If religious organizations were taxed

[DemPGH]

If they actually are non-profits, that should change, then.

If you taxed churches, wouldn't you have to tax all non-profit institutions? The reason churches are tax-exempt isn't because they're religious organizations, it's because they meet the definition of non-profit organizations under IRS rules.

I agree but disagree. Catholic Church, Protestant churches, etc should not be taxed but cults like scientology or jeovah witnesses should be taxed (well their not legit).

But if you think that you're ingesting the body and blood of a 2,000 year-old deity infused into wine and a bread product . . . ?? Ehhhh. What constitutes "cult behavior" is a very good question! Especially when boatloads of money are being made.

[Liftwieghts34]

America would be better if we had more GUNS, GODS, AND GUYS ON STEROIDS WHO ARE MAXED OUT, BUFF, SEXY, AND DEMI GODS.

[Liftwieghts34]

America would be better if we had more GUNS, GODS, AND GUYS ON STEROIDS WHO ARE MAXED OUT, BUFF, SEXY, AND DEMI GODS in terms of FITNESS.

[bore]

This is a terrible idea. The idea of taxing charlatans like Joel Olsteen is pretty attractive but I have no appetite for ruining important community organizations that give sanctuary/aid to the homeless, immigrants and the impoverished.

muh bill maher doe!!!!

I couldn't agree more. You don't have to be religious to agree that Churches do a lot of good for a lot of impoverished people.

Do they still require you trade your mental faculties for their hogwash or would even an atheist hobo receive a soup? 

I can't speak for America but in Edinburgh Christian organizations run a hugely disproportionate share of services for the homeless, and no one turns people away based on their religion.

Very good.  Now, onto Round 2.  Does the soup come with a pamphlet? 

No. I think your impression of christian charity (at least a lot of it) is based more on what you want to be the case rather than what actually is the case.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

This is a terrible idea. The idea of taxing charlatans like Joel Olsteen is pretty attractive but I have no appetite for ruining important community organizations that give sanctuary/aid to the homeless, immigrants and the impoverished.

muh bill maher doe!!!!

I couldn't agree more. You don't have to be religious to agree that Churches do a lot of good for a lot of impoverished people.

Do they still require you trade your mental faculties for their hogwash or would even an atheist hobo receive a soup? 

I can't speak for America but in Edinburgh Christian organizations run a hugely disproportionate share of services for the homeless, and no one turns people away based on their religion.

Very good.  Now, onto Round 2.  Does the soup come with a pamphlet? 

No. I think your impression of christian charity (at least a lot of it) is based more on what you want to be the case rather than what actually is the case.

What?!  Why would I ever desire evangilation? 

[bore]

This is a terrible idea. The idea of taxing charlatans like Joel Olsteen is pretty attractive but I have no appetite for ruining important community organizations that give sanctuary/aid to the homeless, immigrants and the impoverished.

muh bill maher doe!!!!

I couldn't agree more. You don't have to be religious to agree that Churches do a lot of good for a lot of impoverished people.

Do they still require you trade your mental faculties for their hogwash or would even an atheist hobo receive a soup? 

I can't speak for America but in Edinburgh Christian organizations run a hugely disproportionate share of services for the homeless, and no one turns people away based on their religion.

Very good.  Now, onto Round 2.  Does the soup come with a pamphlet? 

No. I think your impression of christian charity (at least a lot of it) is based more on what you want to be the case rather than what actually is the case.

What?!  Why would I ever desire evangilation? 

From your forum posts it's clear you're incredibly committed to the stance that religion poisons everything. Genuinely religious altruism (which evangelistic charity wouldn't be because it would have a benefit for the group running it) would completely disprove your theory, so it's not surprising that your pushing so strongly against the idea that it could exist.

[Joe Republic]

Bore, your perspective is from the milquetoast Church of England people in a country where evangelism is generally seen as distasteful.  We have a rather different perspective in the good ol' USA.

[bore]

Bore, your perspective is from the milquetoast Church of England people in a country where evangelism is generally seen as distasteful.  We have a rather different perspective in the good ol' USA.

I've never been so mortally offended in my life. I'm Scottish

But yeah, like I said I don't know enough about the charity situation in the US to really comment on it. Like all sane people I find the vast majority of American Christianity awful. What I would say is the homelessness work which I'm really familiar with is done by various branches of Catholicism, and they don't discriminate or evangelise, so I'd assume that at least a good proportion of church charity projects in America are non discriminatory and non evangelistic.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Like all sane people I find the vast majority of American Christianity awful.

Actually most of it is fine. The problem is with what could be accurately described as a vast minority...

[Simfan34]

This is a terrible idea. The idea of taxing charlatans like Joel Olsteen is pretty attractive but I have no appetite for ruining important community organizations that give sanctuary/aid to the homeless, immigrants and the impoverished.

muh bill maher doe!!!!

I couldn't agree more. You don't have to be religious to agree that Churches do a lot of good for a lot of impoverished people.

Do they still require you trade your mental faculties for their hogwash or would even an atheist hobo receive a soup? 

I can't speak for America but in Edinburgh Christian organizations run a hugely disproportionate share of services for the homeless, and no one turns people away based on their religion.

Very good.  Now, onto Round 2.  Does the soup come with a pamphlet? 

Do you really have to ask? Of course it doesn't. I say this from my experience volunteering at three different soup kitchens here in NYC, two Catholic and one Episcopalian (if I remember correctly), and besides grace before serving the food, at no time was religion brought up, much less proselytisation.

[TJ in Oregon]

This is a terrible idea. The idea of taxing charlatans like Joel Olsteen is pretty attractive but I have no appetite for ruining important community organizations that give sanctuary/aid to the homeless, immigrants and the impoverished.

muh bill maher doe!!!!

I couldn't agree more. You don't have to be religious to agree that Churches do a lot of good for a lot of impoverished people.

Do they still require you trade your mental faculties for their hogwash or would even an atheist hobo receive a soup? 

I can't speak for America but in Edinburgh Christian organizations run a hugely disproportionate share of services for the homeless, and no one turns people away based on their religion.

Very good.  Now, onto Round 2.  Does the soup come with a pamphlet? 

Do you really have to ask? Of course it doesn't. I say this from my experience volunteering at three different soup kitchens here in NYC, two Catholic and one Episcopalian (if I remember correctly), and besides grace before serving the food, at no time was religion brought up, much less proselytisation.

In my experience religion is generally brought up by the people receiving the food rather than the volunteers. There are a whole lot of people on the street who just want someone to talk to.