Why the hell shouldn't they have to pay the VAT or sales tax?
Practical reason - The churches can take some of charitable/support of the poor burden off the government.
Traditional principle - Separation of Church and State*.
If they don't they continue to be subsidized.
Neither not paying tax, nor benefiting from general public goods, is a subsidy. Neither amounts to resources flowing from the government to the church.
If there are any actual subsidies, government funding of religious activity (not contracted out charity or general eduction, but funding of religious activities, or funds not specific to the above purposes going to the organization), then I would oppose such subsidies on a number of grounds (government entanglement with religion being the main one, but also I'd oppose the subsidies for the same reason I oppose almost any subsidies, the economic distortions and empowerment of government that come with such subsidies)
If your church doesn't have to pay, then neither of course does mine which worships butterflies.
The idea doesn't only apply to large old churches. As a practical matter the IRS might look over new churches a bit more at first, to see that they are really churches, but they are covered by the tax exclusions and the more general principle of separation of church and state as well.
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* - Not as many people think actually part of the constitution, the constitutional requirements are only for free exercise, and no establishment, but its a traditional part of our political culture, even if its not a constitutional requirement. |
