Why should non-believers be made to pay for the churches of believers?

To the extent that religious organisations fulfill genuine charitable or educational activities, they should be entitled to the same tax regime as secular non-profit organisations which are doing similar work, but in particular with regards tax concessions, purely religious activities should not have rights above and beyond secular non-profits. We also don’t know the amount of the concessions given to religious groups, as this is kept hidden. The Jesus All About Life campaign, as it is run by a church, is entitled to tax exemptions or concessions. We want this made public. As Australian citizens, we ought to be entitled to know exactly how much concession is given and where the money is going.

Federal exemptions or concessions apply to religions for income tax, fringe benefits tax and the GST. In state government, concessions apply to payroll tax, land tax, stamp duties and car registration fees. Local government bodies give exemptions from municipal rates to religious bodies. Concessions apply to some water and power charges, as well.

Section 57 of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 gives total exemption to fringe benefits given to employees who are religious practitioners. Exemption from the Goods and Services Tax means weddings and funerals which are conducted by priests, even if they are not held in a church, do not attract GST- yet when those same ceremonies are conducted by secular marriage celebrants, they do attract GST.

There appears to be one rule for believers and another for non-believers. Non-believers are forced to pay the way for religionists.

Section 116 of the Australian Constitution states that “The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion or for imposing any religious observation …”
Well, we are being imposed upon, Australia. The tax-exempt status of religious practitioners establishes direct support of a religion by the state. You don’t get tax-exempt status for believing in Santa Claus or the Tooth Faerie, indicating the government’s bias toward particular religions, not the mere act of believing in something unprovable.

The Catholic Church alone turns over $15 billion a year from insurance companies through to funeral services. Sanitarium Health Foods, as it is owned and operated by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, pays no company tax, unlike its competitors.

Some claim we’re ‘attacking’ religions if these points are raised. However, we raise these points with reason and absent malice. It is a simple matter of fairness to treat all citizens equally, regardless of what they claim to believe.

I’m sure our readers can come up with plenty more examples!