When the Offering Enters the Tax Office

Just this last Sunday, during the offering time, I watched the woman who sat next to me count crumpled notes into an offering box. She smoothed each one with her thumbs before finally dropping into the box. And what I saw instantly made me to think about how many sacrifices like hers could fill a church account by the end of each service. And severally, I have tried having this discussion about why money seems to become difficult to question once it enters a place people consider sacred or holy.

In as much as others institutions pays tax, what I believe also is the places of worships also should be taxed even if small because most money are also incomes that comes from people's businesses.

But what I will be careful about is the offering and voluntarily donations that is meant to keep the place running and helping others. A lot usually say mosques and churches are business places, but automatically they are not because simple because money passes through the place. Maybe what we can be concerned about is what happend to those money afterwards.

Looking at my country, I have seen worship centers that have large structures, have members earning big pay and several sources of income, while some struggles to erect a building. And looking at that, small churches like that should not be faced the same burden that big churches are facing because treating them the same way is unfair in as much that the larger congregation are earning huge sums from commercial activities. Having a fair rule and clear records would matter more than simply demanding payment from every religious group.

Also, we have trust issues. A lot of church members gives their money because they believe that they are giving to help the work of God, assist members who are in need and others reasons known to them. And if the government brings taxation to the church, there will be questions about if they are trying to invade their faith. There will be some that will not have a problem with if especially if they notice that their religious leaders held to the same standard as other people earning money. And in that case, what the government will do is to make sure the tax serves the people and that the rules are justified and fair.

What I would not agree with is a clergy taking more time to talk about tax bills than visiting a member who has been sick, or an imam cutting of help tons family that is struggling just to meet new cost. Yes, I am not in support of any wealthy religious institutions that is using faith and God's words to rake in commercial profits from people.

And thinking of it again, maybe the fairest system is that one that taxes only commercial workers, safeguard those donations that are real and needs accounts that are transparent. Faith should not be something that should be up for sale, and the responsibility of the public should be vanish at the gate of all religions buildings. Because at the end of the day, all the money we give at our various places of worship also comes from you and me who still need good roads, jobs, and institution and government that we can trust.

Thank you for reading.

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