistent with our country’s commitment to keep the government from unnecessary entanglements with religion.

As long as they stay in their place.

Pastors have the same rights to free speech as anybody else. They can speak on whatever they feel like speaking on, political issues or not. They just can't use their church organizations to support specific candidates; as individuals they can publicly support anybody they please.

Right, as long as the church refrains from "excessive" political activity, or promoting any kind of legislation, or, essentially, pissing off the government, they get the exemption.

Yes, and even then the IRS has severe restrictions on even conducting an audit at all.

Special rules limiting IRS authority to audit a church | Internal Revenue Service

Overview of rules on tax inquiries and examinations of churches.

www.irs.gov

These people in the OP want an exemption for their donors no other political party gets.

As long as they stay in their place.

With this group in the OP, it's clear they are not forming a church, but a PAC

If you read the documentation carefully, you will also find notes that churches have exceptions to 501.c3 requirements

Quite the conundrum fellas....

from the IRS link>>>>

Church Audits - Reasonable belief requirement | Internal Revenue Service

Meaning of "reasonable belief" in Code section 7611

www.irs.gov

• Voters guides created and/or distributed by the church

>>>>>>

Christian Voter Guide - Home

www.christianvoterguide.com

so much for separation of church/ state , eh?

~S~

Not really. It's not hard to separate the con artists and fraudsters from actual churches, and the clowns in the OP article are clearly 100% a political PAC, and not a church, and say so themselves. They're just attention whoring to promote themselves. Lots of people fall for it, even though the info is out there.

Do you think somebody who puts the word 'Christian' in the name of their car dealership should be tax exempt? How about a brothel? The Christian Science Bunny Ranch? They aren't being forced to pay taxes, they just can't make donations to them tax deductable and hide their accounts from audits. Why they want to do that is what should be looked at. You can't deduct your donations to the GOP or candidates, so why should donations to these clowns be able deductible???

 

[DudleySmith]

Definition of church | Internal Revenue Service

Discussion of the difference between churches and religious orgnaizations.

www.irs.gov

These guidelines are for the IRS itself, and do not constitute legal requirements for churches themselves. Chruches can indeed run businesses, as long as they pay taxes on any profits they make. The majority of IRS audits are for the personal income taxes on ministers who may be failing to report income and comps. I can't find how many chruches have been audited, but we know a few ministers' personal income tax returns have been.

For example:

$100 Billion In Mormon Till Does Not Merit IRS Attention

Well, it’s interesting to see Mormons back in the tax news.

www.forbes.com

There are no laws preventing churches from forming trusts or accumulating savings.

 

[DudleySmith]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

 

[dblack]

Tax-exempt status for churches and religious organizations serves a continuing social benefit to American society and is consistent with our country’s commitment to keep the government from unnecessary entanglements with religion.

As long as they stay in their place.

Pastors have the same rights to free speech as anybody else. They can speak on whatever they feel like speaking on, political issues or not. They just can't use their church organizations to support specific candidates; as individuals they can publicly support anybody they please.

Right, as long as the church refrains from "excessive" political activity, or promoting any kind of legislation, or, essentially, pissing off the government, they get the exemption.

Yes, and even then the IRS has severe restrictions on even conducting an audit at all.

Special rules limiting IRS authority to audit a church | Internal Revenue Service

Overview of rules on tax inquiries and examinations of churches.

www.irs.gov

As long as they stay in their place. As long as they conform to the state's definition of a "church", and don't violate any IRS rules (eg limiting their political activities, et al). If they step out of line and lose their 501-c-3 status, they can be audited like any other business.

The govt. doesn't define what a 'church' is ...

Of course they do. Not just any business can call itself a church and get the exemption.

501.c3's don't have to be churches. Churches are not required to incorporate; even the Catholic Church isn't incorporated, but nearly all of their auxillaries are. The IRS can't audit them unless they have proof they are not churches, and they have to jump through hoops after they get the proof. It's pretty simple; I don't why you can't grasp that point and think tht means the government can order them around. They can't, not yet, and even Democrats fear to tread into that sort of harassment. People like Kenneth Copeland get audited because they're stupid and fly around on jets doing personal business and are blatant about not reporting the use on their personal tax returns. They audited Copeland's unreported comps, not his church.

You seem to be missing the point. Or maybe just steering around it. Whatever. No sense in beating a dead horse.

