Should Churches Be Taxed?

In response to Lakewood Church, and Joel Osteen’s initial refusal to open the doors of that facility to be a refuge from the torrential storms deluging Houston:

If I’m not mistaken (and I could be), late former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace advocated taxing churches & other religious institutions.

I think there is genuine merit in considering the argument – pro & con – why churches should remain tax-free institutions, particularly given that their ostensible purposes include corporal relief to those suffering in any way.

For example, to the extent that any such religious organization does not provide for such corporeal relief, either to their own, or community members, they should be taxed. Exactly how such a formulation would look is a matter for discussion.

But if any religious organization does NOT help with the material goods of this life (i.e., not merely spiritual), they should be taxed.