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The Church and Tax Exemption
The Christian religion from its inauguration in 380 CE as the sole religion of the Roman Empire has been, without a doubt, a Wall Street fairy tale of greed and avarice. On a scale, never before seen in the history of religion. Not only was the church hierarchy not satisfied with the loot of Silver and Gold confiscated from the Pagan religions. The Temples also came as part of the religious tax-free real estate package the Christians received from a tripartite agreement of belligerent Roman emperors. Nothing was enough for them, wanting more, so they started forging decrees, title deed and charters of emperors and kings, then waited for them to die. By the end of the 8th-century western Christianity had obtained its temporal kingdom on earth, not by honest means, but by deception. Vast lands, known as the Papal States (756-1870), with wealth flowing in from every country within Europe paying its annual dues in the form of a Peters Pence tax. (Although after the Reformation, the Protestant countries refused to pay, however, Catholic household still maintained their Peters Pence tax through their priests.) With none of the monies coming into the papacy taxed the church grew unimaginably wealthy. Protestants too created taxes and tithes to support its religious faith and taxed then going to church and fined them for not going to church.
The American founding fathers had separation of state from church as a prime function of government. Yet, Christian institutions from their first opportunity have eroded the wishes of those in government to hijack certain Bill or Rights for their own selfish baseless religious needs.
In his annual message to congress in 1875, President Grant pointed out that the tax-free property of Churches was at the time about one billion dollars. By 1900, without check, it is safe to say this property will reach a sum exceeding three billions of dollars. He added:
“So vast a sum, receiving all the protection and benefits of the government. Without bearing its proportion of the burdens and expenses of the same. Will not be looked upon acquiescently by those who have to pay the taxes. In a growing country, where real estate enhances so rapidly with time, as in the United States, there is scarcely a limit to the wealth that may be required by corporations. Religious or otherwise, if allowed to retain real estate without taxation. The contemplation of so vast a property as here alluded to, without taxation, may lead to sequestration without constitutional authority and through blood. I would suggest the taxation of all property equally, whether church or corporation.” [Messages and Papers of the Presidents, vol. vii, p. 334-5.]
Those sums calculated 145 years ago. One then has to ask—what is the real estate value of the churches in the United States today and based on 25 years cycle. Just on doubling (Grant saw trebling) in 2025 that would be close to a 100 billion dollars taxable real estate revenue. However, the trebling of Grants sums would be 243 Billion for revenue taxation.
Do you believe Grant was right to suggest to congress on taxing churches?
Homeowners, non-religious institution pay taxes on their property, so why not churches?
Keep safe!
Cofion
Jero Jones
Article URL : https://breakingnewsandreligion.online/discuss/