CHURCHES AND MOSQUES SHOULD PAY TAX

[Prince patrick]

This one will cause panic, but it is the truth, we have been running from this topic for the longest, Every Sunday one big church in my country collects about five million naira offering, in a month, we are talking about 20 million chilling in the church account. And no one is saying anything about tax? How long are we going to continue like this? Which business makes that much and doesn't pay tax? Have we forgotten that our tax also helps to develop the country and boost the economy? On my street, we have about ten different big churches, if not more than, but there are no clinics, no manufacturing factory.  These churches collect money from citizens without adding any value to the country or the economy. This is not a direct attack on this body of Christ, churches or pastors, but I can't stop wondering why a pastor that could afford a private jets and drive expensive cars can't pay tax from where he makes most of his money from. The members that pays tithe and sufferings can't even afford a car, they trek to church daily. This is business not religion, if churches and mosques pay 10 percent tax, government can use it to build schools, fix the church roads that has been ignored by the pastors, and build a well infrastructure hospitals. Right now pastors are the richest landlords in Africa, if you make money like business, you should pay tax like business, God isn't against paying tax. Since you have been paying your tithe and offering, what else has your pastor give you in return except prayers that doesn't work without hard work? Some of us don't even have the privilege of even meeting them one on one. They always set a high standard, so we can't reach them.

[Free Market Capitalist]

The problem with that is that it doesn't just happen in your country. Religious institutions enjoy very broad tax exemptions all over the world. The thing is, many other non-religious organizations—such as other nonprofit entities—also enjoy these exemptions, and if you tax the religious ones, you'll have to tax the rest as well.

It’s a complicated issue, and I don’t think there will be any major changes in the future because any politician who dares to change that is going to lose a lot of votes.

[Rruchi man]

This one will cause panic, but it is the truth, we have been running from this topic for the longest, Every Sunday one big church in my country collects about five million naira offering, in a month, we are talking about 20 million chilling in the church account. And no one is saying anything about tax? How long are we going to continue like this? Which business makes that much and doesn't pay tax?

The rules in different countries will vary, but churches do pay tax on commercial businesses that they operate, not just on the offering and tithes that they receive as donations from members, because that money is considered to be used for religious purposes, which may even include charity.

In a working society it is completely illegal for the pastor of a church or the religious leader of a mosque to divert donations made by members for religious purposes in the form of offerings and tithes for personal gains. The income that the religious leader of a church or a mosque can only use for personal gain should be his personal income that is like the income the church pays to him as salary for his job, and that income is even taxable.

[_act_]

The problem with that is that it doesn't just happen in your country. Religious institutions enjoy very broad tax exemptions all over the world. The thing is, many other non-religious organizations—such as other nonprofit entities—also enjoy these exemptions, and if you tax the religious ones, you'll have to tax the rest as well.

It’s a complicated issue, and I don’t think there will be any major changes in the future because any politician who dares to change that is going to lose a lot of votes.

Churches can not be taxed, unless I do not know much about the taxes in other countries. I think there are some little taxes that churches may not be able to avoid like the VAT which is automatically deducted from bank transactions, but the OP will be referring to Capital Gain Tax which is unlawful to be collected from the churches. The money given to churches are like donations and gifts and not the money the churches work for. The money given to someone's dad, mum, friends and others which are not businesses but gifts are not also taxed.

[Oluwa-btc]

In a working society it is completely illegal for the pastor of a church or the religious leader of a mosque to divert donations made by members for religious purposes in the form of offerings and tithes for personal gains. The income that the religious leader of a church or a mosque can only use for personal gain should be his personal income that is like the income the church pays to him as salary for his job, and that income is even taxable.

Purely speculations ( But churches and money laundering? They're like 5&6 ).

Most of the churches we see today do not have their evangelicals or pastors doing something else, they are strictly focused on manipulating their congregation into paying tithes and all that bullshit that brings more money and donations to the church. I believe they should be taxed heavily, not just them but also billionaires. It is one of the big reasons why I fvck with the President of Rwanda heavily. He has banned and closed down too many churches with no trace of Theology.

I don't know about MOSQUES, but I can tell the huge sums I see in our modern day Evangelical churches. They should be taxed, not to forget billionaires. No exemptions.

