yukong,
i didn't think i would have to spell this out for anyone, but i guess i do...i most certainly i DO pay higher taxes by the mere fact that your church (and other churches) don't pay property taxes...if churches paid property taxes like individuals and companies do on their real estate, then obviously the property taxes for everyone else could be lowered...so stop freeloading on me, and pay your own way
...and as i previously posted, how is that the mormon church has $1 biilion to buy shopping malls...is that non-profit organization too??...and before you try and tell me that the shopping mall will pay property taxes, well of course it will, BUT don't tell me that they will not benefit unfairly with creative accounting back to the church somehow
The fact is...your tax dollars do not go to my church or any church. If you pay higher taxes because churches are tax exempt...your tax dollars still do not go to support that or any church. Other than the Morman church owning a shopping mall (news to me, but OK) I have a problem with that myself. But as to churches that are doing it for the right reasons...tax exempt status is proper. With a few exceptions...churches are not in it to make a profit. They exist to serve the Lord and mankind. The church I attend makes no money. Every penny raised through contributions is used to spread the word of God. We carry no large account. We have no investments. There are no shareholders that are receiving financial dividends. It is not a "business" in the sense of a for profit business. Are there frauds...you bet...but there are frauds in every area of life. But should we slam all of them because of a few frauds? Well, IMO, no. Obviously you believe differently. Fine. But there is no need to paint everyone with the same broad brush.
Perhaps this is a group of people who happen to be Mormons, and not actually the church that is doing this, but if they are taking money from the Church to do it, then they are wrong and will be judged accordingly. In the Book of Revelations in the end times one of the first things God does is to judge the churches. Churches are not perfect but they like everyone else will be judged for allowing sin into their church.