3 ms·

Would you say that religions force us into slavery because of their tax-exempt status?

• anamax 17y ago
  > Would you say that religions force us into slavery because of their tax-exempt status? Nope - you'd be paying taxes even if certain religious structures had no tax-preferences. More to the point, you're not paying taxes to the religions. If you've got a beef with paying taxes, it's with the folks who collect and spend tax money, not with folks/groups who don't pay it.
  • joubert 17y ago
    My taxes pay for the services they receive from govt. and I would say that they influence too much of public policy making which in turn affects me.
    • anamax 17y ago
      > My taxes pay for the services they receive from govt, Your taxes pay for services received by others who don't pay taxes. Are they enslaving you too? (FWIW, the services that churches receive are at the local level, fire and police mainly.) > I would say that they influence too much of public policy making which in turn affects me. They have less effect than other 501c(3)s, such as Sierra Club. Is SC enslaving you? Yes, church members may try to influence things beyond what churches can do. However, you're complaining about churches. I'm perfectly willing to go along with the idea that folks who ask for subsidies from govt are enslaving us, but churches are a small part of that problem. Surely you're not going to argue that there's something with enslaving you but it's okay to enslave me. (That's where you get with "but I don't mind what those other folks want".)