[Woodie]

This is one sensitive topic , wonder if people will freely comment on it.

Unfortunately in this whole religion thing the weaklink is always the human, the church might be okay but the second greed comes into the equation and some third party promises the clergy some riches through money laundering, this is where problems begin, and only way to rectify this is introducing tax, besides in some countries these churches are growing at an alarming rate and needs to be regulated to fix the pilferage!

[lovesmayfamilis]

flight of thought...😱

My friend, have you ever heard of such things as a paragraph in texts? Your posts are very difficult to read. Have mercy on our eyes and nerves.
Everyone has good eyesight, so don't write topics in caps.

[Agbamoni]

This is one sensitive topic , wonder if people will freely comment on it.

Unfortunately in this whole religion thing the weaklink is always the human, the church might be okay but the second greed comes into the equation and some third party promises the clergy some riches through money laundering, this is where problems begin, and only way to rectify this is introducing tax, besides in some countries these churches are growing at an alarming rate and needs to be regulated to fix the pilferage!

Keep religion aside. Let's talk about the number of fake churches in the world.

Churches are dealing with the common man. Imagine a church making that huge amount, but individually the members can't boast of making that amount in a year. This is not about religion but about church owners who understand that singing religion is the fastest way to make wealth. Why are there so many churches in some countries if it's not a business scheme but doesn't get taxed?

[YOSHIE]

CHURCHES AND MOSQUES SHOULD PAY TAX

This is crazy.....I have never seen any country take taxes from churches, mosques or other places of worship, that's your government, their brains are all sick.
Most countries or responsible authorities actually help with funds for construction infrastructure and also the salaries of priests in places of worship, now I see that on the contrary, they collect taxes from these places of worship.

Does the government in your country have no other way to process their economic income other than taxes taken from places of worship?

[Sim_card]

OP, can you tell me the business that churches are into that qualifies them to be taxed by the government. Churches and mosques don't have any business that they run that to carry out spiritual activities with their members and direct them to be in connection with God.

Every money that is given to the church belongs to the church and the church has nothing on its own. So, what do you want to tax. Free will donations, tithes, thanksgiving and offerings. The church also use part of that money to give to the poor and build the church. Do you pay tax on funds gifted to you.

[GiftedMAN]

Churches can not be taxed, unless I do not know much about the taxes in other countries. I think there are some little taxes that churches may not be able to avoid like the VAT which is automatically deducted from bank transactions, but the OP will be referring to Capital Gain Tax which is unlawful to collect not from The churches. The money given to churches are like donations and gifts and not the money the churches work for. The money given to someone's dad, mum, friends and others which are not businesses but gifts are not also taxed.

Why do you think they should not be taxed? Churches should be made to pay tax not just the VAT that are deducted from the transactions they make. Churches are companies of their own some of them make more money than the companies that are taxed yearly which are even employers of labour, most of the pastors run a one man business in their churches they make so much money from the church business like the tithes and offering they mandate their members to ay so it after they make so much money they are not taxed what then do they contribute to the development of their country?. Every money that is given to the pastors in form of whatever it is they should be taxed because they are deceiving a lot of people into believing that it they don't donate money they won't make heaven.

[Mrbluntzy]

Well, even though some church of these days have now because a house of business instead of being just a house of religious practices alone, they are excepted from paying income tax because the government doesn't see churches and mosque as a business group but rather a place of religious activities and practices. There's a very important distinction, although I don't know about other countries but if it's particularly here in my country, churches or mosques are exempted from paying income tax on money that was raised through religion activities such as tithes, offerings, donations for religion works, however the other activities that they can be taxed for is when the church have some commercial business such as hotel, hospital, school,  pastor's salary and salaries paid to other employees of the church.

Why do you think they should not be taxed?

Because the money that is raised through religious activities like offering from thanksgiving, tithes, donation are not classified as income. The money is for expanding of the church and spreading the gospels to other regions.

[Ucy]

That could be done in third world countries. They are full of false religions, including false churches/christains. In Bitcoin world it's not going to be so, because the church or true christains are the reason why Bitcoin stands today, and they do not demand for rewards or get paid for the services.


By the way taxing true church is like biting the hands that feed you. If they withdraw their support your countries collapse.

