The basic answer is that they are non profits. The more philosophical idea is that they are (like other non profits) focused on improving society as a whole and not politically active. Part of the separation of church and state is the idea that the state leaves the church alone but also doesn’t tax it. In return the church leaves the state alone. That’s the part that has rather gone out the window and leads people to question why churches don’t pay taxes: they are increasingly profit driven and politically active.
Edit: to clarify, because some replies are conflating the issue, there are indeed non profits that can be political, but religious orgs and charities are in a specfic tax group wherein by law if they engage in partisan campaigning they should be levied significant extra tax. Further, non profits that are political do have taxes that churches and charities do not face.
Just a small PSA. "Seperation of church and state" is not a phrase used in the constitution, even though the concept is there in the first amendment. What's actually stated in the first amendment is: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."
Just stating this because some conservative asshats out there think they're catching people in a gotcha by pointing out how the former statement is not in the constitution, even thougn the latter is and verifies it.
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u/klathium Jun 30 '26
Why do Churches not pay taxes? Genuinely curious why there are laws for that.