 

[sparky]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

How quaint sir!

~S~

 

[DudleySmith]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

What about it? It was passed illegally, after the Civil War and we had the most corrupt Supreme Court in our history for the next 30 years. The 1st Amendment was passed a lot earlier, I'm pretty sure ... it didn't apply to state govts. then, and it has never been repealed.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

What about it? It was passed illegally, after the Civil War and we had the most corrupt Supreme Court in our history for the next 30 years. The 1st Amendment was passed a lot earlier, I'm pretty sure ... it didn't apply to state govts. then, and it has never been repealed.

Illegally? Did your parents dribble your poor little head like a basketball?

 

[DudleySmith]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

What about it? It was passed illegally, after the Civil War and we had the most corrupt Supreme Court in our history for the next 30 years. The 1st Amendment was passed a lot earlier, I'm pretty sure ... it didn't apply to state govts. then, and it has never been repealed.

Illegally? Did your parents dribble your poor little head like a basketball?

No, that was your head they were dribbling.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

What about it? It was passed illegally, after the Civil War and we had the most corrupt Supreme Court in our history for the next 30 years. The 1st Amendment was passed a lot earlier, I'm pretty sure ... it didn't apply to state govts. then, and it has never been repealed.

Illegally? Did your parents dribble your poor little head like a basketball?

No, that was your head they were dribbling.

Oh, great comeback! Do Momma and her sperm donor know you are on the computer?

The 14th Amendment made all the Bill of Rights applicable to all states. You will lean that when you get to middle school.

 

[DudleySmith]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

What about it? It was passed illegally, after the Civil War and we had the most corrupt Supreme Court in our history for the next 30 years. The 1st Amendment was passed a lot earlier, I'm pretty sure ... it didn't apply to state govts. then, and it has never been repealed.

Illegally? Did your parents dribble your poor little head like a basketball?

No, that was your head they were dribbling.

Oh, great comeback! Do Momma and her sperm donor know you are on the computer?

The 14th Amendment made all the Bill of Rights applicable to all states. You will lean that when you get to middle school.

Still too stupid to figure out that the 1st Amendment was around a lot earlier, I see. Do you always forget your meds, or do you just don't like taking them like you should? Do you have the date the 1st was repealed?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

What about it? It was passed illegally, after the Civil War and we had the most corrupt Supreme Court in our history for the next 30 years. The 1st Amendment was passed a lot earlier, I'm pretty sure ... it didn't apply to state govts. then, and it has never been repealed.

Illegally? Did your parents dribble your poor little head like a basketball?

No, that was your head they were dribbling.

Oh, great comeback! Do Momma and her sperm donor know you are on the computer?

The 14th Amendment made all the Bill of Rights applicable to all states. You will lean that when you get to middle school.

Still too stupid to figure out that the 1st Amendment was around a lot earlier, I see. Do you always forget your meds, or do you just don't like taking them like you should? Do you have the date the 1st was repealed?

Shut your cock holster, dumbass! The 18th Amendment was passed first. Is drinking of alcohol still illegal?

 

[seaofnails]

.
Religious Organizations yearly provide about $1.2 trillion dollars of socio-economic value to the USA economy according to a 2016 study by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation.

This is the world’s 15th-largest national economy - this is more than the global annual revenues of the world’s top 10 tech companies, including Apple, Amazon and Google.

Religious Organizations yearly - are 50% larger than the global annual revenues of America’s six largest oil and gas companies MONEY that is being placed - into the US economy. This is $418 billion from religious congregations; - $303 billion from other religious institutions such as universities, charities, and health systems; and $437 billion from faith-based, faith-related or faith-inspired businesses.

Religious Organizations yearly provide $418 billion annually to the American economy.

Religious Schools employ 420,000 full-time teachers and train 4.5 million students each year. St. Benedict’s Catholic Prep helps 530 mostly poor, mostly minority boys get ready for college and beyond. St. Benedict’s sends 95% of its graduates to college, including a sizable number to Ivy League schools. And graduates, such as Uriel Burwell, return to make an impact. Upon graduating from Drew University, Uriel returned to his childhood neighborhood to build 50 new affordable houses, rehabilitate more than 30 homes and attracted more than $3 million funding to build additional affordable homes and apartments in the area.

