Come on dude did you seriously just say the lower and middle class have to pay for the upper class? Its completely the other way around dude.

http://www.roshawnwatson.com/2010/05/do-rich-pay-their-fair-share-of-taxes.html

Go to that and read about taxes. The richest 1% of the population in the USA (salaries of over $1.25 million) pays 31.1% of their salary in taxes which amounts to $387,000 per year in tax on average. The middle class which is about $56,000 per year only pays 13.9% which is  $7,700 per year. And the lowest 1/5 of the population which makes $15,400 per year pays 4.5% taxes which is a measly $700.

So the average guy in the top 1% of salaries pays 50x more tax then a middle class guy and 552x more than the lowest 1/5 of the population. Wow! Maybe next time you're enjoying driving on newly paved roads, having police protect you, firemen put out the fire in your kitchen or you're applying for workers comp because you got injured at work you could take a moment to thank the top 1% of the population who more than likely paid for all this.

Speaking on stopgap, my local church gave me money very recently, to help get my license renewed and cover other expenses.  The funds also help keep the car on the road.  The government welfare way?  Lose the car and everything and end up destitute.

I don't think it's exactly ethical to essentially tax a person's religious beliefs, same as we don't tax people for any other kind of belief they hold.

I know that religious groups in the UK qualify for charitable status and can therefore reclaim tax, and I'm fine with that.

i read you first post(and the one you quoted) and i couldnt agree more. im glad too that there are other people who feel the way i do.

I see too much hate against numonex, which is justified, but it's clouding your ability to actually provide good answers.

See, if you tax, religious organizations, then you will also have to tax non-profit organizations because most governments recognize religious belief as a freedom. Therefore, taxing religious organizations is in fact recognizing a difference between a normal non-profit organization and a religious non-profit organization, which is esentially discrimination.

And to the guy who said he's non-religious but wouldn't call himself an atheist, get over it. Unless you're agnostic (an in that case just replace atheist with agnostic everywhere), you're an atheist by definition, and as much atheist as any other person who doesn't believe in God. Now, the shoving-down-the-throat of the atheist "beliefs" is something I also disagree with beyond stopping people from comitting really stupid/ignorant acts (for example, not taking a child to a doctor because God will help him). In that case, it's necessary to strike some sense into those people. However, just because you dislike what other ignorant atheists do, doesn't disqualify you as an atheist, in much the same way that if you were a classical music player and you didn't like how other classical music players interpret the music, you would never call yourself a classical music player. You are, by definition, a classical music player.

you aren't a logical aethist because not believing in religion doesn't dictate taxing anyone. even if you are an aetheist, and probably believe in evolution, you can't deny that religion has played an intrical part in the evolution of humanity, and is thus a vital element of being the species we are today.  as such, it is given a status in society that alows it to continue.  

we need less taxes for everybody, not more taxes for specific groups. 

It was hard to take you as more then a nut job once you made such stupid immature remarks. Most religious organizations spend their money improving their society and providing a civil service which the state does not.

In this logic yes religious organizations should pay taxes and in turn the state can provide our religious facilities and education. I mean seriously Church's , Temples , Synagogue's should all be provided by the tax payer just like schools, swimming pools , hospitals (For Canadians) and other basic needs which our citizens require.

Tax dollars have to benefit the tax payer. Buisnesses get help from the Government, here in Canada and many other countries they get lofty hand outs from the Government. Buisnesses get grants and support from both Federal and Provincial Governments.

Many religious companies such as private schools do pay tax's and as such they recieve some funding from the Government. But you non-religious tax payers get pretty pissed off when your tax dollars go to building a Christian, Muslim , Jewish school now don't they?

Then try to replace organisation's like World Vision or Salvation Army. These organizations provide vital services which the Government does not. In my city alone their are several soup kitchens, homeless shelters and half way houses. They organistations provide many vital services to the lower class citizens.

Then how about the internation programs. My church alone puts over 20% of its annual tithe into missionary groups and trips. These humanitarian missions rebuild streets, purify water in poor villages, build hospitals and schools.

When I hear that our Government is going to start oppening homeless shelters, feeding the homeless with soup kitchens staffed by paid staff. When I hear that my Government is building me a church to worship in and providing those vital religious services. Then I think they should be taxed.

Tithe is a tax it has been pretty much since it started in the Bible times. Its a voluntary tax used by believers to fund there religious facilities. When the state decides to take over I'd be more then willing to be taxed that 10%.

But you know what, you athiests and non-believers would freak out if suddenly the state began providing the vital services that non-profit religious organistations provide.

I want my state built church and my state run soup kitchen, homeless shelter. I want my state money going to Kenya and Uganda and Ethiopia and Thailand and every where else. When the state provides me and the rest of the provinces/states with the services religious groups offer, then heck charge them taxes.

Till then grow up and realize these services aren't free and if your not willing to pony up cash to pay for them then screw off, I'll donate my money to a cause if I damn want to and if my contribution gets taxed the state better be doing everything my church or missions organization is doing with that money.

How much more money do the top 1% have over the lowest 1/5?  If it is like 500 times more, then of course the taxes will be higher.