考研英语阅读理解与词汇分析.pdf

Americans are leaving religion The arguments for taxing churches have been around for many years , but there is reason to believe that America s changing religious demographics will soon give them more traction , as more Americans abandon organized religion. Many of the newly secular are un-sympathetic to subsidizing religion via the tax code Recent polling shows that almost one in four Americans, and more than one - third of those aged 18 to 33, now claim no religious affiliation. Back when virtually everyone subscribed to a religious faith, an across the board tax break for all religions was arguably fair—or at least inoffensive. But times have changed, and so have attitudes about the extraordinary benefits that churches enjoy. Perhaps the most offensive example of religious privilege under the tax code is the so-called parsonage under current tax law, ministers may deduct virtually all costs associated with housing from their income. At its worst, the exemption subsidizes the unseemly those enjoying multimillion-dollar estates, but even in a more ordinary context, the indefensible benefit running to organized religion, subsidized by taxpayers . Another gratuity to churches is the real estate tax exemption, which denies cash strapped municipalities revenue that could be used for public safety, road repairs and other services like everyone else in town, churches benefit from services provided by municipal governments, but in most areas are exempt from property taxation simply because they are churches. Some will defend this extraordinary handout by arguing that churches do much good through charity work. Even i