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Now’s the Time To End Tax Exemptions for Religious Institutions

Discussion in 'News & Current Events' started by poncho, Jul 1, 2015.

  1. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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  2. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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  3. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    For control.
     
  4. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    The power to tax is the power to control. Religious liberty is best assured by keeping churches tax exempt. That has been the historic interpretation of the First Amendment. Many churches also obtain 501c3 status to provide legal protection through established tax code, but that is voluntary.

    Since 501c3 rules usually do not affect the ministry of a church, it is considered good practice.
     
  5. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    The exact opposite of that.
     
  6. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    Uh no. The reason tax exemption is given is because those organizations serve the community in some way. It is freeing up those monies to go directly back into the community.

    The use of tax exemption for control came much later.

    Churches are not being subsidized the monies are being freed up to go back into the communities.
     
  7. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

    http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Charitable-Organizations/Exemption-Requirements-Section-501(c)(3)-Organizations
     
    #7 poncho, Jul 1, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 1, 2015
  8. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    The origins of the tax-exempt sector in the United States predate the formation of the republic. Absent an established Governmental
    framework, the early settlers formed charitable and other “voluntary” associations, such as hospitals, fire departments, and orphanages, to confront a wide variety of issues and ills of the era.

    These types of voluntary organizations have continued to thrive in the
    United States for centuries. In 1831, during his historic visit to the United States, Alexis de Tocqueville observed:

    “Americans of all ages, conditions, and dispositions
    constantly unite together. Not only
    do they have commercial and industrial associations
    to which all belong but also a thousand
    other kinds, religious, moral, serious,
    futile…Americans group together to hold
    fetes, found seminaries, build inns, construct
    churches, distribute books…They establish
    prisons, schools by the same method…I have
    frequently admired the endless skill with
    which the inhabitants of the United States
    manage to set a common aim to the efforts of
    a great number of men and to persuade them
    to pursue it voluntarily.”


    Voluntary associations comprised two distinct types of organizations—public-serving and member-serving. Early public-serving, or charitable,
    organizations included schools, churches, and other voluntary organizations designed to provide services to the public. The popularity of voluntary charitable organizations in the United States, even in the midst
    of strengthening State and Federal governments, suggests that perhaps these organizations, with their well-established structures and programs, were able
    to fill a gap in social welfare programs where the young Government’s efforts proved insufficient.

    http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/tehistory.pdf
     
  9. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    Amendment I

    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

    http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html

    But you may if you so desire waive these rights for a tax exemption.

    Just sign here _______________________________________________ .
     
    #9 poncho, Jul 1, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 1, 2015
  10. plain_n_simple

    plain_n_simple Active Member

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    It will clean God's house when many churches fold, preachers that were not called will change careers, powerless ministries will fall away. The true church will stay and grow stronger as His Spirit continues to poor out in these last days.
     
  11. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    Is this something that can be changed if the work of those organizations (churches) is no longer considered to be a service to the community?
     
  12. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    If your tax exemption is dependent on the 501c3 letter yes. However, churches tax exemption are not dependent on that. They are automatically exempt once they have organized as a church.

    In the end the only service that is actually checked on is if they do the wrong political things.
     
  13. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    Who defines what is wrong politically?
     
    #13 poncho, Jul 1, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 1, 2015
  14. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    It's going to take an executive order to get anyone to pay attention to that old document.
    Fortunately, they're in abundance these days. Just send a check in the proper amount. It's Candyland out there for those who can afford it.
     
  15. JFish123

    JFish123 New Member

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    There's no law forbidding pastors from preaching to there congregation to vote there beliefs and conscience. That would infringe on there 1st amendment and freedom of Religion.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  16. Lewis

    Lewis Active Member
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    Poncho, you often link to Infowars and respect the opinions expressed there, but in this case not. So I'll do it for you:

    "The argument in a nutshell: churches should now be considered “political” entities, therefore the government should be allowed to take away their tax exempt status. Of course the entire goal here is to effectively terminate the church.

    "Boom. Would an ‘I told you so’ here be too cliché? In record time too!

    "All you really had to do was look at Canadian and English churches and observe the course of history to see this was coming down the pipeline. Or, how about in Denmark? Churches have no choice there. None whatsoever. A gay couple, not being members of your church, can demand that your church (any church) marry them. Period. Good lord, even I had to go through a screening process before the church signed off on me. I’m still shocked that they did.

    "But you don’t even have to go out of this country to see the persecution began long before the Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage legal. In 2014, pastors in an Idaho community were forced to marry gay couples—or face fines and jail time.

    "Regardless of where you line up, this was plain to see and predict. The Gay community attacked Christians (while simultaneously ignoring Muslims) relentlessly before they had the constitutional right to be married. What do you think they’re going to do with the power of the courts at their disposal?"
    LINK
     
    #16 Lewis, Jul 2, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 2, 2015
  17. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    The main concern is endorsing one candidate over another (when tax exempt). Though that usually does not pertain to certain candidates/churches
     
  18. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    The difference is that that was a business, not a church.

    But still, they should not be required.
     
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