[quote=SK in CV][quote=CA renter]Don’t forget the church’s tax-exempt status. That’s a tax expenditure, so one could argue that they do get federal funds.

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They get a double tax-exemption. Not only are their net profits not subject to income tax, contributions made by donors are deductible for many people. In some localities, real estate owned by religious organizations are exempt from property taxes.

While calculations of the dollar value of these exemptions is difficult, it’s been estimated the cost of religious tax exemptions is as high as $71,000,000,000 per year. That’s double the amount spent on the two largest tax subsidies for other industries (financial and utilities).[/quote]

Yeah but in terms of productivity 71 billion is nothing for the number if immortal souls safely shepherded into heaven who otherwise would be roasting in hell. I’d say easily we’d be willing to pay as Americans 10 million per soul safely saved by churches. We are making out like bandits. We should probably be paying the churches directly.