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Gerry_O'C's avatar

...whatever about Morgan Karen, u won't encounter anyone or anything as vague as Thunberg, fact, and that's being kind!...

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Charles Summers's avatar

I am for phasing out the tax exemption for churches, because it is already being used, like pointing to a guillotine, to try to censor the pulpits. At some point soon, all bible-believing churches will have to decide between preaching the gospel or groveling for their tax-exempt status.

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Karen Bracken's avatar

I think they have already made their choice. They can walk away from their 501C at any time but have chosen not to do so.

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Michael Srite's avatar

Why is this? Income taxes on businesses are generally applied on profits, right? Obviously, some churches do bring in enough to make a profit, e.g., the TV preachers, but most are not doing as well. One church in my neighborhood that

went broke didn't need its tax exemption. What is the benefit of a tax exemption to a non-profit business?

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Karen Bracken's avatar

So how did churches survive before 501? They counted on the community to support them. Most people today do not donate BECAUSE of 501. Why should I donate when the government is basically funding the church by allowing it to avoid taxes. If a church fails there are many reasons.

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Michael Srite's avatar

Churches can't pay bills with their tax exemptions.

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Karen Bracken's avatar

But the tax exemption puts money in their bank account that they would otherwise have to send to the government. So in a back door way tax exemption surely does pay bills. It is up to the people to make sure their church survives. And some churches are poorly managed and that is why they fail. And guess what you don't need a building to preach the word of God. Many preachers long ago preached to the public on the streets and they still can do that today. Sorry but way too many churches today do not preach the word because they care more about their tax exempt status than about preaching the word of God.

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Michael Srite's avatar

Thanks, but I tried to make the point that churches are considered nonprofit organizations. No profit means no taxes, so where are they better off with the 501c tax exemption when they'd pay no tax anyway?

Now, there are other taxes besides income taxes. In my state churches pay no property taxes. This, even when churches are in direct competition with non-exempt businesses as they operate daycare and schools, recreation centers, cemeteries, etc. This is unfair to the private businesses that must pay property taxes.

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