Is Giving to Your Favored Religion Charity?

[The Mad Monk]

The tax code, at least, says yes.

If you believe charities should be tax deductible, should your local church/mosque/temple/synagogue count?

[giblets]

Is there any evidence that such tax deductions make people engage in less personal consumption?

[Wezil]

I used to believe the portion that goes directly to charity (and not maintaining the faith) should be tax free. Jon however convinced me that it is impossible to separate one from the other so I now say "no".

[loinburger]

Depends on the religion, so I'll say "no"

[Asher]

It depends. Giving to the Catholic church is like buying child pornography, so it should perhaps be criminalized.

[regexcellent]

I think Asher only says that because Ben is Catholic.

[Ben Kenobi]

Ok, I'll just donate to the Mennonite Brethren.

[Tupac Shakur]

It depends. Giving to the Catholic church is like buying child pornography, so it should perhaps be criminalized.

QFT

The Mormons, on the other hand, are awesome.

[Felch]

I think that taxes should be abolished. Let the government finance itself by conquering and pillaging foreign lands.

[Imran Siddiqui]

They should start by pillaging Romney's offshore houses & accounts

Heck, why limit it to foreign lands

[SlowwHand]

He's not talking about looting. He means at least another state, or province or whatever.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Pillaging is just a fancier word for looting.

[Aeson]

Did Tupac just get a visit from two young, strapping Mormon lads or something? I'm betting the conversion happened when they told him about how they wanted to take turns with him in a large ivory bath...

[Uncle Sparky]

Don't sass the Mennonite Brethren. Even though I have given to specific MCC programs (clean water/education), giving to a Church or temple is not charity.

[SlowwHand]

Pillaging is just a fancier word for looting.

I know wtf pillaging is. I'm defining foreign lands.