You are right and it’s exactly why I objected the GWB’s program to have the gubmint partner with church. This is mixing oil with water and if they are wise, churches ought to run from these programs. That said, if they do decide to take advantage, they should be treated like any other nonprofit.
Exactly. This issue reared its head in the New York City area with a private bus company that serves commuters from some areas with a heavy Orthodox Jewish population. The bus company is eligible for public funds just like any other non-profit organization, and gets subsidized to some degree. There was a big legal battle a few years ago because the company was seating the male and female passengers separately under Jewish law, and one of the female passengers objected and filed a lawsuit over it. The bus company put its own religious freedom at risk when it began accepting the public funds.