# If churches paid taxes, would they survive?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-churches-paid-taxes-would-they-survive/388531>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [January 19, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-churches-paid-taxes-would-they-survive/388531 "2007-01-19T00:54:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-churches-paid-taxes-would-they-survive/388531/41 "2007-01-22T14:36:12Z")

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[QUOTE=According to Pliny]

Say the tax was the same as private clubs, Rotary, Elks, or whatever.  
[/QUOTE]  
Rotary and Elks (and Moose, and VFW, and Masons, etc.) are [501 (c) charitable organizations](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501%28c%29), and are exempt from most federal and state taxes.

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