Issuing tax exemptions to religious institutions has long been a practice of the secular U.S. government, but critics argue that it has a negative economic and social impact overall. The Onion takes a look at the pros and cons of tax exemptions for religious institutions.
PRO
Money trickles down to benefit smaller, working-class religions.
Megachurch pastor might let you fly on his jet someday.
Dude, what if we came up with our own religion?
U.S. has long history of subsidizing failing industries.
CON
All that money saved is useless in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Clergy can double-dip by buying home with untaxed income and deducting the interest on mortgage or property taxes, and if they didn’t already know they could be doing that, they do now.
God not real.
Tax-exempt status makes it difficult to tell which organizations are in it for the money and which are in it for the money.