You should tax the false churches as they live like the world, full of proud, arrogant or wealthy leaders

[Charles-Tim]

That could be done in third world countries. They are full of false religions, including false churches/christains. In Bitcoin world it's not going to be so, because the church or true christains are the reason why Bitcoin stands today, and they do not demand for rewards or get paid for the services.


By the way taxing true church is like biting the hands that feed you. If they withdraw their support your countries collapse.

You should tax the false churches as they live like the world, full of proud, arrogant or wealthy leaders

Are you insinuating that bitcoin holders are the true churches? I asked this question because I do not understand this part of your post:

because the church or true christains are the reason why Bitcoin stands today

If you mean religion, bitcoin stand today not because of a religion. There are Christians that are buying bitcoin, but there are other people from other religions that are also buying bitcoin.

[FirmWars]

That could be done in third world countries.

Do you mean that government in third world countries tax their religion communities?

Bitcoin world it's not going to be so, because the church or true christains are the reason why Bitcoin stands today,

I have not heard anything like this, how is it the church that made it possible for Bitcoin to stand today?

[BADecker]

Do it legally and lawfully.

In the US, if your church is a 501c3 corporation, obey the IRS laws. But if the IRS starts taxing your 501c3 corporation (or limiting it in ways that you don't like), let your church be a 508c1a private entity. No taxes at all for a 508c1a.

If you think that 508c1a limits your church in some ways, realize that private organizations can own corporations. They can own a separate 501c3 corporation that can do some of the things that a 508c1a might not be able to do.

That way they can let donations come to the 508c1a which are not taxable because they are private, yet they can do operations that don't include money/donations with the 501c3 corporation.

Besides, you don't really want your church to be a 501c3 corporation, because you want it to be under God, not the government.

Regarding Islam, Islam is not a church, only. It is a government, as well. So, it should not even be allowed in the USA.

[Balrajsahnidc]

Churches, temples, mosques, and other religious institutions should be subject to taxation if their earnings exceed a certain threshold. Currently, some religious institutions generate income far greater than that of many large corporate entities or factory owners. Consequently, the individuals serving within these institutions—such as pastors, assistant pastors, priests, temple attendants, imams, muezzins, and caretakers—often earn substantial incomes. In such cases, it is reasonable to impose taxes on these earnings. Conversely, if the income is minimal—serving merely as a modest honorarium essential for basic subsistence—it would be better to exempt them from taxation.

In our country and abroad, we observe that the government also imposes taxes on organizations dedicated solely to charitable or service-oriented activities—entities that consistently support the needy, the helpless, and the destitute. One must question the appropriateness of this practice.

Imposing taxes on religious institutions with high earnings could, in fact, facilitate the funding of other religious initiatives. It could even help foster the spread of religious values ​​in areas where such institutions are currently lacking.

[Tonimez]

I'm concerned about the fact that these churches have suddenly changed their course to be more money minded than do the work of who they serve. For many years I have been hearing that the world is coming to an end but offering are given every day that service is held in the church. Who are they deceiving,?

These guys are not only supposed to pay tax but to do projects that will benefit the public. They fly around the world with private jets and preach their about the world coming to an end, but one of them just added another private jet to his jets. They can make their money, but they should stop deceiving the masses for their selfish interests if not, they should be made to pay tax and do public projects.

All these places are more like private businesses not paying tax but a roadside hawker is forced to pay tax. What a world of deceit. Government should revisit it and give them things to do or they should choose between paying tax and helping the public because it's all individual money and nothing more.

[Aliciaworld]

While I understand the point OP is making, and I have had discussions with people who believe the churches are used to funnel or launder money due to their tax exempt status. This would be hard to prove and any politician who goes against religious entities in this manner, making them pay tax will need a very good reason for that and would be losing their popularity with the masses and that would be too too risky

[DYOR+BTC]

Churches and mosques are now used as a money generating office instead for transfer of religious information that will be beneficial to all which is completely a very irritating practice to mention for now.  The idea of taxing Churches and mosque would have been beneficial if after taking those tax the problem of the world is been solved through it, but now even after it problems still continues so its of no importance getting involved in life threatening activities.
If the money generated from different sector cannot provide a balanced economy for the country so its of know importance requesting to take from Churches and mosque to avoid enquiring causes that may hunt one forever because till now the mystery behind this said religions have not been experienced.