The tax exemption opened the opportunities of pastoral charlatanism wide. Mix in the opportunities to “recruit the young and innocent and these are the kind of pastor you get.
Though I’ll get hammered for saying it, Yes, that tax exemption needs to end. The modern churches have done nothing to justify it and the govt uses it like a weapon.
I understand that it takes money for a priest/pastor/call them whatever, to live and to maintain their flock. But I see no reason for the flock to be housed in a Yankee Stadium sized/styled building.
That said and to clarify my position, I may sound down on religion. That depends on how one looks at it. In many ways I am...their excesses and refusal to follow their respective playbook tops my list there. But on the other hand, I think it’s a great thing for people to come together under a common cause/belief and all the good things that ‘can’ accompany it.
It all really comes back to one issue for me. A person believes or they don’t. Their on the ground behavior determines the truth of which is which. And the window dressing is just that. A church needs enough money to house itself and feed it’s leader. All the rock band pagentry and lazer shows are total crap.
And if the churches had to pay their taxes like the rest, they might spend more time on what they preach, rather than worrying about having their status revoked for non-PC sermonizing.