Should Places of Worship Be Tax Exempt?

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 01-12-2015, 09:30 AM
philnpat's Avatar
philnpat philnpat is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Clifton Park, NY and soon to be Duval
Posts: 814
Thanks: 94
Thanked 16 Times in 5 Posts
Default

My wise father always avoided talking politics and religion with friends. He also advised against throwing gasoline on a fire.
  #17  
Old 01-12-2015, 09:32 AM
Challenger's Avatar
Challenger Challenger is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,264
Thanks: 56
Thanked 369 Times in 162 Posts
Default

There are some estimates that the value of "church owned" properties in the US may approach $1 trillion. The question of local subdivisions imposing RE taxes is complicated with far reaching consequences, but in my opinion should be carefully explored.
Many of our churches have what I refer to as an "ediface" complex , which to me has greater meaning than the tax question. When we meet our "maker" I hope I do not have to account for the spending on "edifaces" while the "hungry and homeless and sick and poor " were crying out for help.
__________________
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" Edmund Burke 1729-1797
  #18  
Old 01-12-2015, 09:37 AM
Rags123 Rags123 is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 673
Thanks: 1
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by janmcn View Post
The same can be said for all of downtown Clearwater which is owned by the Scientologists.
Actually, and I am doing this from memory, they own about 60 or so properties and ONLY those used for "religious purposes" are exempt.

I THINK that amounted to about 2/3 of the properties that they own. When they buy a hotel it is not exempt from taxes, and trust me I am not a defender of this "religion" because they will do whatever is necessary to shield their income. They often used false names and shell corporations to make buys.

Glad this came up as folks are posting about the "church" and wonder what "church" they refer to when they say that so generically.
  #19  
Old 01-12-2015, 12:44 PM
Bavarian Bavarian is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Bridgeport Village at Laurel Valley
Posts: 778
Thanks: 55
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl View Post
Shall we talk about all non profits? I don't like stuff that isn't what it is supposed to be. I don't like that Westboro Baptist Church. I do like St. Timothy's. Is that too big? Where do we stop with this stuff? Shall we talk about Bingo? Shall we talk about having to pay membership to a church? Now I can get into that discussion. I don't like Bingo in places of worship to make money. I don't like sushi.

BUT I REALLY don't like the tone of this at all. I do not like anti-religious anything just because you aren't religious. UNLESS the religion is out to slit your throat.

It just isn't how I was raised. If you are not religious, than don't be, but don't be hateful.

Goooooooooooood Morning Villages. The natives are restless.
Ditto. The money raised goes to Charity.
__________________
Kyrie Eleison
Philadelphia(Germantown) 20 years, Brandywine Hundred, DE 3 years, St. Mary's County, MD 38 years, Villages
  #20  
Old 01-12-2015, 01:34 PM
sunnyatlast sunnyatlast is offline
Gold member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: The Villages, FL
Posts: 1,208
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

I don't like local church monies going up the chain to national and international headquarters where the big shots do "who knows what" with it. But there is no denying what religious charities like Catholic Charities accomplish for the common welfare of society:
"RELIGIOUS institutions in America are not required to report income or spending. In the absence of co-ordination among local and national church organisations and their subsequent co-operation with The Economist, we attempted to estimate the total economic heft of the Catholic church in America by constructing a national operating budget. Here is a back-of-the-envelope calculation.

The $170 billion total was derived by adding together the following:

Health care: $98.6 billion was reportedly spent by members of the Catholic Health Association of the United States.

Education: publicly available operating budgets for the 244 Catholic colleges and universities (for those whose budgets where unavailable or out-of-date or had closed, we drew up estimates based on those of comparable institutions) add up to $48.8 billion

Parish disbursements: we calculated a national estimate by grossing up incomplete numbers provided by the Center for the Applied Research on the Apostolate at Georgetown University. Total: $11 billion. [This would probably include Catholic K-12 parish schools, which reduce the local public school districts' income/expenditure needs greatly].

Charities: we used the total annual budget of Catholic Charities USA, which includes all of its local subsidiaries (but not other local charities) and amounts to $4.7 billion….."
The Catholic church in America: The working | The Economist
  #21  
Old 01-12-2015, 11:08 PM
CFrance's Avatar
CFrance CFrance is offline
Sage
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Tamarind Grove/Monpazier, France
Posts: 14,480
Thanks: 388
Thanked 1,922 Times in 783 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bavarian;99***1
Ditto. The money raised goes to Charity.
I'm not sure that applies across the board. What about that archbishop in Atlanta with the 2.2 million dollar mansion? And good ole Jim and Tammy Faye Baker (BTW he's out of jail and trying to start up again in Michigan) and their ilk?
__________________
It's harder to hate close up.
  #22  
Old 01-12-2015, 11:32 PM
DougB's Avatar
DougB DougB is offline
Sage
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Hacienda South
Posts: 2,948
Thanks: 1
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CFrance View Post
I'm not sure that applies across the board. What about that archbishop in Atlanta with the 2.2 million dollar mansion? And good ole Jim and Tammy Faye Baker (BTW he's out of jail and trying to start up again in Michigan) and their ilk?
Just a drop in the bucket compared to the Pope's 1.21 billion dollar mansion.
__________________
“ Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. ”
  #23  
Old 01-13-2015, 02:02 AM
Bonanza's Avatar
Bonanza Bonanza is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,314
Thanks: 27
Thanked 289 Times in 131 Posts
Default

Somewhere along the line, my original post on this thread that encompassed "places of worship," was turned into churches only. I have seen Christian churches of all types, synogogues, Greek Orthodox churches, mosques, etc., which fall into the category of what I consider "overkill" in terms of what these places look like and cost and the reason for their very being.

