<DIV>Paul,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I am not so certain you could tax churches that easily. First, few churches are simply churches, they are also community centers, donation centers, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, volunteer centers, support group meeting centers, child care centers, food banks, and schools. Those are all tax exempt to. So you have that mess to sort out.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Second, there is no clear system in establishing the "economic" value of a church. A church could be considered of enormous economic value if you threatened to desecrate their holy sanctuary by turning into a big box retail store if they don't pay X number of $$$. Most would pay whatever they had. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It would unfairly force churches out of downtown areas where economic values are high and to relocate away from where they do society the most social good.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Why would anyone want to tax these good
services to humanity out of existence?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Donovan </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><B><I>Paul Rumelhart <godshatter@yahoo.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">The government shouldn't make any distinction based<BR>upon religion. It should just tax the property<BR>owners, whoever they are. <BR><BR>In my opinion.<BR><BR>Paul<BR><BR>--- Donovan Arnold <DONOVANJARNOLD2005@YAHOO.COM><BR>wrote:<BR><BR>> Ken,<BR>> <BR>> I think enforcing the law and maintaining social<BR>> order on the basis of what they paid in taxes would<BR>> be a detriment to society, and would most likely<BR>> promote and create a vigilante sort of justice to<BR>> save on government fees and taxes. It would also<BR>> create huge injustices in law enforcement. <BR>> <BR>> If you want to debate if
churches should get a tax<BR>> break or not that would be an interesting debate. <BR>> <BR>> My personal objection with taxes being levied<BR>> against churches is that when a government can tax a<BR>> church, it is also being given the power to shut it<BR>> down at the same time , which is a violation of the<BR>> First Amendment rights. IMHO, the government gets<BR>> enough money as it is. It would be nice to have one<BR>> place inside our borders where its greedy fingers<BR>> don't get into your wallet.<BR>> <BR>> The church goers pay taxes through the nose<BR>> already. Adding another tax for them to support<BR>> where the state is not suppose to be involved is not<BR>> called for in my opinion. <BR>> <BR>> Best Regards,<BR>> <BR>> Donovan <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Kenneth Marcy <KMMOS1@VERIZON.NET>wrote:<BR>> On Saturday 19 January 2008 09:48, Tom Hansen<BR>> wrote:<BR>> > Cops arrest and
handcuff little old lady banned<BR>> from church because she<BR>> > didn't like the pastor.<BR>> <BR>> > On a quiet Sunday morning in June, as worshippers<BR>> settled into the pews at<BR>> > Allen Baptist Church in southwestern Michigan,<BR>> Pastor Jason Burrick <BR>> > grabbed his cellphone and dialed 911. When a<BR>> dispatcher answered, the <BR>> > preacher said a former congregant was in the<BR>> sanctuary. "And we need to, <BR>> > um, have her out A.S.A.P."<BR>> > <BR>> > Half an hour later, 71-year-old Karolyn Caskey, a<BR>> church member for nearly<BR>> > 50 years who had taught Sunday school and<BR>> regularly donated 10% of her<BR>> > pension, was led out by a state trooper and a<BR>> county sheriff's officer. <BR>> > One held her purse and Bible. The other put her in<BR>> handcuffs. (Listen to <BR>> > the 911 call)<BR>> <BR>> Since when should the local
property-tax-paying<BR>> residents be obligated to <BR>> provide sergeant-at-arms services to<BR>> non-property-tax-paying congregations? <BR>> Should income-tax-paying state residents be<BR>> obligated to pay for otherwise <BR>> laudable inter-agency cooperation through such a<BR>> church-state veil of <BR>> separation that is not penetrated by income taxes?<BR>> <BR>> Should the local constabulary send a bill for a<BR>> service call to the pastor?<BR>> <BR>> Yes, officers respond to lots of planned<BR>> organizational activities, but <BR>> parade permits, for example, can have fees attached<BR>> to them that are <BR>> collected in advance. Pastor Burrick knew in advance<BR>> that he didn't like <BR>> his long-time parishioner, and should have made<BR>> arrangements to privately <BR>> handle her appearance rather than ask the tax-payers<BR>> for assistance in a <BR>> non-threatening, non-emergency,
non-riot situation.<BR>> Absent such <BR>> arrangements, or their feasibility, the pastor<BR>> deserves service charges.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Ken<BR>> <BR>><BR>=======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>> <BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>> http://www.fsr.net <BR>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>><BR>=======================================================<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ---------------------------------<BR>> Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them<BR>> fast with Yahoo! Search.><BR>=======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step<BR>> Internet, <BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>> <BR>> http://www.fsr.net <BR>> <BR>>
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