Do YOU think it's time to end the tax exempt status of churches?

[Bohunk68]

193. Douglas

Yours is perhaps the best reasoned post in response to the OP. The majority are knee-jerk reactions to those churches who abuse the message of their founders. I know for a fact that the rest of my rural community not only, would not, but could not, replace what our parishioners do through their gifts. By this, I mean the special collections that are done, not just from the usual collection. Our church serves the greater community, including non-members, with a food pantry. Our members also serve in many other functions throughout our community and our county. I myself have given many hours of my time and my talents, un-recompensed, as a member of my denomination throughout our flood-ravaged county. I seriously doubt if many of the responders above have done the same. Talk is cheap and I understand the dislike of the fundigenital churches, and with the large churches (RCC and Mormon esp) that put out the message of hate. But, there are a lot of small churches that do far more good than the little the tax assessor would be able to wring out. And, many of those churches are progressive. Better to go within the church and change from within. It can be done. My partner and I did so with our own local congregation. And, it has had far reaching effects. For 20 years, I was the only openly gay deacon in the Upstate NY ELCA. And, now, there is an openly gay pastor of a country church who has with him, yep, his partner! And the congregation knew this before they called him. Change has to come from within. Standing outside screaming and whining doesn't get an awful lot done but make the screamer feel good.