The problem under Rome wasn’t tax status, it was totalitarianism. The church didn’t seek tax protection but they still wound up in the catacombs and being slaughtered for entertainment.
We have elected totalitarians into office, and somewhere around half of America favors it. Thats the problem. So, claim your tax deduction, or don’t claim it. The fight is coming. Get ready for it.
Pastors have already been jailed in Canada, Sweden, and Germany for opposing homosexuality publicly. I don’t think taxes had anything to do with it, its a much older war coming to the surface.
In nazi germany in order to do what they did to the Jews and other “undesirables” they passed laws, because to make it legal was to make it lawful, or so they thought.
In this case, the 501c3 is the legal handle by which the government can use to after churches, ministeries, church colleges, etc. Remove the 501c3 and you at least remove that handle.