Monday, October 19, 2015

CHURCHES MUST PAY TAX!

Ermm! Have you ever thought how Ghana could be if we don’t pay taxes¬? It may be good enough as a good citizen to think about such things. In every village, town, city and the country as a whole. There are certain institutions which helps in the day to day running of the country in the moral up-bring which the church is part. The purpose of this article is not to bash any church or religion. I firmly believe the taxation of churches is not a negative concept; take notice taxing churches and taxing charitable organization is not the same. I have carefully studied the taxation of churches whether Charismatic, Orthodox, the Pentecostal churches and the one –man churches and strongly believed the taxation. I have arranged it in order of merit. 

 Firstly, the reason for church tax-exemption is obsolete. Historically, the primary reason churches don’t pay taxes no longer applies thus, they have been interpreted from a legal stand point to non – profitable as a business enterprise. Tax exemption was first recorded by Roman Empire and was granted by Emperor Constantine. At that point religion was used primarily as a method of ensuring order in the society. Education standards were much lower and for the common slave to understand the concept of human rights as a valid enough reason not to murder his master.

Secondly, churches don’t exist primarily to provide for citizen but government. As many believers may agree with me that, it is not the duty of the church to construct roads, build hospitals, schools, provide security for the state but government. What more even if the offices of government pay taxes without any exempt then with this conviction churches must also be taxed.

 Besides, churches been tax exempted put burden on us indirectly. It is preposterous to argue on this very point. Let take this for instance, Mrs. Hilton a business woman told her three daughters Florence, Pearl and Kezia to wash her dirty clothes and iron them. Immediately Mrs. Hilton step feet out of the house. Kezia the youngest daughter of Mrs. Hilton pretended to be sick dying in the next minute. Making Florence the oldest daughter and Pearl washed the clothes and ironed all by themselves. Kezia’s excuse didn’t prevent Florence and Pearl from washing the clothes but because Kezia didn’t partake in the washing of the clothes. Florence and Pearl worked more than they were supposed to , creating a link as churches been tax exempted the burden is been scheduled on us indirectly as Kezia’s siblings did for her.

 Adding insult to injury, churches are not purely Non-profitable organization. Initially churches were preaching and propagating the gospel of Christ as John the Baptist and Apostle Paul did centuries ago without earning salaries or any monetary gains, but the 21st century churches have migrated from Non-profitable organization to business entities where some pastors go as far as selling anointing oil for Ghs200 paying of consultation fees etc. Creating an atmosphere for them to be taxed. 

Again, churches serve as revenue for founders. Most Charismatic, Pentecostal and so-called one man churches which are privileged to have branches overseas let me say a church in Sierra Leone have a branch in Ghana . Practice a system where all the monetary gains in the overseas are sent to the country of the founding leader’s country like the church in Ghana will send all the monies gain to the headquarters which is in Sierra Leone for development and other necessary activities. Serving as a medium of revenue for the General overseer and the country which the pastor resides and also causing lost to the church oversee and it country.

 Lastly, indiscipline on the part of the churches, it's really common among the churches in Africa that often they refer to governments as unbelievers and henceforth devilish (evil manners) all because they want the government to act per do as I say whiles the government going wayward. Many would believe with me that the government has been providing security, and a whole lot. If the churches are taxed on the basic facts I gave in my piece as the reason for tax exemption is obsolete, churches don’t exist primarily to provide for citizens but government, churches been tax exempted put burden on us indirectly, churches are not purely Non-profitable organization, churches serve as revenue for founders, indiscipline on the part of the churches and other reasons pages couldn’t permit me to write I believe strongly without any second thoughts churches shouldn't be taxed exempted!!

  Churches are just giving what belongs to Caesar to Caesar per the holy scriptures