Why are religions still tax exempt?

[Greta]

Given that it would be easy enough for religions to apply for government grants for charitable work like any other NGO, why are these huge and immensely profitable organisations receiving tax exemptions?

Is there any reason for this other than politicians being far more religious than the general population? Is it ethical for secular people to be forced to subsidise these organisations because politicians personally like them?

Surely the commissions of inquiry conducted in many places around the world, exposing rampant child molestation in religious institutions, makes clear that, if not "bad actors", religions are not "good actors" in society. Consider the damage done to victims and their families and the immense cost to taxpayers for these inquiries and lost productivity and morale. One can point to the charitable works, but those are subsidised by secular taxpayers anyway under the current system (and then they pocket the profit).

The policy of religious tax exemptions looks like an anachronism that appears to be maintained by cronyism amongst theist politicians.

[commonsense]

The principle of separation of church and state was codified in the States by proposing that there be no state-supported religion. Not having an officially endorsed state religion does not rationally mean that government and religion can have no contact whatsoever. For example, there is no logical reason that a public building cannot display Christmas ornaments, as long as there is an opportunity for any other religion to display its own religious artifacts.

Is there any reason for this other than politicians being far more religious than the general population? Is it ethical for secular people to be forced to subsidise these organisations because politicians personally like them?

Perhaps in other countries, politicians may be more orthodox in their religious practices, but in the States, I would hazard a guess there are far more laypersons who fit this description than elected officials and political operatives.

Perhaps most candidates for office worry that they will lose elections if they don’t embrace baseball and apple pie and church-on-Sundays. Of course, there are some politicians who run on religious platforms. Such politicians would naturally seek the votes of church members.

The policy of religious tax exemptions looks like an anachronism that appears to be maintained by cronyism amongst theist politicians.

Anachronism, for sure. I wonder if the principle of separation of church and state (mistakenly) got it started. Was the thinking that if a religion paid taxes to the government, then the two would not be separate and the church would therefore be state-sponsored?

American law, from the beginning, has specified that there must be no state-supported religion, however there is no prohibition against the government receiving support from taxes paid by religious organizations.

Churches should be taxed at the rate for not-for-profit NGO’s. The tax burden would be negligible, as not-for-profits and non-profits pay nothing.

[A_Seagull]

Given that it would be easy enough for religions to apply for government grants for charitable work like any other NGO, why are these huge and immensely profitable organisations receiving tax exemptions?

Is there any reason for this other than politicians being far more religious than the general population? Is it ethical for secular people to be forced to subsidise these organisations because politicians personally like them?

Surely the commissions of inquiry conducted in many places around the world, exposing rampant child molestation in religious institutions, makes clear that, if not "bad actors", religions are not "good actors" in society. Consider the damage done to victims and their families and the immense cost to taxpayers for these inquiries and lost productivity and morale. One can point to the charitable works, but those are subsidised by secular taxpayers anyway under the current system (and then they pocket the profit).

The policy of religious tax exemptions looks like an anachronism that appears to be maintained by cronyism amongst theist politicians.

And presumably it is a vote winner. Or at least they fear the removal of such privilege would be a vote loser.