If posters want to be specific regarding a place of worship -- fine. But please don't think being specific was my intent. {;o)
__________________
A Promise Made is a Debt Unpaid
~~ Robert W. Service ~~
  #24  
Old 01-13-2015, 11:25 AM
njbchbum's Avatar
njbchbum njbchbum is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Summer at the Jersey Shore, Fall in New England [Maine], Winter in TV!
Posts: 5,633
Thanks: 3,060
Thanked 752 Times in 256 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sunnyatlast View Post
I don't like local church monies going up the chain to national and international headquarters where the big shots do "who knows what" with it.
snipped

Funny - I feel the same way about all of the government taxes that we pay!
__________________
Not sure if I have free time...or if I just forgot everything I was supposed to do!

  #25  
Old 01-13-2015, 11:31 AM
njbchbum's Avatar
njbchbum njbchbum is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Summer at the Jersey Shore, Fall in New England [Maine], Winter in TV!
Posts: 5,633
Thanks: 3,060
Thanked 752 Times in 256 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonanza View Post
I've often seen places of worship throughout the country that are beyond grand. Obviously, I'm not speaking about the small neighborhood places, or even the even lesser noticed places where services are held in a rented store front.

I'm speaking about the ostentatious "architectural palaces" which are built with incredible stained glass windows, manicured landscaping and gardens, night-scape lighting, imported woods and stone . . . the list goes on as have the costs which range in the many millions. Many of these places are built in prime real estate areas where they are exempt from taxation.

What are your thoughts regarding places of worship being exempt from taxes?
If you believe they shouldn't be, how should they be taxed?

What justification can you offer for taxing the "ostentatious architectural palace" from the not ostentatious despite all structures being attached to a religious denomination?

Why is what is good for one not good for another?
__________________
Not sure if I have free time...or if I just forgot everything I was supposed to do!

  #26  
Old 01-13-2015, 11:45 AM
Tobys Dad Tobys Dad is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 106
Thanks: 18
Thanked 36 Times in 16 Posts
Default

Tax them, to me they are nothing but money hungry businesses. Those who enjoy spending their money on churches are more than welcome to do it. To each their own.
  #27  
Old 01-13-2015, 12:07 PM
Bavarian Bavarian is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Bridgeport Village at Laurel Valley
Posts: 778
Thanks: 55
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CFrance View Post
I'm not sure that applies across the board. What about that archbishop in Atlanta with the 2.2 million dollar mansion? And good ole Jim and Tammy Faye Baker (BTW he's out of jail and trying to start up again in Michigan) and their ilk?
So, you would throw the baby out with the bath water.
I do not know the Archbishop in Atlanta you speak of, but if Catholic, Pope Francis will in all likelihood remove him like he did the bishop of Limburg.
The Bakers were televangisist, and their own "church".

Now the comment re the Vatican. The Vatican buildings are museums also of ancient art that artists in the middle ages created for The Church as a gift to God of their time and talent.

The beautiful Churches are designed and built to bring the Faithful closer to God.

To those who believe no explanation is necessary, to those who disbelieve, no answer will suffice.
__________________
Kyrie Eleison
Philadelphia(Germantown) 20 years, Brandywine Hundred, DE 3 years, St. Mary's County, MD 38 years, Villages
  #28  
Old 01-13-2015, 12:51 PM
graciegirl's Avatar
graciegirl graciegirl is offline
Sage
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 40,004
Thanks: 4,850
Thanked 5,493 Times in 1,903 Posts
Send a message via AIM to graciegirl
Default I am Phil.

This is a better argument than I could write.

http://townhall.com/news/religion/20...s_be_taxexempt
__________________
It is better to laugh than to cry.

Last edited by graciegirl; 01-13-2015 at 02:12 PM.
  #29  
Old 01-13-2015, 02:27 PM
gap2415 gap2415 is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 389
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default I Agree

What a hardened world we now live in.

The majority of churches are not castles and every pastor cannot be painted with the same brush as the few fallen pastors.

The vast majority of churches and ministers do so much good!



Quote:
Originally Posted by graciegirl View Post
  #30  
Old 01-13-2015, 03:00 PM
old moe old moe is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 187
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Monkei View Post
The law which granted them the tax exempt status was given to them if they did not enter the world of politics, such as endorsing of not endorsing. Every year the church ignores the agreement ...
Don't know what church you attend?, or not, but we go to a Catholic Church even when we travel and have NEVER HEARD a Priest talk politics in any of them.
Closed Thread

Thread Tools

You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:00 AM.