Why dont churches lose tax exempt status for promoting hate? Or for sex abuse?

[TheSiege]

I mean come on, the catholic church should lose tax exempt status, they are no more then a group of people molesting children, and they continually cover it up and dont report it. To me this is organized sex abuse. And then this new church where they are brain washing children to sing songs about "no homos making it into heaven" I mean come on. I am going to start a hate group and call it a religion and get tax exempt.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/30/indiana-toddler-church-song-no-homos-heaven/

 

[JEDIYoda]

Is this a parody thread?????

 

[TheSiege]

no, I mean it, they should lose tax exempt and it would help with the debt

 

[Craig234]

Because hate is a matter of religious freedom, and sex abuse is not an officially sanctioned part of church doctrine, even if there are cases of covering it up.

In a Democratic society, we put freedom - including to be hate-mongering scum - pretty high in importance, and don't want the government dictating those issues in opinion.

Now of course the government has to make choices based on things like views on gays - in criminal law, military service, marriage, etc. - but church exemption is about opinion.

In our democracy, we leave the issue of criticizing the idea of hate - of gays, blacks, whatever group - to the 'public forum', pretty much.

Why?

Well, the moment you have the government acting against Fred Phelps, you get President Romney ok'ing politically popular actions against Muslims, for one problem.

 

[Anarchist420]

The government would just blow all the extra revenue it got.