[Dilbert San Diego]

No you are not going out on a limb. But, charitable and humanitarian work done by religious organizations costs money. In spite of so much being done by volunteers, it still costs money to operate homeless accommodations, feeding programs, counseling service of various types. I think the point is still valid that religions losing tax exempt status will hurt them financially, regardless of the example set by Mother Teresa.

[Alberta's Child]

Any half-@ssed CPA can turn a church into a taxable corporation that has $0 in taxable income.

If you made it worth my while, I could come into your church and not only do this, but make sure I get half your congregation qualified for Social Security disability payments, get most of them qualified for food stamps and free school lunches, and turn the entire neighborhood around your church into subsidized Section 8 housing for your own congregation.

[babygene]

“In spite of so much being done by volunteers, it still costs money to operate homeless accommodations, feeding programs, counseling service of various types.”

These activities would be a deduction (a cost of doing business) even if the church was not tax exempt.

[AmusedBystander]

In spite of so much being done by volunteers, it still costs money to operate homeless accommodations, feeding programs, counseling service of various types.

This can't be true. Obama solved homelessness and hunger already and slowed the rising of the oceans and ...