churches paying taxes for the first time under Trump -- not happy

[Jorge Luis Borges]

Read the article, it took some employees deductions away, not their tax exempt status (/I read the post here assuming as well)

Yeah, I read it. I was responding to the seemingly popular idea on Sherdog that churches should not be tax exempt. That's a silly notion. The article suggested legislation is already being drafted to lift those provisions. I suspect it will pass. While some on the left might be tempted to make it painful for Trump's base, this hits their base as well.

 

[Legumes]

Does this mean those mega-church pastors will now be forced to fly commercial instead of their own private jets? Or will the congregation cough up the $ differences so they can continue to spread the word lavishly...

 

[TheFirstEMP]

Backfired gloat thread.

 

[InternetHero]

Well...good. They shouldn't be tax exempt.

I know most of the posters here are in favor of this for various often punitive reasons.

However, do we really want spiritualism to go full-scale consumerism?

Should Buddhist monks and Jesuit priests pay bills to fix a pothole or two or else hit the streets? Is that tacitly good for people or generous of spirit?

 

[Prutfis]

This doesn´t sound like a whole lot and with plenty of loopholes.

a 21 percent tax on some types of fringe benefits they provide their employees.

 

[hiphopnazi]

I miss Rip.

 

[KnightTemplar]

Good. Fuck 'em.

 

[irish_thug]

I fully support taxing churches. Always have

 

[HIMBOB]

Stupid messume.

Will increase costs by a very small margin for profitable churches but significantly for NFP that actually have people doing good work(which takes manpower).

I would prefer some assessment of the good they provide and they can then claim a tax deduction on that. Currently just being a church is not a high bar for tax exempt status.

 

[ssBaldy]

Good! Tax the shit out of churches! We need this BAD in Russia as well.

 

[Beechwood]

Interesting. I've read that many hospitals will declare themselves of some religious status. It is done for the tax savings. This upsets some I've read as in exchange for giving hospitals charity tax free status, free medical services are to be provided for the poor. Typically though this does not happen or more tax savings is given then charity medical services provided.

In the former town I lived in, a few politicians wanted the hospitals to begin paying taxes since little charity work was being done.

 

[Seano]

I don't have a huge issue with this, though I think there should be some exemption for churches that bring in less than a certain amount. I don't think priests ( clergy etc) should live like kings on the communities dime.

 

[Madmick]

Pastors have to pay personal income tax (they get housing deductions)

You guys have no idea how much of a social net churches provide, take away the tax exemptions and the poor, orphans, single mothers will take the hit. The federal government won’t save a penny

Yeah, I'm torn on this. Generally, the nonprofit model has become a tax haven for corruption that I don't support, but there are still legitimate organizations out there like the Salvation Army that are true light-siders, and this includes most of the mainline Christian denominations and their churches (as well as mainlines for other faiths).

It's this fucking Evangelical shit that Billy Graham started. He was sincere. I'm not sure a single successful pastor who followed has been. The rise of the unaffiliated non-denominational church culture in this country has exacerbated the problem-- not alleviated it.

 

[HereticBD]

I know most of the posters here are in favor of this for various often punitive reasons.

However, do we really want spiritualism to go full-scale consumerism?

Should Buddhist monks and Jesuit priests pay bills to fix a pothole or two or else hit the streets? Is that tacitly good for people or generous of spirit?

If those Monks are raking in millions upon millions of dollars and aren't giving it away, then yes, yes they should.

 

[Tekk]

 

[JosephDredd]

Who's that blonde MILF prosperity gospel pastor lady Trump pals around with who makes millions by speaking in Ebonics and telling black women that their men will cheat if the women don't cater to them? Her videos make me cringe, mainly because of the Ebonics.

 

[Pupi]

Trump has been saying this for a while now with the explicit purpose of making churches political institutions. This is not good at all.

 

[SaiWa]

I don't have a huge issue with this, though I think there should be some exemption for churches that bring in less than a certain amount. I don't think priests ( clergy etc) should live like kings on the communities dime.

it's been a long while but I agree with you on this point. As long as they don't hide the money into private jets and mansions... I am good with some of these organizations being tax free.

@Madmick yup - organizations like the Salvation Army should also indeed get a pass at paying taxes.

 

[Gregolian]

I know most of the posters here are in favor of this for various often punitive reasons.

However, do we really want spiritualism to go full-scale consumerism?

Should Buddhist monks and Jesuit priests pay bills to fix a pothole or two or else hit the streets? Is that tacitly good for people or generous of spirit?

To be fair Buddhist monks aren't buying Leer jets every other year and living in a 100 room 2 billion dollar mansion.

I'm all for the IRS going after the Olsteen or however you spell his name types. The Buddhist monks, local churches where the pastors work a REAL job and do the preaching on a volunteer basis and such shouldn't be gone after IMO.

 

[cottagecheesefan]

This is a step in the right direction, but only a very small step. From skimming the article, it says only fringe benefits. For a big organization like the Jewish Federations of North America is only looking at $75k?

75k is NOTHING for even just the Jewish Federation based out of Miami/South FL.

You look at Mormon Compounds, Scientology retreats, the life styles of many pastors/televangelists, etc..

Pastors have to pay personal income tax (they get housing deductions)

You guys have no idea how much of a social net churches provide, take away the tax exemptions and the poor, orphans, single mothers will take the hit. The federal government won’t save a penny

This is taxes on benefits of EMPLOYEES, not people they are doing charitable work for, or the food they would be giving to charity. It looks like staff members being able to write of meals for their own employees, and similar benefits, and stuff like "entertaining clients" will no longer be able to be written off.

Of course churches should be tax exempt. The government has no reasonable claim to a piece of the money I offer out of devotion to God.

I suspect this tax will go away in short order. The right can't afford to piss off evangelicals and the left doesn't want a war with urban black churches or Catholic Hispanics either.

I don't think it really matters in the long run. A move like this makes people in the middle happy. I think there are more people in the middle in favor of this, than people in the far-right religious base. Moreover, the far-right isn't going to switch to the left over this.