Tax-paying secularist objects

By David Klamann, Las Vegas

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014 | 2 a.m.

Tax the churches (and temples, mosques, etc.). It needs to be said. And while we’re at it, let’s stop pretending that religious institutions aren’t in the business of being in business; saving souls from eternal damnation is just a buzz phrase that frightens people into buying their product.

Every time I drive by the many large, ornate church buildings that are within a five-minute drive from my house, I keep thinking to myself: Wow! Now there’s a booming business, especially in these recessionary times. The Mormon church alone collects $8 billion per year in tax-deductible tithings, according to Businessweek magazine.

When I read the editorial in the Sun from the Los Angles Times (“Keep politics out of the pulpit, Aug. 16), it just highlighted the ridiculousness of the rules for the government tax-exempt situation that religious institutions and their beholden politicians basically ignore. If the purpose of these IRS regulations is to keep religion out of the government (and government out of religion), it’s been a phenomenal failure.

And who gets to make up for all of money lost from these tax exemptions? Nonchurch-going people like myself. Thank God (or gods, if that’s your tax-exemption preference) for us tax-paying secularists.