Tax the church

[AAAintheBeltway]

The Founders expressly wanted to keep religion out of the government process.

Nope, that is not what the First Amendment says at all. In fact, there are abundant speeches by people such as George Washington that are directly contrary to that.

The First Amendment says congress(not the states) shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof. That means no official national religion and no bans on practicing religion. Somehow the judicial dictators have managed to turn those simple concepts into a confused mass of conflicting opinions that have produced literally the exact opposite of what the Founders envisioned.

 

[AAAintheBeltway]

Why should any religion be given tax exempt status?

That is a different question than what the OP addressed, which concerns the IRS monitoring churches for an unacceptable level of political conduct.

Churches are tax exempt and donations are deductible for the same reasons they are for any charity. It was thought by the congress that they served a laudable public purpose and therefore deserved tax relief.

 

[wildchild]

Nope, that is not what the First Amendment says at all. In fact, there are abundant speeches by people such as George Washington that are directly contrary to that.

The First Amendment says congress(not the states) shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof. That means no official national religion and no bans on practicing religion. Somehow the judicial dictators have managed to turn those simple concepts into a confused mass of conflicting opinions that have produced literally the exact opposite of what the Founders envisioned.

This argument the Bill of Rights only applies to Congress has been through the Courts and it has lost.

 

[wildchild]

That is a different question than what the OP addressed, which concerns the IRS monitoring churches for an unacceptable level of political conduct.

Churches are tax exempt and donations are deductible for the same reasons they are for any charity. It was thought by the congress that they served a laudable public purpose and therefore deserved tax relief.

Do you agree?

 

[Cuddles]

I'd like to start a religion; that's where the money is -L. Ron Hubbard

 

[java]

Why should any religion be given tax exempt status?

In the interests of central planning, we tax what we want less of and exempt what we want more of. That's why interest paid to mortgage bankers is exempt.

 

[Arnie]

If I could wave my magic wand, I would get rid of every single exemption...churches, int write off, personal deduction...everything.

 

[AAAintheBeltway]

This argument the Bill of Rights only applies to Congress has been through the Courts and it has lost.

That's another issue. The Supreme Court decided that it could greatly intrude on states' rights by claiming that the Pandora's Box known as the 14th Amendment somehow "incorporated" undefined parts of the Bill of Rights so they applied to the states.

My point was that the First Amendment says nothing about religious influence on government. It restricts government's interference with religion.

 

[CaptainObvious]

Nope, that is not what the First Amendment says at all. In fact, there are abundant speeches by people such as George Washington that are directly contrary to that.

The First Amendment says congress(not the states) shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof. That means no official national religion and no bans on practicing religion. Somehow the judicial dictators have managed to turn those simple concepts into a confused mass of conflicting opinions that have produced literally the exact opposite of what the Founders envisioned.

I am not referring to the first amendment. I'm talking about the original intent of the framers. The no religious test clause in particular. This came prior to the establishment clause and there's a reason for that. They knew that when it comes to government keeping organized religion out of it is the number one priority. Removing the Johnson amendment opens a direct pipeline for money to flow from the pulpits to the political whores in congress. You trying to tell me there won't be conditions to get that money? Please. This amendment has never really been enforced and you'd be hard pressed to find a real church that's ever has the IRS up their butts. I still contend that religious zealots have brought this to the forefront to test and eliminate this law. Lord Trump gave it to them with the swipe of the pen. Not at all what the framers intended. Not even close

 

[CaptainObvious]

%%
If you want the gov to control churches ,Captain O, Russia+ Arabian nations usually do that; anyone in US is on Judeo- Christian foundation. That does not mean you have to be a Jew or Christian, or Jewish Christian , but foundations are important. And if you do move to Russia, they dont like capitalists much unless you are in the commie gov.And if you own a gun/guns , you ask them if you can keep your guns?? LOL

I am not concerned with government controlling the church. The church controlling government is the threat here