Originally Posted by
Thekri
So why do we tax the media? It is in the same amendment with the same language. Now, if we decided to tax certain religions more then others, like a Mosque paying a higher rate then a Synagogue or a Baptist Church, then yeah, I totally agree. But if they all pay in line with their secular equivalents in a for profit industry, then it isn't violating anything.
For the record, I don't actually think Churches should pay taxes on their income (Donations), I think they absolutely should pay property taxes, which is a huge source of wealth for these organizations, as it is absurdly easy for them to buy land, mortgage it, and keep all the equity in that land. I think the parsonage allotment needs to go away, and churches need to provide for their ministers in line with same legal structure everyone else has.