[Vision2020] Religious Tax Exemption

[Donovan Arnold]

John,

That is a complex question you pose. Let me ask you this: Would it be a good 
idea to tax a church that feeds about 1/3 of the poor in Moscow so that they 
could not afford to feed the poor? Which is cheaper, people dropping food at 
a food bank run by a church, or the government setting up paperwork, 
buildings, regulators, and the like?

I agree that the Government should do, and does most this work, but churches 
can do it cheaper, and without so many problems as a government agency would 
impose. Believe it or not there are three food banks in Moscow, and two of 
them are Churches. If you taxed them, at least one would stop functioning. 
Would you feel comfortable with that? I would not.

However, I do agree that many churches don't do squat but sell their 
ideology and take up space that could be occupied by a business that would 
be paying taxes.

What I think would be more appropriate would be is a better defintion of a 
religion or non-profit.

The legal problem of taxing religion is that is a restriction placed on it 
by the Government. A restriction placed on religion is Unconstitutional, I 
believe.

Donovan J Arnold


>From: "John Danahy" <jdanahy at turbonet.com>
>To: "Vision2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Subject: [Vision2020] Religious Tax Exemption
>Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 08:28:04 -0700
>
>The recent tussle over tax exemptions given to NSA and Anselm house have
>given me reason to pause and think about the nature of religion and
>organized religious communities.  What is organized religion but the 
>selling
>of one version of the word of God?  Why should organized religion, which
>owns property, "sells" religion for money, pays compensation, be treated
>differently form other businesses?
>
>
>
>The time has come to put an end to tax exemptions for organized religion.
>They should be treated the same as all other businesses on the Palouse,
>including being given the opportunity to build in the Alturas Park.
>
>
>
>John
>
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