Religious Organizations yearly provide 130,000 alcohol recovery programmers - as the Saddleback Church “Celebrate Recovery” programmed that has helped to recover more than 27,000 individuals in the past 25 years. They also provide 120,000 programs to help the unemployed.

nearly 26,000 religious churches are engaged in an active ministry to help people living with HIV-Aids. That makes one HIV-Aids ministry for every 46 people who are HIV positive and over 320,000 congregations are today helping to recruit volunteers for programmers outside their walls, to help non-religious people - in Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the United Way and the American Red Cross.

Religious Organizations yearly provide $303 billion of socio-economic impact to the US economy each year in the Knights of Columbus, with 1.5 million members responding to disasters and other human needs. One in six people visiting a hospital in the US is cared for in a Catholic facility. AND The Adventist Health Systems, employ as many as 78,000 people in 46 hospitals.

Islamic Relief USA, responded to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and hired - PAID FOR 20 local staff and distributed 135,000 gallons of free water during the height of the water crisis.LifeWay Research did a survey question: asking “Which, if any, of the following areas of service have you heard local Christian churches or their members doing in the last six months?” A list of options was then provided, offering service areas such as feeding the hungry or providing aid for new mothers.

Sixty percent of respondents indicated that, in the last six months, they had heard of Christian churches or members offering the service of “feeding the hungry,” making it the most heard-about service that exists in The USA -

In 2011, data gathered by Ram Cnaan of the University of Pennsylvania revealed that services provided by churches are contributing to communities in a way people may be even less likely to recognize: through the economy. Churches, on average, provided $476,663.24 of services in 2009 to their surrounding communities, Cnaan reported.

The First Baptist Church in the Philadelphia area - data showed that First Baptist’s budget alone helped contribute to the economy: outreaches such as crime prevention and re-entry ($84,000) as well as helping people find employment ($725,000) were a large part of that.

The contribution that Churches provide to the USA is far beyond what is reported. We do not even know about the money, help, aid and services that are given by Christians who do it in total secret.

The Abortion facilities do nothing but take - TAX PAYERS HARD EARNED MONEY - from their communities and provide a very, very expensive and violent and murderous form of birth control - for the most irresponsible, selfish, reckless and out of control - and sexually perverse and laziest people who have ever existed on the planet.

who demand taxpayers hard earned money - to fund the sexual pleasure, sexual joys, sexual journeys and raptures and delights of others on a daily basis. Nothing but self-worship and self - gratification...,

The abortion mob act as if they are literally god on earth - whose right and power - is to dig into someone else's pocket for them to fund their next sexual experience.

There is no such a comparison - Donald Trump’s greatest achievement – and future election - lies totally and directly to work to the giving of much, much more money back into the responsible \ Religious Based Organizations and completely removing all federal funding from all abortion clinics. And limiting all abortion to 20 weeks - and putting people into prison for having and performing abortions after 20 weeks.

 

[DudleySmith]

And for the sake of argument, while the 1st A limits what the Feds can do re chruches and religion, how many think the 1st A limits state and local govts. from denying tax exemptions for churches? I happen to think they don't have to and the restrictions on the Fed do not apply to the individual states.

You best read the 14th Amendment.

What about it? It was passed illegally, after the Civil War and we had the most corrupt Supreme Court in our history for the next 30 years. The 1st Amendment was passed a lot earlier, I'm pretty sure ... it didn't apply to state govts. then, and it has never been repealed.

Illegally? Did your parents dribble your poor little head like a basketball?

No, that was your head they were dribbling.

Oh, great comeback! Do Momma and her sperm donor know you are on the computer?

The 14th Amendment made all the Bill of Rights applicable to all states. You will lean that when you get to middle school.

Still too stupid to figure out that the 1st Amendment was around a lot earlier, I see. Do you always forget your meds, or do you just don't like taking them like you should? Do you have the date the 1st was repealed?

Shut your cock holster, dumbass! The 18th Amendment was passed first. Is drinking of alcohol still illegal?

More stupid nonsense. The 18th was repealed by the 21st, dumbass, and you probably do really think the 18th was passed first before any others were; you claim to be teacher, after all. The 1st has never been repealed, and we know the Founders who passed the 1st never made it apply to the states, dumbass, which is why many states still had established churches for decades after the Constitution was ratified, moron. The individual states had the rights to establish or dis-establish as they pleased, and that goes for tax authority and exemption privileges as well.