Early in America's history the Supreme Court declared "the power to tax is the power to destroy", McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819. The First Amendment prohibits any law which prohibits the free exercise of religion. Any attempt to tax churches would be challenged on the grounds that that tax prohibits the free exercise of religion. The challenge would probably succeed. It would take a Constitutional Amendment to tax churches. Don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen.

Absolutely so, and the money should go into funding Universal Health Care, just as Jesus would have wanted it to go.

It’s seperation of Church and state because of our Declaration of Independence from England was based upon taxation without representation.

So if we tax churches and their clergy then they will be entitled to hold and/or create political positions within our government and I don’t need to remind anyone how that worked for Europe and now the Middle East

All churches need to taxes!!

Firefighters p c

To the extent that their “income” is derived from donations of their members, no. To the extent that they raise money by sales, yes.

Everyone should pay taxes, including churches, nonprofit foundations, and universities.

Of course they should!

I'm pretty sure firemen, most teachers, and some nurses work for not for profit organizations. So yes it is an unfair advantage for churches. In some cases a huge advantage. Why do you think The Church Of Scientology fought vigorously for many years to get that status. It was a mega windfall for them. Now with the new RFRA laws it seems very relaxed. We had a guy in Indiana file for and get religious tax exempt status for yes, The First Church Of Cannabis.

I guess I'll play devil's advocate here. According to the tax code Churches are non-for-profit organizations, like Rotary or the Cancer Society, which are exempt from taxes because as a society we want to encourage their work in providing beneficial services to the public. You and I might question the value of some of the services they provide (religious counseling, ministry work, etc.), although many churches do a lot of good work in their communities.

I would argue that it would be discriminatory to not allow churches to have not-for-profit tax status just because we don't agree with the premise of their faith. But I'd be happy to hear someone argue why they shouldn't qualify...

Of course they should taxes.The reason they do not taxes is because the majority of the pathetic,indoctrinated public love and support these stupid monuments to superstition and are in favor of them not paying taxes

They are a business and should pay taxes like everyone else.