Ending God's Tax Exempt Status
 

Does anyone know of an organization trying to end this abomination?
I would very much like to get involved.
I've searched but not found one.
Also, be a good discussion.

I have no issue with charities that provide 75+% of their income to actually doing charitable works being tax exempt.
Churches are not charities, not by a long-shot.
They are clubs and clubs are not tax exempt.

I am also for taking exempt status from any charity that falls below a pre-set line (sure if they need to "get their house in order" for ONE year and send in a letter showing why and presenting their books IN ADVANCE I could see a one year ride) and removing their exempt status.

The last study I saw showed the average church use 3-5% of their income for charitable works, and THAT definition is VERY liberal.

This needs to end yesterday.
Church is a business and only a business, they need to pay for the infrastructure like everyone else.

rkz - I agree completely. I feel exactly the same way about sports franchises.

A church can qualify as a charitable organization by providing a number of certain services, not just by giving a certain percentage of their income to other charitable organizations.

Also, a church has to be run as a non-profit to even be considered for tax-exempt status.

How many churches are actually run as for-profit, other than COTWP?

Run as non-profit and existing for growth to spread a "message" (man that was hard to type) are contradictions.
I feel the ONLY organizations that should be tax exempt are charitable ones that meet a specific standard for a minimum amount used for administrative/infrastructure costs annually.
Yes, that includes private schools. Profit is profit, as for churches, growth is profit.

So every organization that spreads a set of ideas and seeks to enlarge its audience is therefore, by default, a for-profit enterprise? And what would your suggested minimum amount be? Are we talking a percentage or total funds delivered?

I think they should tax all people standing in water. oh!
http://www.mwscomp.com/mpfc/tfgumby.gif

I'm not a big fan of organized religion, but I don't necessarily agree that churches are a business. It doesn't make sense to me for churches to be set up as for-profit entities.

Are they taking in money for growth? If yes then they are a business.
The percentage is toward charity alone for tax exempt status.

why does money for "growth" = business? All charities fundraise to expand their services. Also, many clubs are tax exempt, and all churches operate charities.

Services for others, not expanding infrastructure and administration.
Again, if a charity spends more of its funds than 20 or 25% for administrative costs instead of their charter they should lose their tax exemption until they repair the issue.
Still, constantly repeating myself in here.

but . . . (confused) . . . infrastructure and administration are necessary components of providing services, whether for-profit or not.

I mean, I get what you're saying here; it just sounds a little ingenuous to me.

i used to work at Denny's

sometimes, I would give one of the cooks a ride in... He lived in the project in Coatesville. (scary area) a couple times on my way there, I'd be behind a big black Cadillac with a Clergy sticker on the bumper. The area was a horseshoe of row homes that had junk in the yards, bigwheels in the street, shutters hanging down...et friggin cetera. The Cadillac parked in front of one of these units. No difference visible on the outside...I bet the inside was a far cry tho.

non profit my ass.

I have family that are "clergy", they are live FAR above the income level of their constituency.
Business/scam.

and I know a bunch of priests, who by no stretch of the imagination are living rich. They are all actively involved in numerous charities serving the poor of this town, of which there are many.

So what?

There are bad clergy and good clergy; bad church administrtors and good ones. Just like all people. I do not see how this relates to their tax status.