The idea of exempting religion from taxes was a noble one: No religious group would be financially pressured by the government, allowing whatever creed, sect, denomination, or community to be able to flourish without additional impositions for funding. But like a lot of high-minded ideas in America, it’s become twisted.
The phenomenon of the pastor millionaire or religious educator, such as Joel Osteen and Jerry Falwell, Jr. both worth over $100 million dollars, and Kenneth Copeland, the richest pastor in the world, worth $300 million dollars. The super-churches, such as the one Osteen had redesigned from a former NBA stadium in Houston, are gaudy displays not of Christian humility, but rather corporate showcasing.
The tax exemption is no longer a shield for a struggling religious community, but an outright tax dodge for some of the wealthy. Needless to say, a tax exemption based on religion that can create millionaires needs to be re-addressed.
A tax on religious organizations would also be a way to finally tap into the immense resources of organized religion like the Catholic Church, which has holdings so vast and so opaque that no one really knows how much they own in the United States. It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if we learned that the Catholic Church as a whole, in just the U.S., made Osteen’s and Copeland’s organizations look like paupers!
Think of what could possibly be done, and how much humanitarian work could be accomplished if a system of taxation were to be put through for religious organization. Like universal healthcare... Wouldn’t that be for everyone’s benefit in the end? Don't you think that is what your Jesus would want?