Religions Should Be Taxed

[trex]

Why is it that religions don't have to pay taxes? Why is it that those who serve the church can take huge tax breaks? I have nothing against religion no matter what you choose (or not choose) to believe in. It just doesn't make sense that religious organizations don't have to pay their fair share in taxes.

Sure they may do some good things, but a lot of other professions also do good things. I would rather see teachers not have to pay taxes than religious leaders. In my opinion, they can do much more good seeing kids five days a week. Homeschool? Great, then you deserve a tax break too. Why are we willing to let religion not have to pay taxes when everyone else does?

[project15]

Religious leaders do pay taxes. They are treated as "self-employed". I'm friends with two youth pastors, a worship leader, and a pastor and they all pay taxes, just in a different way than I do. They get a housing stipend that is tax deductable which I'm ok with since they also get paid much less than industry or educational workers.

My wife is a social worker and I would love getting tax breaks like them, but they get paid even less than her and she's at the low end of pay on a professional scale.

[trex]

Religious leaders do pay taxes. They are treated as "self-employed". I'm friends with two youth pastors, a worship leader, and a pastor and they all pay taxes, just in a different way than I do. They get a housing stipend that is tax deductable which I'm ok with since they also get paid much less than industry or educational workers.

My wife is a social worker and I would love getting tax breaks like them, but they get paid even less than her and she's at the low end of pay on a professional scale.

I didn't say religious leaders don't pay taxes. I said they get tax breaks that normal people don't, which you yourself have also said. I said that religions get tax free status. Both are wrong in my opinion.

[project15]

I would rather see teachers not have to pay taxes than religious leaders

This implied to me that you thought religious leaders currently do not pay taxes.

[trex]

This implied to me that you thought religious leaders currently do not pay taxes.

My bad. I can see the confusion. I should have probably used "get the same tax breaks"

[jc3900]

It doesn't matter if you are the pope, you should still as a citizen pay the taxes that everyone else pays. With that said, I could also say that it is terribly UNFAIR that a high income person pays substantially more % of his income in taxes than a low income person. Get where I am going with this. Enough with this redistribution of wealth. Give the same tax rate to everybody and if that doesn't give you enough money for your bloated government, then cut the governemnt down.

[maat55]

Pastors are exempt from SS,but are responsable for their own retirement. Religion itself is nonprofit. If you want to get mad, get mad at the government. Their the ones getting the free ride.

[trex]

With that said, I could also say that it is terribly UNFAIR that a high income person pays substantially more % of his income in taxes than a low income person.

Sure you could, but then you would reveal yourself as a whining Republican.

[m3racer]

I didn't realize this forum was inundated with demorats...LOL

[trex]

I didn't realize this forum was inundated with demorats...LOL

Hope you're not referring to me. Democrats whine just as much.

[cschin4]

Don't we already pay enough taxes? Do we really want to invent new ways for govt to confiscate money that we have earned through the sweat of our brow. Sorry, one more tax on ANYTHING is one more tax too many. Why don't you instead focusing on lowering income taxes for these other things than trying to slam another group.

[neguy11]

Um, my dad is a pastor and he DOES pay taxes. Where you did you get that religious leaders don't pay taxes?

Actually he owes ever year.....what tax breaks should he be taking? He takes a tax credit for my sisters tuition, but other than that nothing special.

[maat55]

Um, my dad is a pastor and he DOES pay taxes. Where you did you get that religious leaders don't pay taxes?

Actually he owes ever year.....what tax breaks should he be taking? He takes a tax credit for my sisters tuition, but other than that nothing special.

I've heard that pastors can opt out of SS, but still have to pay income tax like everyone else.

[tripods68]

It wouldn't be a good idea for religious group to lose their tax exempt status. This is about separation of church and state.

[tmango]

It wouldn't be a good idea for religious group to lose their tax exempt status. This is about separation of church and state.

My initial reaction is that I actually think that losing their tax exempt status would further separate church and state. Government would treat it like any other organization.

Not that I church and state are close to being separate, nor do I necessarily believe that we should take away exemptions for none profits...

edited to sound nicer..