Wanting to tax nonprofits which do a ton of stuff for the community and thinking that churches make enough to "send a rover to mars once every two weeks forever."
Actually, if all the churches in the US paid taxes then we'd have either 40 or 80 ( forgot which ) billion in taxes from them.
And I think it should depend on the church because some people buy places and claim them as a church to avoid taxes, like what the scientologists did in Florida.
"Actually, if all the churches in the US paid taxes then we'd have either 40 or 80 ( forgot which ) billion in taxes from them. "
Can I get a source on this? Also, if this is true, would said churches still be able to provide all of the support they do for their communities?
One of jmany, many, many sources to back this: washingtonpostDOTcom/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/08/22/you-give-religions-more-than-82-5-billion-a-year/ (sources found within). Also what support youre talking about? The gazillions of dollars fraudulent preachers steal from their sheep to spend them for hookers, blow and blingbling?
It even says in the article you posted that they have no actual data on it and are guessing at those numbers and admits that the ones doing the guessing are most likely biased.
As for community support, churches fund and run: charities, soup kitchens, schools, orphanages, medical centers, homeless shelters, etc. Churches also organize community service projects, serve as gathering points, help unify the community, and work closely with emergency responders in the event of a natural disaster.
I'm not sure if it's the same in America but here extremely rich people have to pay a very reduced percentage in tax than people earning average wages(20%). Can you just imagine how much good all that money could do from taxes if it was used correctly?
Jens is just expressing keynesian(sp?) economics. One of the government's most important roles is as the country's biggest consumer raising demand, which raises supply, which creates jobs, which raises income, Etc. James believes the government should decrease its spending because he's an idiot.
And I think it should depend on the church because some people buy places and claim them as a church to avoid taxes, like what the scientologists did in Florida.
Can I get a source on this? Also, if this is true, would said churches still be able to provide all of the support they do for their communities?
As for community support, churches fund and run: charities, soup kitchens, schools, orphanages, medical centers, homeless shelters, etc. Churches also organize community service projects, serve as gathering points, help unify the community, and work closely with emergency responders in the event of a natural disaster.