In no way do I consider Reddit to be an accurate news source, but it is a great place to look for dissenting opinions and varying perspectives on charged topics.
I find that I really enjoy sorting through all the Internet muck and mire and seeing what everyone has to say. Some Redditors barely know how to string together a proper sentence, but others manage to put together a valid point and share an experience that provides a particular amount of insight into a situation.
A recent chain of thoughts I’ve been following has been on whether or not churches should pay taxes. I’ve always had plenty of mixed feelings about organized religion in general, and this debate has really taken root in my thoughts.
I should mention that although I am a bit of a skeptic, I firmly believe that everyone should be able to freely practice their own personal ?beliefs.
I have no right to tell someone how to live or what to believe, just as no one has the right to tell me the same.
A large number of the Internet atheists are calling for churches to pay taxes. Churches bring in millions of dollars per year in donations from their parishioners in order to keep themselves afloat and functioning.
The argument being made by many is that if churches were taxed then the government would have a new and untapped source of wealth in order to support various welfare programs and provide for the needy.
However, churches are essentially non-profit organizations and a lot of the money that is taken in through various donations and fundraisers is immediately given back to the community or to help support other causes, such as combating homelessness or disaster relief.
If the government were to ever impose any kind of taxes on churches, they would then be obligated to tax all other non-profit organizations.
If the taxes were imposed only on churches, it could be argued that the government is trying to limit religious freedoms, making everything one gigantic legislative mess.
Non-profit organizations and churches are able to do unhindered charity work because they are not financially bound by the government. Should taxes be imposed on churches and non-profits, the effect that these organizations have on the world would ?diminish greatly.
Although the money collected through the taxation of these organizations could potentially make a huge impact on government-funded welfare programs, there is no guarantee that is where the money would be directed.
Churches and non-profits have the ability to perform significant charity work without being limited by rules and regulations, and they have the power to give their time where it need be given. The government has much more restriction on where they can and cannot invest money in charity work.
Should the government impose taxes on churches, the amount of charitable work performed throughout the country would likely decrease because the churches would not be as financially capable of supporting the work they did previously. And whatever my own beliefs, it is of utmost importance to be able to support the community and give help where it is needed.
johnstra@imail.iu.edu
